Chloe"Eleni?" I blurt out in shock.My old friend smiles at me from across the door, her newborn cradled in her arms. He is so cute, his round cheeks reddened by the chilly breeze outside. "Oh, my God! Come inside!" I rush her, urging her to get out of the cold weather with her baby. "Are you crazy? What are you doing here? Didn't you just give birth?" My mouth is agape as I take them both in.Eleni chuckles, lulling the kid who looks almost asleep, his little eyes blinking heavily. "This is Ilias," she tells me amusingly. "And yes, I did. But that's one of the perks of having a private jet. I get to travel more comfortably. How have you been? I missed you a lot." She manages to give me a hug while still holding Ilias, and I welcome it, having missed her a lot as well."I missed you too. And I don't even know where to start," I admit, guiding her toward the living room. "I can't believe you're here. Come on, I’ll make some coffee. Do you want decaf?” I think back on Ellie’s newborn
TonyI get to Cal's casino bar in record time. I hate when he is enigmatic in text messages, but since our businesses have to be kept in the dark, I can't blame him for not telling me right away what the problem is. The urgency in his words made my skin crawl, but I have no idea what to expect when I walk into his bar.His guys gesture for me toward the basement, a place I have been only twice ever since I met him. Both times weren't for nice businesses. That's where he deals with dirty shit, in all senses of the word. My stomach is twisting as my footsteps echo through the empty, sultry hallways. I bump into a few other men who seem to be guarding the place, and that only makes me anticipate even more what I am about to find.When I reach the last door to my left, I encounter a scene that isn't at all unfamiliar to me. A young man who seems to be in his early thirties is tied to a metal chair, his arms and legs wrapped with tight ropes. The room is dark, but I can see his face is swo
ChloeAfter my mom left, I took a shower and decided to prepare dinner for when Tony arrived. Ellie only woke up to have dinner and then went back to sleep, and I was glad, because I'd have time to cook something nice without having to watch her.I’m not sure Tony will come back for dinner though. He left in the morning and I haven't heard from him since, but when I hear his voice frantically calling me from the front door, I don't know what to think. He sounds worried, disturbed even, and when he shows up at the door, I notice how pale he looks. "Tony? Is everything okay? What happened? You seem like you have just seen a ghost," I ask softly, not wanting to frighten him more. But he doesn't say anything. He doesn't answer me. He simply strides toward me, wraps one arm around my waist, and pulls me flush against him. Then he kisses me, so desperately that it catches me off guard, almost stealing my breath away.I don't know what got into him, and even though I'm dying to ask him, I
ChloeIt takes longer than I planned to have dinner served, but eventually I manage to get the food out of the pan and onto our plates. Tony and I eat together, talking about trivial things. I feel the elephant in the room, lurking in the shadows, but I don't bring the sensitive topics to the table.I feel like we're both in such a nice place now, that I fear whatever and whenever I mention Mateo, the little bubble of happiness we are building might pop and my life will return to its usual nightmare. I’m dreading the idea of it.I don't know how to bring up the topic of Ellie being his daughter, either. He’s probably still mad at me for keeping it a secret from him, and even though I know we will have to address it eventually, I want to postpone it for as long as I can.When we finish dinner, I tell Tony to go take a shower while I clean up the kitchen. He does as I ask, even though he tries to fight me on it for a while, saying he will stay and help me. Once I'm done with my chores,
TonyChloe's sweet scent hits my nostrils before I even open my eyes. Having her sleep in my bed again feels like a dream. I stretch my hand to her side, hoping to find her and pull her into my arms, but all I find is emptiness, the sheets already cold from her absence.I snap my eyes open and sit up straight, looking around the room, looking for her. But she's nowhere in sight. She's not in the bathroom, either.Fear threatens to consume me before I pull myself together. There’s no way anything happened to her inside the house. I have my men stationed outside and I'd have woken up if anyone burst in. But it doesn't sit well with me that I can't hear or see her anywhere, so I jump out of bed and head for Ellie's room, hoping to find them there.But the place is also empty.My heart is beating rapidly against my chest as I move through the house searching for them. I let out a sigh of relief when I find a note written on an orange post-it saying they went out to meet with Eleni and so
ChloeBrunch with Eleni and the other wives is funnier and more entertaining than I was expecting. When she texted me this morning to meet with her before she had to return to Greece, I figured she meant just the two of us–and maybe the kids–but it turned out she invited all the other wives, too.After the night I spent with Tony, I wanted to stay beside him when he woke up, but I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to see Eleni one last time. Who knew when we would see each other again? With a newborn, I doubt she will be coming back to the states anytime soon. It’s already surprising that she’s here just weeks after giving birth. I don't think she’ll try this again soon.That is why I got up, dressed Ellie and headed out of the house without talking to Tony. I made sure to leave him a note so he didn't freak out when he didn't see us, but other than that, I didn't say anything else. We still have things to solve and discuss, but life seems to be getting in the way a lot late
ChloeMy eyes are full of tears a few hours later, while I'm on a flight to Vermont on Tony's private jet with both my mother and Ellie beside me. The other seats are occupied with the soldiers Tony assigned to guard us while we're at the hideout. There are five men with us on this plane, but the others will be meeting us there eventually.I have no idea how large the tactical force that Tony has set up to be in charge of us in Vermont is, but I hope most of the Saints stay in New York–especially Staten Island–to protect him. I hate that he made me leave like this. I hate it even more that we didn't get the time to talk through things. I didn't want to leave him behind. I didn't want to run away. And even though I understand why he’s doing this, I just can't accept it.I knew Mateo was coming for me all along, but running away again wasn't an option. I have to protect Ellie though, and if Tony is sending us to a safehouse, he must not have everything under control like I thought he h
TonyIt's been a couple of days since I sent Chloe, Ellie, and Nicky to Vermont along with several of my men. I knew she'd be pissed at me the moment I told her the news, but it didn't go the way I planned. It was way worse.I wasn't expecting her to be so concerned about me, wanting to check on my wound, and then blaming herself for what had happened. I was really mad at her for doing so, but mostly, I was mad at myself for not having the situation controlled. When I got into this to protect her, I expected Mateo to act faster. His silence lately was bothering me immensely, and when I got caught off guard at the deli's, I was fucking furious for being so stupid and unprepared.Chloe got to me at such a vulnerable moment, and I wasn't planning on being harsh or even rude to her. But that's how it ended up being.The look of disappointment and sadness that crossed her face when I told her I was sending her to Vermont will never leave my nightmares. I hated myself for it, but deep down
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
*Tatiana*I lie against Angelo’s chest, staring blankly at the wall, his thumb circling gentle caresses on my back. The sun is setting outside, and I have lost track of how long we’ve been here. For all I care, we could just stay here forever. I wouldn’t mind.I wonder where the other guys are or if they know what we’re doing in here, but I don’t bother to ask ngelo about it. Not that I’m embarrassed about what we did, but we’re supposed to be enemies, kidnapper and kidnapped. This isn’t how things were supposed to evolve between us.I bet they hate me for not giving them what they want, for wasting their time, and for fucking Angelo–something they’re all probably aware of by now.But what can I do? It’s not like I forced him to sleep with me. I didn’t even try that hard to seduce him.“What are you thinking about?” he whispers against my head, placing a soft kiss on my temple.“Not much,” I reply with a shrug.“I doubt that,” he says, continuing his featherlight strokes on my skin.H