TonyI don't know what came over me to go after Chloe at her house when I had decided she was better off without me. But when I found out she had left the funeral, I got worried. I needed to check on her, to make sure she was all right. I could still use the 'I'm the Saints' boss' card and no one would suspect I had ulterior motives to see her.More than that, I needed to confirm if she was married. Sure, I wanted to know if she was feeling okay or if she needed help, not to mention to offer my sincere condolences for her loss, however, every fiber of my being was screaming at me to go and see it for myself.Nicky had just dropped a bomb on me about Chloe having a fucking daughter. I'd expect she had a husband to back her up and protect her, being so kind and gracious. But then, why would she need the Saints? Why didn't they stay in Miami where they probably had a more comfortable life? Unless her husband was a nobody with no particular power. It made me wonder why Nicky was so wor
ChloeOn Friday morning, my mom convinced me to go to lunch with the mob wives so we could all catch up since I haven't gone to the last two meetings. I wasn't in the mood–especially after my father's funeral–and I am still not. However, I have no choice since I am officially part of their "family" now. It's not like I can enjoy the privileges of the life and not be actively involved.So, after she lectured me for almost fifteen minutes, I decided to indulge her and accept the invitation, otherwise she wouldn't leave me alone. I know she's been trying to distract herself, but it's starting to be too much, even for her.I used to participate in these meetings and gatherings before we moved to Miami, and true, I used to enjoy them. The girls are actually fun. However, ever since my life drastically changed after I had Ellie and met Mateo, my perspective on life simply changed too.Also, it's not the same to be at a restaurant, listening to twenty women chattering and laughing around me
TonyWhenever I'm in Manhattan, I feel uneasy. I don't like to feel out of control. Staten Island is my territory. That's where I feel most comfortable. However, I had to come personally because of an important matter, so I couldn't send anyone on my behalf. As I stroll into the bar Cal uses as his office, I take in my surroundings, noting it looks different from the last time I was here. Now I can't tell if it is a casino, a bar, or a strip club. Or maybe all of it combined. It looks fancy though, and there's a lot of patrons already even though it's still the afternoon. Some Irish Kings members nod at me as I make my way through the club and head toward the back door where I know Cal's office is. One of his bodyguards opens the door for me and steps aside so I can pass. I go through another door before reaching the hallway. Cal's office is the last door on my right. I knock and turn the doorknob as soon as I hear him order me inside."Ah, if it isn't the man himself," he says as a
ChloeIt astonishes me how a human being so small and who barely stands on her feet can make such a mess in my house. For the last twenty minutes, I've been putting away all of Ellie's toys spread across the floor, her crayons and drawings, and the cushions from the couch she threw around the living room carpet.Today was supposed to be a cleaning day for me, but I'm not really in the mood for it. Maybe I should accept Mom's offer to hire someone to do it for me, but even though I hate it, I need to do something with my free time, otherwise I'll go insane. My brain needs to be kept busy so I don't think of bad things twenty-four-seven.I didn't tell my mother about what happened at Lou's Deli the other day with Tony. I didn't want to worry her, although maybe I should, since she is acting like nothing is happening. But I still don't know if it was all paranoia on my part. Even though I want her to take things more seriously, I don't want to alarm her unnecessarily either.A car screec
TonyChloe blinks at me, too astonished to say anything. What the hell just came over me? Did I just propose to her? Was this really the best plan I could put together? A sneer escapes her lips, and I narrow my eyes at her."Did you hit your head on your way over here or what? Of course we're not getting married," she counters, her voice not sounding very convincing. It seems like she is trying to convince herself other than me."Yes, we are," I affirm. "Think about it…it's the best way to keep Mateo away. As my wife, you'd not only have the protection of the Saints, but of my allies as well," I reiterate, hoping to sound more persuasive. "I don't need to be your wife for that, we can just pretend we're dating," Chloe retorts, crossing her arms in front of her chest, her brows rising in defiance.I offer her a smile. "As sweet as it may sound, girlfriends don't carry that much weight to men like us," I explain. "None of the guys from the Irish Kings or the Triads in Chinatown, for
ChloeThe first rays of sunshine come through my window and I grumble, turning on my side so I'm not blinded by the light. I frown, my eyes still closed, and I feel sleepiness embracing me again. But then I hear a scream coming from downstairs and I sit up in a flash. My brain takes a few seconds to make sense of what I'm hearing, but when it does, I frown.Is my mother yelling at someone? She'd know better than to do that when Ellie is probably still asleep. What time is it anyway? I look to the side and grab my phone on my nightstand, seeing it's still 6:25 A.M. "What is he thinking?" My mom's muffled voice continues.I throw off the blanket and swing my legs out of bed. Something bad must have happened for her to be screaming like this so early in the morning.Before I check what's going on, I stop by Ellie's room at the end of the hallway to make sure she's all right. I open the door a crack and peep inside, finding her sleeping like an angel in her crib. I let out a sigh of rel
TonyI check my watch for the fifth time in less than ten minutes, too anxious to pretend otherwise. Where the fuck are they? I told Armando they should be here before eight in the morning. The courthouse will open to the public after that and my plan will be damned. I'm in the backseat of one of my blacked out SUVs, this time not my own, in front of the hotel where Chloe is getting ready. I look out the window, noticing a few guests stepping out of the hotel entrance, but there's still no sign of Chloe or Armando."Shit, what is taking them so long?" I hiss to myself."Should I go and check, Boss?" Franco offers in response from the driver's seat. He's been my driver for the past four years, and he's as reliable, discreet, and tight-lipped as I need him to be. He is so quiet that I had almost forgotten he was here. That's when I see Armando stepping out, leading Chloe toward us. I'm fucking mesmerized by the sight, so focused on her that I forget I know how to speak for a moment. S
ChloeI remain silent the entire time as we leave the courthouse. I have no idea where Tony is taking me now, but just as before, I simply know he won't tell me a thing if I ask, so I keep my curiosity to myself. Besides, I don't trust myself to speak now. I have so many conflicted feelings going on inside my head and heart right now, that I just can't express how I feel.I'm aware of Tony's strong presence next to me the entire time, and I can't help but feel tense and uneasy. This shouldn't be like this. This is not what I wanted…not like this anyway. But like everything else in my life, I didn't have much of a choice either.I must confess I wasn't expecting him to be as kind as to give me such a beautiful ring. Sure, it's all for appearances, but the piece he picked is so…me. Simple but classy, sparkly but discreet. He knows my style and what I like. And it fits my finger perfectly. What he said to me in the courthouse about our night together two years ago got me blushing so h
Angelo The ride back to Staten Island is cloaked in silence, thick and suffocating. After scolding Tatiana for what she did, I can’t trust myself to speak again without unloading everything I’m feeling—rage, fear, confusion. My hands grip the steering wheel like a lifeline, my knuckles bone-white under the overhead glow of passing streetlights.Tatiana’s forehead is still streaked with dried blood. Just glancing at it sends a sickening twist through my gut. I don’t know what I would do if I lost Tatiana. I stare hard at the dark stretch of highway ahead, trying to piece it together. Trying to understand how the hell we got ambushed. The Rominas—how did they find her? We hadn’t been followed, I was sure of that. No one knew where she went. She’d been driving alone, off the grid. So why did they show up in the exact spot she chose?Coincidence? No. Too perfect.Were they watching her all along? Waiting for an opening? That’s the only thing that makes any sense. The idea makes my jaw c
TatianaI regret leaving the house the moment I reach the city. The buildings are monstrous, and I’m not used to a place as overwhelmingly chaotic as New York. At first, I was determined to head straight to the apartment Lev had rented—curious, optimistic, convinced that whatever he’d left there might hold answers about Oleg. I had hoped to find something, anything, that could help the Saints in their mission to dismantle the Romina Empire.I type the address Lev sent via email into the GPS, but I start recognizing the street names—familiar turns, shops and signs. Then I see it— the corner deli where Angelo kidnapped me that day. My stomach turns over and the blood in my veins turns to ice. I’m too close to the place where the wedding ceremony took place. Where I ran from. Where it all began.Emotionally, I begin to unravel and as if that’s not enough, I realize the car behind me has been changing lanes immediately after I merge for long enough that I’m being followed. Panic claws
AngeloA sharp beep echoes from the garage downstairs and jerks me out of sleep.For a second, I think it’s part of a dream. I lie still, blinking at the ceiling. But something feels off—too quiet, too empty.I don’t need to look to my side to know she’s gone.I feel it.The air is colder. The silence heavier.I sit up, scanning the room. The door is open. Lights off. Nothing.Then I notice it—my gun, keys, and wallet are missing.“Fuck,” I growl, bolting out of bed. I yank on my pants and shove my arms through my shirt like I’m racing death itself. My chest tightens, adrenaline slamming through my veins like a freight train.She took my car, my weapon, and my goddamn trust.“You can’t do this to me, Tatiana,” I mutter, storming into the hallway. My voice is hoarse, laced with anger and something far worse—fear.“She’s gone!” I shout down the corridor, pounding on Dice’s door without waiting. “Get the fuck up—we’ve got a problem.”Dice swings the door open already halfway dressed, eye
*Tatiana*Angelo and I ended up in bed after our talk on the porch. Not because we reached an understanding—we didn’t. We’re still standing on opposite sides of a line neither of us is willing to cross. But I knew pushing him harder would only cause more damage.So, I hold my tongue.For now, keeping the peace meant swallowing my pride, locking my thoughts away, and playing the role of someone willing to wait.It’s after midnight. Rain pounds against the windows like a warning—fierce, unrelenting. Angelo lies asleep beside me, peaceful, unaware of the storm brewing right here in this bed.I watch him for a long moment, memorizing the shape of him, the warmth of him, just in case this is the last time.Sleep won’t come, so I reach for the tablet on my nightstand. I browse for a while—news, maps, dead ends. Then, on impulse, I check my old email. I haven’t opened it since I left Russia. I expect spam, junk, maybe nothing at all.What I don’t expect is a message from Lev.Dated the night
*Tatiana*I grit my teeth and force myself not to roll my eyes. Throwing a tantrum won’t help—but that doesn’t stop the anger simmering just beneath my skin. I don’t like the way Angelo drew that line between us. Cold. Sharp. Final.It’s not just that he’s shutting me out. It’s how he’s doing it—like I’m still some piece on his chessboard, a liability to manage. A prisoner, technically. But from him? That’s a slap in the face.He’s across the kitchen, body rigid, watching me. I ignore him. If he wants distance, fine. I’ve had worse from men with half his brain and twice his ego.I focus on the window, jaw tight. I will find a way to be useful, whether he lets me or not. I didn’t survive this long just to be benched.“Give me a cigarette,” Angelo mutters, moving toward Sal and snatching the pack from the table.My gaze flicks over in time to see the tension in his shoulders, the anger in his hands.He doesn’t smoke. Hasn’t since I got here.“Sure you wanna do that?” Kian asks, brows ra
AngeloI pull myself from the bed and get dressed, still feeling the rush from my quick encounter with Tatiana. As much as I want to spend more time with her, I know I can't afford to linger. Work’s been piling up, and I’ve been slacking lately—ever since things started getting heated between us. The Saints need me, and I can’t ignore them.Keeping an eye on Tatiana, as per Tony’s orders, has also taken a lot of my focus. I haven’t had a chance to personally discuss with him yet what Tatiana shared with me about her past and her involvement with the Rominas, but I know that Sal and Dice have already filled him in. I just hope Tony doesn’t see her as a liability or a potential threat, but instead, as an ally."Can I ask you something?" Tatiana’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. She’s lying there, looking up at me, her lashes fluttering in that way I know always gets me."Sure," I reply, trying to sound casual. I walk back toward her but keep my distance so we don’t end up going for ro
TatianaThe morning sun warms my skin, stirring me gently from sleep. I stretch my arms above my head, muscles loosening as a sense of peace settles over me. It’s strange how a good night’s sleep can reset everything—my mood, my resolve, even my sense of purpose. Today, I feel new. Whole.Turning to my side, I gaze at Angelo. He’s still asleep, facing me, his features relaxed and soft in the quiet light. I take him in—the curve of his lips, the strong line of his jaw, those unruly dark curls that slip over closed eyes, guarded by lashes so long they could make any woman jealous.He looks like a different man when he’s asleep—unbothered, weightless. Awake, he carries the world like it’s chained to his back.A part of me wants to believe I’m the reason for that peace. That I’m helping him, in the way he’s helped me—just by being here, by seeing him, really seeing him, the way that no one else has. Just as he’s able to see me differently.My heart pounds as flashes of the past two weeks
*Tatiana*Getting to finally meet two other members of the Saints feels somewhat… exciting. I was shocked to see the one I had cut while running away from the wedding was part of their gang. This whole time, I’d just assumed that he had been working for Oleg. At least he doesn’t seem to be holding a grudge against me, which is a relief.The other one, though—Dice—was harder to convince that he can trust me, but in the end, I think they both believed me and my story. I still don’t know the plans they have for me, and I assume they need to tell their boss what I’ve disclosed first, but surprisingly, I’m not that worried about my future anymore. I know Angelo won’t leave me on the street by myself. He’ll find a way to keep me protected, even if his boss tells him I’m of no use to them anymore.Maybe I can return to Russia and start again somehow. The mere thought of leaving Angelo behind hurts my heart, but if that’s what it comes to in the end, I’ll have to find a way. It’s a bit alar
AngeloTatiana and I spend the rest of the day in her room, only leaving for dinner, and we’re back in bed before midnight. The house is empty because the rest of the team had to go to a meeting with Tony and left me here watching her—since, in their words, I already know how to deal with her.I wanted to punch the smirks off their faces, but they weren’t wrong.I also don’t want them near Tatiana while they’re still so suspicious of her. That would only scare her. And now that she’s shared everything with me, I’m more convinced than ever that I was right all along—she was never a threat.There’s no way she could be such a good actor and lie about her past. I saw the pain in her eyes, the hatred, and the guilt she carries. It’s the exact same look I see in the mirror when I stare at myself.I told her I didn’t think I could hate Oleg any more than I already did, but now that I know what he put her through… God, rage boils inside me to the point I can barely control it.Luca, Tatiana’s