[ S E R A P H I N E ] This place is familiar. Where are we? This feels like déjà vu. The sky darkens. It's about to rain. The water stretches endlessly in front of me. Gray. Loud. Churning. The waves crashing against the shore are telling me to go away. Be somewhere else. Because we're trapped. Can't escape. We need help. But no one's coming. The water sprays my face as the waves grow. Leandro tries to reach for me. Blood drips from his forehead while he keeps shouting incoherent words. As he fights to stay afloat, the sea pulls at him, dragging him under. I'll keep waiting here. On the shore. It's oddly satisfying. Just watching him struggling. Fighting for his life. I don’t have to help. Nor will I try. It's not my job. His hand reaches out toward me. I back off. Can't let him drag me with him. It's not my time yet. I have things to do. People to take care of. His garbled words drown with him. I sigh and feel only a smidge of satisfaction. I look at the man beside
[ D O M I N I C O ] I should be doing more. Can't just sit on my ass all day pondering the what-ifs. The maybes... Probably just the guilt talking, but, I actually am not doing much to rectify what Leandro did to her. To make that asshole pay for everything he did. To make sure the aftermath isn't consuming her. I have yet to hear the entire story, but I know I'll hate him even more once I do. I know he tricked her into showing up here in Florence. Maybe he thought she knows what happened to his precious fucking cargo. Maybe the prick suspected I found it. Sold most of it to their competition. And he thought she had all the answers he wants to hear. “Thanks.” Sephie puts on a tight smile as I hand her the laptop. “Sure.” I stand by the wall. “I'm not sick, by the way. I wore a mask the whole flight. Never took it off. Until I got here.” “Oh. Okay. That's, um... Good that you're not feeling sick, or anything.” “They say there's an incubation period of a few hours to a few
[ D O M I N I C O ] She'll be fine. She doesn't look that bad. Should she feel like seeing a doctor, she'll tell me. Or she'll give me a hint. Stifling a sigh, I grab the doorknob and push the door open. I'm back in my bedroom. Alone. Need to make a phone call now. And privacy is necessary. I shut the door behind me and lean against it, my hands clenching into fists again. It's mostly frustration. Impatience. The anger I've been masking is just itching to come out. I need to do something now. Gotta make sure Leandro can't and won't touch Seraphine again. Or her family. Son of a bitch crossed the line. Didn't even send a half-meant apology. Now my patience, already threadbare since last night, is about to snap. I pull out my phone and ring Niccolo's more private number. For now he's the only person who can find my target much sooner than the local police can get a chance. He lets his phone ring a few times before answering, “Yo.” “Nicco, can you talk?” “Sure,” he says
[ S E R A P H I N E ]“You didn't have to hide this from me,” he murmurs to my temple, resting his cheek against the side of my head. I smile to myself while his hand strokes the slight curve of my belly. I'm kinda glad I don't look pregnant yet. I think I'm still in my first trimester, but part of me also wants this whole pregnancy thing to speed up. Another six or seven long months of pain, raging hormones, uncomfortable days and nights... Ugh. Just thinking about it's already worsening my headache. “I needed to,” I sigh after glancing at his face. “Because?” “To clear my head. Think for myself.” “Fine. I get it,” he sighs. “But leave a text at least. You know I can't sleep when you make me worry.” I almost smile, although his words only make me feel guilty. I still regret the first time I tried the disappearing act to make him realize his shortcomings. It's toxic behavior. I know. I can be toxic and emotionally immature, too. But it's like my only coping mechanism
[ D O M I N I C O ]What the fuck was I thinking?I should kick myself right now. For being a self-centered dick. For being an arrogant douche. For being insensitive again.She just got back. She just survived a terrifying, harrowing, undoubtedly traumatizing ordeal. Because of me. Because of my fucked up family.It hasn't even been 24 hours yet. And now I'm already pressuring her into making big, life-changing decisions to satisfy my pathetic fantasies. Like it's her job to do.Fuck. I should apologize. But I don't even know where to start.“Here.” Fully dressed again, Sephie feigns a close-lipped smile and shows me the stick she just peed on. “Congratulazioni, Signore Tomassini. Diventerà papà.” [Congratulations, Mr. Tomassini. You're gonna be a dad.]Is that an attempt at humor? “Thanks. I...” Shit. What now? Is it appropriate to thank her if she didn't really want this baby?What does she want me to say? I don't need another confirmation that she didn't expect or plan any of th
[ S E R A P H I N E ]But what about my career? My goals? My plans for my future?Don't they matter at all? Or he just thinks his goals and timetable are much more achievable and practical than mine? More realistic?Sheesh. This is getting out of hand. Why am I so impulsive lately? This is just backfiring to no end. I dunno what's happening anymore. The plan was just to distract him. Keep him here for a day or two. Until he gets a better grip on his emotions. Until he forgets about taking matters into his own hands before the police can find his fugitive cousin. I really didn't think it would lead to this. I don't even know why we haven't changed the subject yet. As if we both aren't extremely uncomfortable right now with where this discussion is headed. “You really wanna do it? This year?”His Adam's apple bobs as Dom looks at me like I'm not making a lick of sense. “Is that really that big of an issue?” “I mean, you're a thousand percent sure? Like, have you thought it through
• ALL RIGHTS RESERVED COPYRIGHT © 2024 by M.Z.Mauve • DISCLAIMER • Scenes, characters, dialogues and events in this story are all invented. This story contains mature themes, profanity, violence, and graphic sexual content not intended for young readers. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this story or plagiarism of any kind is prohibited by the law. | MAIN CHARACTERS | FL ••• Seraphine "Sephie" Lee Azur - 24 years old - receptionist at a country club ML ••• Dominico "Doni" / "Dom" Deschanel Tomassini - 29 years old - CFO of his father's new firm Chapter 1 •••••••••••••••••••• [ S E R A P H I N E ] I'm a killer. I killed someone last night. Sweet old Sephie is dead. I murdered innocent little Sephie in more ways than I imagined. She died the moment I accepted the money. Gratefully. The biggest payment I've ever received since I jumped on the bandwagon...ever since I joined the world of online sex work. Yes. I've been selling myself to complete s
[ S E R A P H I N E ] "You good?" Dominico squints at me, then tosses back the whiskey in his second glass."Sì, Signore." [Yes, Sir.] The guy stares at me with furrowed brows. "Don't call me that." My heart drops at his emotionless voice. My shoulders tense up, and my cheeks feel like they're burning. "Pardon?""I'm not your boss." My gut clenches. Embarrassment heats up my throat and the back of my eyes. "Right." I try not to scowl as I put away the cleaning supplies. What the heck is this asshole's problem? Is it me? Because I didn't even try to look like I belong here? Is he disgusted by this outfit? Because I look too tacky for his refined tastes? According to some pictures online, he dated a 20-something Spanish model slash actress. Therefore he probably likes women with immaculate fashion taste.The jerk finally gets up from the stool and swigs the rest of his drink. As I keep my mouth shut, Dominico plops the empty glass back on the bar. "And I'm pretty sure you know my