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Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Bruto let out a guttural roar, the sound reverberating through the air, and brought the mallet down with brutal force aimed at Vincenzo. I couldn't bear to watch; so I shut my eyes.A hot tear rolled down my cheek...Then, his roar abruptly stopped, replaced by a harsh, gasping noise followed by strained wheezing.The sudden shouts and cheers of the crowd made me snap my eyes back open. The scene before me had completely shifted, Vincenzo was now standing before Bruto, his knife buried deep in his throat. It was the same blade he had used to cut me out of my wedding dress on our wedding night. The mallet slipped from his grasp and thudded to the mat, echoing through the space. Bruto's hands futilely struggled with the blade. He was gasping and choking on his own blood, staggered, his legs giving way beneath him. I don't think I'll ever forget this sight.Vincenzo's eyes blazed with a savagery beyond words as he mercilessly twisted the knife, I winced and struggle
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅A self-satisfied smirk appeared on his face, "...that made you fall in love with me?" I gasped as his grip tightened. I was very aware of the blood now clinging to my skin. It made me feel a flutter in my stomach. I couldn't figure out if it was a good flutter or a bad one. "Something like that..." I whispered. In just three more steps, Vincenzo pushed me into a stall, my back hit the wall, the impact jolting through my body. My breath rushed out, leaving me momentarily breathless. His gaze never left mine as he closed the gap between us in a second, and before I could react, his lips crashed against mine. The force of the kiss stole the air from my lungs, and the taste of blood lingered on his lips.My hands instinctively reached for his shoulders, the bloodied, hot skin beneath my fingertips. The kiss was fierce, a collision of desperation and dominance. It was as if the violence in the cage had ignited an inferno between us.Vincenzo's fingers tangled in my h
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I finished buttoning up the last two buttons, then turned to find him standing there, only in his pants. He had this extra suit we both agreed to share. I wore the shirt, and he took on the pants.The toll of the recent fight was evident – he had numerous bruises, cuts, and wounds that cried out for medical attention.I observed him methodically arranging various knives of all sizes on his person and securing the gun in its holster. The same perfectly organized and choreographed routine. We hadn't talked afterward, he practically showered me before taking his turn. I was too weak and disoriented from what had just happened to process much of anything.One thought nagged at the back of my mind consistently. Did I enjoy sex like this? My whole life had been spent looking over my shoulder, making sure no one got this close, not even Scott but Vincenzo, I couldn't push him away even if I wanted to. "And I love you... I love you, Claire Parker, I love you so much." T
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅He sighed, setting his laptop aside. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. "Just tell me what you did with it. I need to find it, buy it back, whatever it takes," his intense gaze locked onto mine, a mix of frustration and desperation in his eyes. "I can't lose it. Just give me anything to track it down and bring it back to where it belongs."My heart raced, his father had it. Panic set in; I had to keep him from knowing, and stall as much as I could. Thoughts spiraled through my mind like a storm - stall, distract, don't let him dig deeper. I couldn't let the truth surface; at least for now. If Vincenzo finds out the truth, he could unleash a murderous fury. None of us can afford that chaos. Salvatore's authority is firm; the Outfit always stands by the reigning Capo, always."I... your mother's ring," I stammered, searching my memory. "I don't really remember..."He nodded, his eyes holding mine. "Three-stone diamond, blue Tiffany box. Do you have i
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Adriano shook his head and sighed, "We were just talking, Dad."Salvatore mocked, "Why? What could you possibly have to talk about with a whore?" His disdainful tone emphasized the contempt he held. "Dad, come on..." Adriano said through clenched teeth.Salvatore chuckled, "You know what this means? Vincenzo will find out about this, and when he does, he'll take care of the whore personally."Adriano added with a grave tone, "And me, he won't spare me either." Salvatore nodded with a sinister glint in his eyes. "He wouldn't but you're his brother, you both share the same blood. I'm sure he'll find it in him to let you go. If he doesn't, then I'm still the Capo."Adriano took a step closer to his father, his gaze firm. "You're not going to tell him anything."Salvatore made a mocking face, his tone dripping with arrogance, "And why wouldn't I?"Adriano smiled slightly, but there was a steely edge in his words, "Because, Dad, if you tell him about this, I'll tell hi
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Open it," I ordered. One of my soldiers knelt down and quickly fiddled with the lock. With a click, it opened, and three others hurried over to help lift the heavy metal lid off the pit. Antonio looked up, his hands reaching out for something, anything to help him climb out of the pit. But there was nothing, just emptiness, leaving him confused after spending two nights trapped below in complete darkness. A few years back, I had the pit constructed. I had intended to use it on Nikolai Costello. It stretched ten feet deep, devoid of any natural light or fresh air. To make sure the captive's survival, a pipe was installed to supply fresh oxygen. Every five hours, a soldier would open a small window above the cover to drop in food and a water bottle to keep him alive. "Boss, I didn't do anything. If anyone said anything to you, they lied, they lied, Boss. I have always been loyal to you," his panicked and desperate voice reverberated off the pit walls.I remaine
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Are you sure you can pull that off?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty."Of course, I'll make sure he notices me. It's not that difficult. Capo is here every single night," she replied confidently."The mansion, Gigi, you have to make sure he brings you here, nowhere else. If he suggests a hotel or an apartment, you have to convince him to bring you to the mansion," I whispered urgently, crouched behind the racks in our closet."I understand, Claire. I'll make sure he takes me to the mansion," she whispered back, her voice resolute.I chewed my nails nervously, unable to shake the feeling of apprehension that coiled in the pit of my stomach. "How long will it take before he decides to..." I trailed off, my voice barely above a whisper."We're the only women in his life," Gigi reassured me, her tone calm and steady. "He always comes here when he wants to relieve some of the stress of the job."I nodded, though she couldn't see me. "Okay, yeah, right..." my w
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Everyone had retired to their rooms, and Vincenzo typically returned home around two in the morning. This afforded me ample opportunity to slip back to my own room unnoticed, pretending as though I had never left.Believe it or not, at that moment, I was hiding under Salvatore's bed, waiting for him to return. Gigi was on her way with him, and surprisingly, she didn't even have to convince him to take her home; this was where he brought all his nightstands.I lay in wait, the minutes stretched into eternity, each one punctuated by the erratic beat of my heart. There were numerous potential outcomes, and many of them had the potential to do more harm than good. However, if I played my cards wisely, there was a chance, I might just succeed.All I can do is hope and pray that everything falls into place—that Vincenzo doesn't arrive home sooner than expected and discover my absence from our room. Let's also hope none of his brothers decide to venture into his wing in s