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Chapter 52
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2025-02-26 22:31:21
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Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 53
Giovanni POV: I hadnโt any idea what just happened, one moment we were discussing plans with the Detective and the next she had gone cold, in a way sheโd never done with me. She was rigid and firm, her voice trembled with fear. I wanted to grab her and hold her, ask her what had made her so upset, but the look in her eyes strayed my hand. She went off without another word, it wasnโt my intention to ever see her in that state. We hadnโt told her about Marco simply for his protection, we didnโt know who could be listening in so it was only ever discussed in my home, in my room which was swept for bugs daily. I didnโt dare mention it at the office where anybody could walk inside. I waited in my office unsure of whether to follow her, part of me screamed that I should run after her and apologize even though I didnโt know what I had done wrong. The other part of me stayed put, hoping she would calm down and speak to me rationally. I went over and poured myself a drink as Luca walked in
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-02-27Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 54
Giovanni POV: After our one night into the world of normalcy, we were pulled back to our daily duties. Looking for cracks in her father's foundations, and plastering over our own. I had to hand it to her, she was a remarkable strategist explaining where she believed he might go, giving clever and devious answers as to why. She would be heartbroken if I ever told her but I understood why Domenico wanted her to take over. If anybody here knew how he thought it was her, her own mind ticked in the same way, her saving grace was that she had a conscience. We sat at our desks and worked over the problems that could arise, seeing what we could find on her father. It wasnโt the blood she had originally wanted but I think life in prison was still satisfying. The most grueling task of the day came when we called the Detective he would sit there and tell us how he had nothing more than we did, and still hadnโt found that P.I.If I didnโt know any better Iโd say he was useless. โI have made so
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-02-28Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 55
Domenico POV: โI donโt care if the cops arenโt on our side anymore get it done!โ I shouted slamming the door behind me. The whole pack of fools had begun to question me ever since I released them on this city. I had given them what they wanted let them settle whatever small petty grudges they held with the insignificant ants on the street, and they had the audacity to say we had gone too far. For so many years, I had left them chomping at the bit and now, now that theyโve had their chance they feel the pressure of their actions. Perhaps there was a reason then why I didnโt let them do whatever they wanted. To be fair my risk hadnโt paid off in the way I wanted, my daughter for some reason concerned herself with the lives of those scraps. She wished them all to be fruitful and successful in their own right. Most of them didnโt have the wherewithal for that, not enough ambition is many menโs great folly. I had wreaked havoc upon the city to show her how meaningless it is to care, th
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-04Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 56
Arianna POV: โI heard you were looking for me,โ a woman called in our bedroom I turned on the lights looking between Giovanni and the woman. The two in a standoff my head rushing with adrenaline, the sound of a heartbeat pounding like a base in the back of my brain. Then it all went clear she hesitated looking over at me inquisitively. โVanessa?โ My mother's name floated from her lips and I stopped standing straight up. โHow do you know my mom?โ The woman put her gun away and put up her hands. โIโm Ryan Blake?โ she gave her name and Giovanni put the gun down with a thump and turned to the woman with his eyes lit with fire. โWe have a front door most people tend to just knock,โ He scoffed going over and putting a shirt on. She eyed him with a mischievous grin. โYeah, and most people havenโt been tailed by FBI agents or had their tax records pulled in the last 48 hours, not to mention the relentless calling,โ she turned her attention back toward me. โNice by the way my friends ha
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-05Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 57
*12 years ago* Ryanโs POV: It was late and I was getting nowhere on this hit-and-run case. I stared up at my bulletin board my mind numb from the hours I had spent trying to get this guy. The guy was a total creep but he had enough connections it would be hard to get a conviction. I didnโt like leaving this family high and dry though Iโd find some dirt soon enough. A knock came at the office door behind me, hurried repetitive knocks, the only ones I ever got. I had tried the quiet life after retirement, but it made my skin itch seeing all the assholes get away with their dirty dealings, so I became a P.I. Sure my old comrades made fun of me, but while they protected freedom I protected the little guy. I walked over to the door slowly and the knocking continued all the way there. I opened up to see a fairly young woman standing there holding papers and her eyes were red. Her fist still raised she sniffled. โHello my name is Vanessa Zeni,โ she began her voice was hard and fierce. I
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-07Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 58
Arianna POV: The whirlwind that was Ryan Blake had flung into our lives and decidedly flung out rather quickly, I honestly hadnโt expected her to turn up again for months at the latest but after running out of the house the night before she strolled back in with a cup of black coffee and some pastries. โOkay,โ she mumbled, her mouth full of croissant, โI went to your mom's house there was nothing there,โ I could barely understand her as she spoke putting her boots up on the coffee table in the den. โYou werenโt kidding,โ she chuckled to herself. โThey tore that place apart,โ A wicked grin spread on her face. I felt my heart pang when I remembered the state of the home I had grown up in. Giovanni must have seen it cross my face as he set his cappuccino down and bit out, โThe home your friend built being torn to shreds amuses you?โ Blake didnโt miss a beat she took another sip of her coffee and with all seriousness explained. โYes, the thought of Domenico going crazy looking for the
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-10Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 59
Arianna POV: โWe need to use this now!โ Mosley insisted. โHe has more chance to get out of this if he knows itโs coming,โ โNo, I donโt want to move until Blake checks back in. If sheโs out there or god forbid is captured, sheโs in danger if we move,โ I insisted, Gio rubbed my back as I stood my ground. Even though we had found the file, Blake was determined to find the new account. She was worried the past charge was too easy for him to wriggle out of. She wanted more, so she had gone out to find it tracking him just like she had before. It had been three days since she was supposed to check in and there was radio silence on her end. My father didnโt like getting caught twice, if he knew who Blake was from before I had no doubt he had gotten information on her. He may know how she operates and have people watching for her, he may have realized we reached out to her. It wasnโt that I didnโt believe Blake could survive him, it was that I knew the resentment my father felt for her.
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-13Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 60
Giovanni POV: We had started building a case against Domencio with proof that he had a history of tax evasion it was an easy start, for my cooperation and hard work I was given clemency for any alleged smuggling. Domenico had put the accounts in the name of shell corporations of course. However, those are the shell corporations he also uses to cover up his drug ring. This time his name was attached to the accounts and Blake had managed to obtain surveillance footage of Domenico at the bank. The detective was in an egregiously good mood, and though it was quite infuriating I understood why. He had been trying to pin one of us down for over five years, instead, heโd been caught running circles in a gang war. Now he had proof, he could take one of us down. If I enjoyed his little good boy attitude I would tell him that when Domenico goes so do I, but whereโs the fun in that?It was slow to find the connections between him and the shell corporations, especially given that Domenico had be
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-03-19
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Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 71
Arianna POV:The next day, we headed out onto the boat piling on with baskets overflowing with blankets and pillows, wine bottles, meats and cheeses, and bread. I stopped onto the boat with Gio helping me aboard, and he began to show me around. โThis is the top deck where we spend most of our time,โ He explained. Comfy seats and benches lined the top of the ship, large enough for the whole family to sit and eat and relax together. โMy mother wanted it so that no one felt left out,โ He grinned. His mother began by fluffing out all of the blankets and coats, and her sisters went downstairs to unload all the food. Becca and Luca joined their cousins in readying the ship. Once again, I was struck with how much this family spent time together and how happily they moved around with each other. His father boarded the ship and entered the captain seat, not speaking or looking at anyone, sitting down with a canister of coffee and a newspaper or two. They all had their roles, but they loved
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 70
Arianna POV: We stopped for lunch at a little bistro, much like back in America they were heavily involved in helping businesses in their town. The owner came out and greeted Giovanni and Luca, snapping his fingers to get us a better table and the finest wine they had. I rolled my eyes as Gio winked and pulled out my chair for me, he knew damn well it wasnโt his connections that made me interested in him. Once again, the blonde from the store flashed into my mind. Did he, though? She was fawning over him so intently, praising him a cooing his name. I had never been a woman to constantly stroke her man's ego. I shook my head, removing the thought from my mind. No, I wonโt do this. Heโs taken me home to his family, heโs showing me the place he grew up. I wonโt begin second-guessing now, not when weโve faced demons together. As if reading my mind, he held my hand as if it was second nature, kissing it before answering a question Luca had asked him. He explained to me his favorites on
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 69
Arianna POV: โLet me take you out today to show you the town.โ he grinned as we went downstairs to breakfast. I nodded happily at the thought of running around town with him, seeing everywhere he grew up. The places that he hung around as a child with Luca and his brother. I wanted to see the town that helped him grow into who he is, all the little memories dotted around shops and cafes. โGio?โ his mother called. โYou going out?โ she pouted for a moment before walking into the kitchen and then handing him a list. โGet me this, please.โ She kissed the top of his head and patting his shoulder She patted the empty seat next to Giovanni for me to sit in, โCome on dear, Iโve got fresh fruit and pastries,โ she gestured to the pile of breads on the table. โMama, who is going to eat all of this?โ he asked, going over the list. She scoffed and turned to him. โYou and Luca have emptied my pantry before. Donโt think I donโt know what youโre capable of get me my food,โ SHe scolded him, wav
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 68
Giovanni POV: I felt horrible the way she was sitting back in her chair, absentmindedly smiling as she looked around the room. My mother guided her up to my old room for me while we sat there finishing the meal. She followed a long like a child dead to the world around her. I thought once she knew we were going somewhere safe sheโd relax, but it seemed meeting my family was very important to her. I tried not to grin at the thought that she cared that much for me. My mood soured though as I watched her leave and then turned to my father, he stared at me with a discerning look. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I knew that would only antagonize him. I was sure heโd tell me what was wrong with her soon enough, and I would ignore all of it. If he knew anything he would know there was no turning back for me, I had damned myself in his name to avenge my brother, now that an angel has swopped in to save me he is upset. โShe's beautiful,โ He commented. I didnโt say a word in response, waitin
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 67
Arianna POV: His father rose from his seat and set down his paper, I could see what his mother meant; they were similar. He had the same wide shoulders and strong jaw Giovanni had and the same nose, but Giovanniโs eyes were his mother's. If I wanted to see what he looked like thirty years later, it was at the other end of the table, salt and pepper hair, some wrinkles here and there, but still strong. The two men stood at opposite ends of the room like monoliths, refusing to bow to the other. One wanting the respect heโd earned, the other the respect heโd deserved, I sighed softly to myself. It wasnโt just looks that they were identical on; I stepped down the stairs and past Giovanni. โSIgnore Risci, thank you for welcoming me into you, especially given the circumstances,โ I walked over holding out my hand. His father cocked his head to the side as he considered me for a moment, taking my hand and kissing it. โOh, I see why my son has overlooked your past.โ He looked at Giovanni,
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 66
Arianna POV: I didnโt find a wink of sleep the whole flight, my mind racing with the possibilities. I had never met the parents before, let alone a whole family. Even if I had I knew in my bones it wouldnโt be the same as it was now, my heart would flutter, my mind wouldnโt race, my palms wouldnโt be slick. Luca and Giovanni were both asleep, heads slunk to the side in the same manner. I wondered if Giovanniโs brother had done the same. I wondered if he looked more like his father or his mother, who he acted more like. I wondered if his family would begrudge me mine or if they understood my past. I was even more on edge by the time we got off the plane as I was sure I looked a mess, from the bitter cold of an east coast winter we stepped into the cool warmth of the mediterranean. I felt as if I dragged in the sludge and sleet with me, my eyes looking more akin to a racoons and less human. The one bright spot waited for me as we stepped down from our flight. โArianna!โ Becca excla
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 65
Arianna POV: It didnโt feel real; it felt like some wild fantasy I had found myself in. I watched on the news as they carted him out of our house and into the cop cars, a dark expression casting over his face. Then at the arraignment, I sat in the back so he couldnโt see me, like I was five hiding behind my mother's leg, but still. The judge set no bail, for fear heโd run off, the power of a federal judge and not one of the county guys, that we all knew my father had in his pocket. He was being held without bail until his trial. The judge seemed to be unbiased; still, I warned myself I told myself not to think it, but I felt like we had a chance of putting him away. I felt as if I thought it, it would flitter away and vanish. He had never been caught before, my father had been on trial a total of six times, and not once had they been able to put him in jail. He had the best lawyers, he had donated to the judge's campaigns, and he knew their families. Not once did they even come clos
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 64
Domenico POV: There are moments in life of crisp clarity, like a camera lens focusing or a breath of fresh air after swimming. You see things just as they are, not as you wanted them to be; every little piece of information you neglected to cover, your own fears they shine brightly. Iโd experienced this once before when my wife ran with our daughter in the middle of the night. All her good intentions, all our quiet evenings, the distance between us over the past weeks. They glared at me in the eyes, forcing me to realize all I had missed because I didnโt want to see that she was leaving me. I felt the same when the FBI walked boldly into my house, that punk smuggly dangling the cuffs in my face. โTax evasion's a bad rap,โ he chuckled, dragging me out of the house as cameras flashed, blinding us, as he laid conquest to my home. In a matter of seconds, the last few months flashed into my head: Vanessaโs body in the morgue, the fear and hesitation on Ariannaโs face when I returned t
Into the darknessย ย ย Chapter 63
Arianna POV: We were working closer and closer to my father's arrest, every day I caught moments when it felt like we would pull this off and I grabbed onto them tight. They kept me sane, most of the time I felt a green mist in the air. Something was coming for us we couldnโt see, shadows pulling at us as we neared our victory. The slimy and sinking feeling that though we had every scrap of evidence to put him away it wasnโt enough. He was too foul a beast to keep breathing. I could see the shiny strings he pulled to get us to move this way and that. Giulia had shown up and tried to get me to see some photos of Giovanni doing something that would โturn my stomachโ. I had pushed her away and left but my skin had been crawling since. It was the simplest interaction she had let me go, and I felt as if I should cling to Giovanni ever since then. The rug was going to be pulled soon and weโd be sent tumbling. As hazy as the days were, never seeing where we were heading as I looked over
