Hey... Here's another update! Do comment and let me know what you think! Vince's POV is next! XOXO! 💕
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I groaned, a low, guttural sound reverberating through my skull as I battled to pry my eyes open; they felt burdened, as if each lid had its own set of stubborn dumbbells.The room, shrouded in darkness, slowly came into focus. A memory flashed across my mind – Claire couldn't stand the idea of falling asleep in complete darkness. She needs light to fall asleep. Dragging myself up from the pillow, my head throbbed like a bass beat. The room spun, and I couldn't decide if it was my pounding headache or the remnants of a wild evening refusing to let go.Groping around the cluttered bedside table, I finally grabbed my phone. Squinting against the muted glow, I desperately scanned for the window blind control. After a couple of clumsy swipes, I found it. The soft glow crept in, revealing the room in slow motion, but that brightness? It didn't tiptoe in; it barged through my skull like an overenthusiastic party crasher, making me wince and regret every decision from
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I watched her through the mirror as she combed her hair. Her eyes stared mindlessly in the distance and her hands methodically worked over the same strand of hair as if she wasn't even in the room. Georgina, my secretary, had gotten a jumpsuit for her, something warm and modest that covered her entire body. It was pink, she knew it was my favorite color for Claire when she shopped for her earlier. "They are calling you out for breakfast..." I voiced and that startled her, she immediately looked down at her lap taking deep breaths in, and then out. "I'm not hungry..." her voice came out flat. I slid my hands into my pockets, and the urge to knock some sense into her was overwhelming, "Everyone insisted on your presence." Her eyes met mine through the mirror and they narrowed, there was a big bruise on her cheek and her cheekbone was swollen, that's how hard she had hit her face on the bed. But all that was nothing compared to the vacant look in her eyes. Taki
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Empty, like a room with no echoes...Numb, as if wrapped in an ice-cold blanket...And rage, a storm brewing inside burns like a wildfire, fueled by broken promises...Feeling all these things at once is like trying to hold onto sand slipping through your fingers—confusing, frustrating, and impossible to grasp. Being with him started to feel like that—like walking through a wreckage of feelings, where every step stirred up the dust of what was once a beautiful love. Feeling too much and too little at the same time. When we reached his home, I stayed in the car for a few moments, and for some reason, Vincenzo didn't step out either. There was an oppressing silence between us. It felt like the world outside was moving, yet we remained trapped in the suffocating place with no way out. Vincenzo's gaze, distant and lost, reflected the frustration etched in the lines of his face. He wanted to say something but didn't, I wanted to tell him everything but I didn't. Some
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Like a sheep walking into the lion's den..." he remarked, his tone dripping with amusement.I frantically looked behind him to see if Tony was there but he answered that question for me before I could say a word. "Tony isn't here. I wouldn't have a piece of shit like him wandering around the house at night. I care about my sister," he assured, but then added with a sinister twist, "But you know who else isn't at home right now? Vincenzo..." The mention of Vincenzo's absence sent a chill down my spine, and Salvatore's grin widened."What do you want?" I asked, keeping my face apathetic. His face contorted with disgust and hatred, "No matter what I do, you're like a persistent mosquito I can't swat away. All that work into getting you out of his life yet here you stand in my home, married to my son," he sneered, "Now thanks to you, the ties between the Cosa Nostra and the Outfit are stronger than ever." I glared at him, shaking my head, "You're not going to get y
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I stared at the mark on my face, the bruise had gotten darker after the assault from Salvatore last night, and the cut from his ring was going to leave a scar for sure.It dredged up memories of being fifteen, the last time I wore such bruises, courtesy of Tony.It's ironic how he reentered my life, and without physical contact, he still managed to imprint scars and bruises on me.I tilted my neck to the side and saw Vincenzo's bite mark, the one he left on our wedding night. The memory was a haze—I recalled being turned onto my stomach, his hand on the back of my head, and then everything faded.At that moment, I was somewhere far from there.I traced my fingers over the faint outline of Vincenzo's mark, a reminder of a night lost to oblivion.My heart leaped out of my chest when a presence materialized behind me, causing me to instinctively jump to the side.I placed a trembling hand over my heart, only to find Vincenzo watching me with a frown, a silent question
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I watched silently as Dad presided over the table, raging at how our capos were content with the truce. Adriano shifted his gaze to me every two seconds as if silently asking me to make sure Dad didn't completely lose it in front of everyone. He had been warning me about Dad's erratic behaviour but I didn't listen. Joey, as a Caporegime of the Outfit, has inherited his family's longstanding authority over the city of Rockford. They've been overseeing operations for years, faithfully serving the Outfit's interests. Dad trusted his word the most but right now I could see that he was pissing him off. "Capo, this truce has been golden for business. Our shipments are smooth as silk, and the heat's off our backs. It's like we got a free pass through their turf. We're printing money. Our guys and their guys, we're all counting the green. No unnecessary bloodshed, just business booming," he said with a content grin, "Less murders means less cops breathing down our neck
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Vincenzo came back into the room a while later while I freshened up for bed and changed into my nightwear. I was applying moisturizer onto my legs when he entered, looking a little distracted. His gaze locked onto me, causing my breath to hitch. Swiftly, I diverted my attention back to my legs, feeling the weight of his eyes on me. He slowly took off his jacket, his tie, and his cufflinks, and then he popped open a few buttons of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves with deliberate precision. I mustered up the courage to glance at him once more and found him still staring at me as if he were trying to decipher me. "What?" I asked. He finally looked elsewhere, grabbed all of his meticulously placed stuff, and walked into the closet. His room was an oasis of order, every item meticulously placed. Strangely, not a word escaped his lips regarding the chaos of my belongings strewn across the space. I finished moisturizing and made my way to our bed. I slid under th
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅We were escorted directly to the hospital where Allegra and Scott were. Stepping into the hallway, relief, and excitement flooded me as I saw Alessandro there. He likely accompanied Capo, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect.Approaching him, our eyes locked, and I couldn't restrain my eagerness. I swiftly moved past everyone and wrapped my arms around Alessandro, hugging him like he was the one I missed the most. I smiled, burying my face in his neck as a guise to discreetly whisper in his ear, "I need to talk to you urgently. Meet me in the ladies' room in an hour—I'll explain everything." Alessandro, though momentarily surprised, nodded gradually in acknowledgment. I pulled back with a wide smile, and Alessandro, still seemingly stunned, responded with a smile of his own. "I missed you too, Cindy," he finally said. Someone cleared their throat from behind me, and I instinctively knew who it was. Turning, I saw Luca shooting daggers at Alessandro, t