I braced myself and opened the door. I nearly jumped out of my skin, looking into the bathroom with eyes wide open and in utter surprise. The urn fell off my hand, crashing to the floor in many pieces. His blue eyes were staring right at me. I was more confused than ever, not knowing what to do. I didn't know what scared me more, the gun pointed at me or the bloody bathroom and staring right back at me. My heart was racing so fast, and I stood transfixed."Amorino, it's you," he faintly said as he lowered the gun. I heard him turn on the safety switch and drop it beside him. His groan brought me back, and I ran into the bathroom, not minding the broken pieces of the urn scattered on the floor or the gun beside him. I was a bit confused about what happened and how the deep cut came about. The floor was littered with bloody paper towels and spills of blood. Mace was sitting down, backing the mirror, to get a good look at the wound. With his shirts off, he was baring his muscled body for
I woke up to the beeping of my phone. I turned my head from one side to another while blocking my ears with my hands, but the beeping wouldn't stop. I removed my hands from my ears and placed my hand on the other side of the bed, but it was empty. I jerked my head off the pillow and looked to the other side of the bed. I scanned the room; he wasn't anywhere in the room. I sat up on the bed, supporting myself with my elbow. I got up from the bed hastily, but the pain I felt advised me to apply caution next time.I limped to the bathroom, but he was still nowhere to be found. I was about to open the door to step outside the room when a white piece of paper that was carefully placed on the bedside table, with a caption read me, caught my attention. I limped back and took the paper to read."Amorino, I told Stella to make your favorite; I will be back before you know it." I was all smiles after reading the note but was soon overtaken with worry when I remembered his wound. I wondered how
He gripped my hands and pulled me into bed."You are drunk" he whispered "Now sleep".I made to grab him again. but he gripped both of my arms and turned me to face him, and that's how we slept off. I woke up the next day, and it was as though a parade was going on in my head; my head was pounding so hard, I could swear someone set a disco stereo on my head."So this is what they call a hangover," I said to myself. I was holding my head with both hands. I sat down, adjusting to the edge of the bed while trying to hide from the sunlight."This is what being a vampire is all about," I asked myself. I remembered the show Grace and I had put up yesterday, and I wondered if Grace was fine. This was the first time we drank together. Even though it seemed like my head was going to fall off, I still didn't regret drinking with her.I was smiling over our drama yesterday when I remembered her one-night stand with Ray. I instantly felt the urge to check up on her, so I fumbled on the bedside ta
I could read the expression on his face, but I tried not to read too much meaning into it. I knew it wasn't entirely going to be easy, but fingers crossed."We can do it." He turned and took a good look at Ray, then Grace. I know he must be very confused, wondering what is going on and what the occasion is. He smiled at Grace and quickly rushed to her."Mr. Hoult," Grace called him as they hugged tightly. This is the first time they have seen each other after the incident, I guess."You are putting on some weight, Mr. Hoult," Grace teased Dad, and then they both laughed. Mace and Ray went to sit on the couch, and I went to meet Grace and Dad, hugging them both. This has always been my dream to be with the two most important people in my life, but I felt so ecstatic when I knew that I have two families now and a man who cares for me. Dad asked Grace and me to settle down with him at the dining table. He asked Grace about her grandmother but was a bit sad when he heard that she was no m
Mace POVI didn't know what to say to her after watching today's drama. I just wanted nothing but to hold her tight, but I didn't know what her reaction would be. The last thing I want right now is to lose Tilda, even though I wouldn't blame her if she chose her father over me. I sneaked in late at night when I was sure she would be asleep, took a shower, and lay down beside her. She looked sexy in her nightie, but I cautioned myself against touching her. I turned to the other side of the bed and slept off.A soft hand trailing down my body woke me up. I was still trying to get used to my environment when a hand pulled my briefs down and something cold enclosed around my shaft.Bloody hell, I opened my eyes immediately.Tilda looked like an angel, the kind that leads men astray; her beautiful black hair was disheveled, and she was staring right at me with her beautiful grey eyes.She smiled and winked at me, which was sexy as hell; she sure knew how t
Mace POV"I love you more, she said, ending the call".I smiled. I felt fulfilled just hearing her voice. My girl was out with my mom, shopping. I immediately agreed to the idea when my mom suggested she take Tilda out because tonight I was going to propose to her. I know we are married and all that, but I didn't give her the proper proposal she deserved. I just threatened the shit out of her and forced her hand, so I was going to do things the right way now.I am going to propose to her properly, and when her father consents, he will walk her down the aisle like the princess she was.The saleswoman showed me yet another hideous ring, but I shook my head. I want only the best for my Inamorata. I decided to look through some of the designs they have and finally spotted the one I wanted. It was a beautiful gold ring with tiny diamonds around it; it was exquisite, just like my Tilda. I inspected the ring one more time to make sure it was perfect, nodded, a
Mace's PovWhen I got home, her things were still there, but she wasn't. I immediately stepped outside to ask her guards, but the guards said she hadn't come home. I grabbed Leo by the neck and punched him a few times in the face, asking him why on earth he would leave her all alone.He kept on giving pathetic excuses, but I wasn't in the mood to listen to his gibberish. I was so nervous and scared that something might have happened to her. I paced my room a couple of times and then decided to call her best friend. It rang a couple of times, but she didn't answer. I made Ray call Grace and report to me if she had seen Tilda. I grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the liquor cabinet, poured some out into a glass, and poured it in at once.I was growing impatient as I waited for Ray's call. A few minutes later, my phone rang, and I picked it up immediately. I sighed in relief when he told me Tilda was with grace. He tried to get me to change my mind and not
I grabbed the desk to regain composure; it was another symptom I had been experiencing lately and always feeling dizzy and tired. I sat down on the chair to regain myself before stepping out. I kept wondering why the heck I was feeling so dizzy. Even when I do little things that don't require much strength, I find myself panting like someone who fell from the sky. I did put it on my to-do list to visit the hospital at the end of the week.I dropped the car key on the desk and managed to come downstairs. I hailed a cab because I was feeling too dizzy to drive. I would have canceled on Dad, but I do know him well. If I should so much as tell him I'm not feeling strong, it will make him worry a lot, and he has been doing a lot of that since Mace and I broke up.I got to my dad's apartment, and he was surprised to see me alone."Where is Grace?" Dad asked me, holding the door while looking past me to see if she was behind me. I told him she went to a party, gave him a peck, and walked pas
MACE'S POVI had so many thoughts running through my mind as I raced up the stairs. I prayed so hard, but it wasn't what I was thinking. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her.I was in disbelief looking at her standing like an avenger with a gun in her hands and Sarah lying down dead beneath her. I never thought Amorino could fire a gun, but here I am looking at the very impossible staring me in the face.I ran towards her, took the gun from her, and handed it over to Ray.I looked her over before hugging her. I was glad she was okay and even happier that we both saved our son together."Amorino, are you okay?" I asked, peering into her face."I'm fine; where is Vey?" she asked immediately, looking from me to Ray."Vey is fine," Dad replied. She quickly ran to him and grabbed him from his hands, hugging him so hard."Mammy!""Mammy is here, Vey," she said, smiling at him."Hold on, were you going to accept this crazy bitch proposal?" S
MACE'S POVThose very words were what I had been waiting for this whole time. I paused immediately when I heard Ray say he had found the bitch. I let out a devilish grin because I knew what I had in store for that mad bitch.She had taken more than she could chew. If she had messed with me, I would be lenient, but you mess with my family, and I will send you to the afterlife in pieces."Where?" "Right under our nose."Tilda jumped off the bed while hurriedly heading to the door"Honey, where are you off to?" Mom asked her. "To get my son!" She screamed, her voice filled with pain."Amorino," I gently called her; she didn't answer, nor did she glance my way. I touched her shoulder, and she turned towards me."I promise to bring our son home; I give you my word," I reassured her, looking her in the eyes while patting her hair."Mace, I want to bash that weirdo's head in for causing me pain.""I will make her pay for all the pain and misery she has caused
MATILDA'S POV"Ma'am, is everything okay?" Martha asked immediately, she rushed into the sitting room. I sat down, mopping like a fool, still unable to process what was happening. I began feeling dizzy, and the whole room was spinning nonstop in my eyes."Ma'am," she called yet again, but I was slowly losing sense of my surroundings. I heard her beckoning on the guards to come, but before I knew it, I had lost consciousness.I opened my eyes, but the light was too bright. I shut my eyes, but I could hear Sergio and Mace arguing over God knows what. I managed to open my eyes, and I tried a little harder to keep them open as my eyes adjusted to the brightness of the light."Darling, you are awake?" I heard Ana's voice. I followed the voice only to see her seated on the chair next to the bed.I was a bit confused about where we were and what was going on."What happened to me?" I asked Ana. I tried getting up, but Ana held me down."Honey, please stay put." I
MATILDA'S POV"Keep it wet; we will make Lavey's sister when we get back," he whispered into my ears, and I giggled like a teenage girl.We quickly rushed our bath; we were running out of time, and the last thing I want is grace nagging my ass. We prepared to leave for dinner. I came downstairs to find Lavey and her nanny all dressed up. She was on the phone when we came downstairs, but quickly put the phone away when we showed up."You guys ready?" I asked the nanny."Yes Ma'am" Mace took Lavey from the nanny, and we set out for dinner.Our little adventure in the shower delayed us a little bit; when we got to the Castillo's, the room was already packed. It was a lovely sight to behold; there were no outsiders in attendance, just family. Sergio, Dad, and Ray were having a hearty conversation while the ladies were laughing over something Kimberly said."There they are," Ana announced, all smiles. I hugged Kimberly while Mace was busy speaking with Pearl.
MATILDA'S POVI brought my hands to my mouth in awe; I couldn't believe my eyes. I never expected that he could be this sentimental. I guess being a father comes with some changes."It's beautiful," I said, smiling at him as he held me in his arms."I wanted to give our prince the best," he said proudly.It is the best nursery I have seen. There was a beautiful white baby bed at one end of the room. The wallpapers were so beautiful. I couldn't get my eyes off the drawing of a lion's head and the family motto written boldly on the wall."A lion?" I asked Mace while pointing at the drawing."Yes, Amorino, we need to always remind him that he is a hunter," Mace replied while kissing my hair."Of course," I said, rolling my eyes."Do you think Lavey would love it? I painted the room myself," he whispered.I was a bit surprised to hear he did all this by himself. I brought his hands close to my lips and kissed him."He will adore it," I said to him, and I went
MACE'S POV "What lady?" Ray asked, giving me the What the heck are you talking about Look. I read the room and didn't ask any further questions."You got this, right?" I asked Ray, pointing at the building."Get the hell out of here, tell Tilda that I will be right there."I quickly entered one of the cars, leaving Ray behind to clean up the building.I got to the safe house. Jumped out of the car the minute I turned off the ignition. I ran into the house frantically in search of Amorino. I met Ray's mom in the hallway, all smiles."You made it, Mace, this way," she said, pointing to one of the rooms at the end of the hallway.I opened the door to see Mom seated next to Amorino on one side of the bed, while Grace sat on the other side."Ocean!" mom screamed. I went over to Amorino; she looked a bit worn out, but I was glad she was ok."My love here is our son," she said, holding our peanut wrapped in colorful clothing. I couldn't contain my joy when I s
MACE'S POVI rushed to the torture room, where I found Dad seated. I told one of our men to lead Dad into the room and away from Ricci's minions. I came closer to see a dead body lying on the floor. I guess one of Ricci's fools thought he could kill Dad seeing he was wounded. I went over to his side; he was losing a lot of blood. I got more worried. What pained me most was how to explain to Mom that Dad got hurt. Why would he take the bullet,"It should have been me," I kept whispering to myself.I fished out my phone from my pocket to call a doctor, but my dad wouldn't let me. He grabbed my hands, looking me straight in the eyes. I could tell the amount of pain he was in."Don't," he said."We should get you a doctor, dad.""I'm fine, ocean; the bullet just grazed my skin. Patch me up or get our men to patch me up, and I will be good as new." I was lost for words, looking at my old man asking to be patched up the old-fashioned way. I sometimes forget he
MACE'S POVI was still at the study sipping a glass of whiskey while Dad had his face buried in a piece of paper he was holding. I didn't bother checking what he was reading because I had a lot on my mind.I couldn't get the thoughts of Amorino off my mind. I was missing her badly. The picture of her sleeping soundly in her lingerie kept playing in my head. This is the first time she is sleeping outside the house after we got back together. I was fighting the urge to go get her. I knew I couldn't bring her home just yet, not when the baby could pop out any day from now. I can't give her the attention she needs right now, and besides, Francesco won't go easy on her if he ever finds her.I need to put an end to this shit as fast as possible. I was still lost in thought when Ray called me. I looked up to see Kieran standing next to Ray."You're here," I said, looking at Kieran. He nodded."I heard how things went in Italy," he said.I smirked, pointing at
MACE'S POVI woke up the next morning to the beeping sound of my phone. I checked the time, and it was 5 a.m. I pulled my fingers that had been buried under my pillow out and got off the bed to prepare. I had some scores to settle this morning. It was time to rain blood on Ricci and his minions. I warned that fool that I might be my father's son, but I'm not my father. I was already prepared to leave, but I was checking out my outfit when Ray called to inform me that he was downstairs.I turned to the bed to find Amorino still soundly asleep. I didn't want to wake her, so I wrote a note on a piece of paper and placed it on the bedside table where she could easily find it before leaving. I came downstairs to see Ray sitting comfortably while munching the last bite of the cornflakes on his plate."Making yourself at home," I asked him."What can I do?" he replied, wearing a smirk."Besides, I need all the strength I could get, you know."I wasn't ready f