Silas groaned as he ripped the syringe out of his neck. He was bleeding from the jagged way she jammed the syringe into his flesh. "Dammit..." he muttered under his breath, wiping away the blood with a shaky hand. The drugs were causing his vision to blur slightly. Typically, he would be furious, but he couldn't summon anger towards her. He loved her too much. It was evident she was merely frightened, still grappling with the complexities of his plan. He vowed to make her understand, no matter what it took. He struggled to his feet and stumbled out of the room. “Mr. Anderson?” Silas looked up at his men who were staring at him confused. “Sir, are you okay?” one of them asked, trying to help him.“The girl! Find her!” he growled. “Find her now!”*****The piercing wail of an alarm reverberated through the bright, white corridor, sending a shiver down my spine. It was a stark reminder of the looming danger approaching over us. Either the bombs were being placed or Silas was sending h
A rush of relief flooded through me as I saw Dante standing there, battered but alive. With hurried steps, he limped into the room, swiftly shutting the door behind him. In one fluid motion, he dragged the unconscious Silas inside, his movements decisive and firm. He threw Silas to the side before swiftly grabbing nearby wires and tying him up with electric cables."Are you alright?" His gruff voice rumbled through the tense air as he turned his gaze towards me. His sharp jawline was shadowed by his buzz cut, and specks of blood marred his once-clean face. Despite his intimidating presence, there was a familiarity about him, a sense of protection that surrounded me whenever he was near. From the moment I first laid eyes on him, I knew there was no denying the aura of violence that clung to him. Yet, at this moment, as he stood before me, I felt a bond with him that transcended mere kinship. He was like the brother I never had, a steadfast ally in the cruel world that surrounded us. I
Glancing cautiously around the dimly lit hallway from the safety of the doorway, I confirmed it was clear of any lurking guards. With a silent exhale, I slipped out into the corridor, my footsteps muffled against the cold, hard floor. My mission was clear: locate the guards and buy Dante the precious time he needed to establish contact with Nikolayev, our potential ally in this perilous situation.For now, I needed to get caught so that they could take me to Alejandro and then-"What are you doing out? Get her!" The harsh command pierced the silence of the hallway as the guard's voice echoed towards me. Acting on instinct, I feigned surprise and attempted to flee in the opposite direction. But my efforts were futile as I intentionally stumbled over the uneven steps, a desperate ploy to maintain the facade of panic. Before I could regain my balance, strong hands gripped my bicep, yanking me upright with brutal force. I struggled against their hold, hoping to sell the illusion of resist
I noticed Silvio's struggle to maintain composure, to conceal his instinctual response to my unexpected appearance, though it was evident he wasn't entirely successful. As the initial shock subsided, his jaw clenched, and a flicker of rage ignited in his eyes upon noticing my partially dishevelled state. Despite being restrained, his muscles tensed, visibly straining against the bindings. It was clear he harboured a primal urge to unleash havoc upon everyone in the room. I understood that only the ropes tethering him to the chair prevented him from launching himself at Alejandro, tearing him apart limb by limb.Alejandro must be thinking the same thing, because he motioned two bulky men to step closer to Silvio, clutching their weapons just in case.Looking pleased with this turn of events, Alejandro laughed and dragged me to the middle of the room, his grip on my arm horrendously tight."You know, it's so easy to destroy a man like you," he remarked casually, gripping my hair tightly
Confusion clouded my senses as I struggled to discern whether I had struck my head or if the explosion had left me dazed. The cacophony of gunfire outside the walls pierced through the haze, echoing into the room. Smoke billowed around me, choking my lungs as I reflexively tried to rise to my feet."Sadie! Keep low!" Silvio's voice cut through the smoke, its roughness indicating the strain. "Stay down, Cara Mia," he urged, concern evident in his tone. “Do you hear me?”"Yes!" I shouted in exhilaration, relief flooding me at the realization that he was alive—and able to talk. Staying close to the floor, I cautiously glanced from behind the fallen table beside me. Across the room, Silvio lay on his side, bound to the metal chair.Observing the smoke swirling in from the ceiling vent, I noted the room's desolation save for Silvio and myself. The commotion, whatever it was, seemed to be unfolding beyond these walls. Dante must have received my signal. Nearly overcome with relief, I seized
Silvio's heartbeat echoed through my palms, a rhythmic drumming that drowned out all other sensations. At that moment, I was utterly consumed by him, seeking warmth and safety in his embrace. His touch, firm yet tender, traced soothing patterns across my back, calming the storm raging within me. With one hand entangled in my hair, he cradled me gently, his arms a place against the chaos of my mind. Every movement, every caress, whispered reassurance, a lifeline in the tempest of my panic. And as he rocked me, his strength became my anchor, holding me together as I shattered, knowing that in his embrace, he’d gather me.“Hush… everything’s alright. I won’t let anything hurt you, shh.” He hummed softly, tilting my face into the warm curve of his neck, where I nestled, inhaling his comforting scent. With each sniffle, I bobbed my head gently, seeking comfort in his arms.“He… He said he’ll… he’ll kill you.” Tears flowed freely as I submitted to sobs, feeling every ounce of strength drain
"It's agonizing, isn't it? Letting her go," Alejandro scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips as he clicked his tongue in mocking amusement. "Do you honestly believe she can evade death? She's fated to die alongside you and your mother."Silvio's jaw tightened, his fists curling into tight balls of restrained fury. "Where is she?" His voice rumbled low and deep, carrying the weight of his smouldering rage, a storm brewing beneath a deceptively calm surface, ready to unleash.Alejandro chuckled darkly, a sinister sound that echoed through the tense air, his head shaking in mockery as he dragged his broken leg forward. Despite his injury, he kept the gun trained unwaveringly on Silvio."And you think I'd answer that?" His words dripped with venom, laced with a chilling indifference to the perilous situation. "You're quite amusing, Silvio. Have you ever heard a psychopath warn their victim?" His laughter carried a menacing edge, a glimpse into the depths of his depravity as he toyed wi
Dante forcefully pulled me along, the adrenaline coursing through my veins like a raging river. The echoes of the explosion still reverberated through the building, each tremor a stark cue of the chaos that had erupted just minutes earlier. I could feel the walls quivering around us as if they too were struggling to contain the violence. I knew we had so much less time left.But, there was a suffocating tightness gripping my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs with relentless vigour. It was a sensation both physical and haunting, the reminder of the man I had left behind. Silvio. My heart clenched painfully at the thought of him, refusing to beat without him by my side.Though I held onto faith in Silvio, doubts gnawed at the edges of my mind like hungry wolves. I couldn't bring myself to trust Alejandro, not when he had made his intentions towards Silvio abundantly clear. He had threatened him countless times, his words dripping with malice and contempt. I knew deep down that ther
I guess it hit me harder than I expected because I've been super busy all week. Silvio suggested I take a vacation, but I didn't listen because I'm stubborn. Between looking after Sandro, who's growing up fast, and my job at the clinic, I've been getting tired too quickly.And on top of that, this week was our marriage anniversary. Silvio warned me if I neglected my health one more time, he’d tie me up and lock me in our bedroom. My husband was over-protective ever since I gave birth to Sandro. My pregnancy was tough, in the sixth month, I started feeling nauseous and I was diagnosed with jaundice. My partial depression was the sole reason, I skipped meals, started remaining distant, and barely would talk. I didn’t know how but I was slowly rolling into the pit, not knowing how to deal with all that happened.But Silvio helped me get through all that. He was by my side, in my tough times, when I was riding the low tides. My husband wrapped me in his own darkness and everything else f
Nothing seemed right. The more I tried, the messier it became. Ever since the day Deliah had a panic attack, Silvio and her had been avoiding each other. As much as I wanted, all of this kept getting worse.Not to mention there was no one I could talk to either. Olivia and Dad flew back to the States yesterday. Dante and Micah seemed busier than ever. The security in the mansion was tighter and more cameras were installed. Today I had an appointment with Doctor Rachel. My baby was doing well, he was healthy and that relieved me. These past few days had been so painful and turning I was even scared to close my eyes.Alessandro’s dead eyes still haunted me, but I was learning to cope with all that. Silvio arranged therapy for me despite my refusal, he said my mental health would affect our child and I couldn’t argue.Even with lows, we had highs too. We were closer than ever. He was extra careful with me. We haven’t had sex ever since the plane and that was fine with me. He was giving m
Blood rushed through my veins violently and the need to destroy something- anything intensified. I knew her tactics; she was too transparent to even hide her thoughts. The moment my eyes met hers, I knew what she wanted.The adrenaline that rushed through my body a moment earlier was now slowly subduing, replacing with more volatile things. Emotions. So raw and gut-wrenching that I felt it hitting my heart with force that consumed me gradually.I averted my gaze off her face, focusing on anything or better, I should just leave. Before I destroy us, the things we had some time ago, many years back, many years ago before she let go of me.The room felt oppressively still, mingling with the tension.My back was turned to her, but I could sense her presence, the weight of her gaze bearing down on me. Every muscle in my body was taut, ready for flight or fight, yet her voice had a way of holding me in place.I could feel the emotions rising in my throat, tearing me apart."Your wife is a k
The scream that woke me up was like something out of a horror movie, I swear. It was full-on bloodcurdling, dripping with desperation and terror. It bounced off the walls, echoing through the whole darn house and sending a shockwave of adrenaline coursing through my veins.I shot up in bed, heart pounding like crazy in my chest. The darkness seemed thicker than ever, pressing in on me as I strained to figure out where the scream was coming from.My mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to make sense of it all. But one thing was for sure, whatever was going on, it wasn't good.I was on my feet and out of bed before I even had time to fully wake up. The scream had died down, but my heart was still racing like crazy. Fumbling in the darkness, I reached for the lamp and flicked it on, the sudden brightness momentarily blinding me.My eyes darted around the room, panic rising in my chest as I realized that Silvio wasn't there. The bed was empty, and that fuelled my fear tenfold. Where wa
The aroma of roasted chicken lingered in the air, but it seemed like even the savoury scent couldn't quite dismiss the tension hanging over the dining room. My husband sat across from me, his usual warmth replaced by a distant look in his eyes as he toyed with his fork, avoiding his mother's gaze.I could sense his inner conflict, the desire to bridge the gap with his mother battling against some unseen force keeping him at arm's length. It tugged at my heartstrings, seeing him like this.To break the awkward silence, I cleared my throat and spoke up, hoping to steer the conversation toward safer shores. "So, what names have you guys been tossing around?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.Relief washed over me as Olivia clapped her hands with enthusiasm. Her sudden burst of excitement seemed to jolt everyone, and I heard Papa chuckling. “Papa and I came up with some names. Do you want to hear?”"Absolutely!" I replied with a grin. “I'd love to." My eyes met Silvio’s for a brief mom
It was dark when we landed. I lead a sleepy Sadie off the plane, and we get in the car to drive home. Micah was her to pick us up. Home. It was strange thinking of this place as home again. It was my home when I was a child, and I hated it. I hated everything about it, from the humid heat to the walls that had us trapped. Where my father was buried and my brother- Sandro. Yet when I got older, I found myself drawn to places just like this—trapped, something that gave me power and control.It took Sadie’s presence here to make me realize I didn’t hate the mansion after all. This place was never the object of my hatred—it was always the person it belonged to.My father.My childhood was what people would trade their souls for, my father was the son of Italy’s most influential man- Lucius Salvatore. My grandfather was a nice man, wealthy and kind. He lost my grandmother when my father was born. And Antonio Salvatore became the reason why Lucius drifted into darkness. For him, my father
He let out a low groan as our lips met. Our tongues intertwined, burning a fire between us. His strong arm pulled me closer, drawing me into his hold, and I could sense the tension building in his powerful body.His breath quickened against my lips, matching the rapid beat of my own heart. And the kiss deepened, becoming almost primal as if he couldn't get enough of me. Each movement sent a shiver down my spine, my body responding eagerly to his touch.With every touch, every kiss, the desire just grew stronger, the hunger consuming us both. Nothing else mattered except the electric connection we shared, sending waves of pleasure coursing through my body."Hands on the table. Now." His voice carried a low, almost predatory edge, causing a shiver to run down my spine as he abruptly broke away from our kiss and rose to his feet. With a firm grip, he pulled me up from my seat, leaving me momentarily speechless.Before I could utter a word, his fingers closed around my wrist, harshly turn
The jet took off, and Dante checked the security once again. Silvio's mother was in the cabin in front, I offered to sit with her, but she refused. I had barely talked to her, but she seemed like a nice woman. For the next hour, I sat in silence, nibbling on my fruits and sipping my coffee. Silvio seemed engrossed in his emails, so I chose not to disturb him. Instead, I tried to lose myself in the scenery unfolding outside the window as we soared over the London countryside. But no matter how hard I tried to focus, my mind kept drifting, my thoughts wandering off with every blink.Sitting there felt surreal, almost out of place. It was as if we were in a bubble, untouched by the horrors we had just endured. It was hard to believe that mere moments ago, we had faced terror and torture, yet here we were, seemingly unscathed, flying above the peaceful landscape below. As if I hadn't ended a man's life in cold blood, the memory of his death haunting me with every passing moment. As if I
My hands shook. The more I tried to keep myself calm, the worse it was getting. I didn’t know how or when, but when I woke up, I found myself being held by two nurses as they injected me with Diazepam. There were blurry images in my head, so horrifying and disturbing I didn’t know if it was reality or just my imagination.“Do you want me to call your husband?” I shook my head. That would only make things worse. He would ask me questions and again, I wouldn’t be able to answer. How would I when I was clueless myself? I thought with time these nightmares would fade, but it was getting worse. This time I saw the mangled body of our unborn child, his eyes gauged out and blood spilling everywhere.The terror seeping through me was unwavering, I… I felt so scared.The fright crept through my veins like icy tendrils, freezing every ounce of courage within me. My heart raced, a frantic drumbeat echoing in my chest, while my breaths came in shallow gasps, barely enough to sustain me. The darkn