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Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Absolutely no knives," Alessia declared the moment I stepped into the kitchen. Without glancing my way, she seemed to sense my presence. Sitting on the counter, Allie took a crisp bite of an apple, a wide grin stretching across her face. Her eyes traced my movements, and the growing swell of her baby bump now made it unmistakably evident that she was expecting."So, Cindy, how was your night? Find a comfortable spot to rest because when I came by your room to make sure you took your pills, it seemed you'd pulled a disappearing act," she teased, a touch of mischief lacing her words.She knew all about it, Alessia must have told her. Of course, she would, these two tell each other everything. "I was at the library, buried in a book...""Are you sure the book was the only thing being buried inside of you?" Allie asked, catching me off-guard, she had never made such a risqué comment in her life before. "I can tell your husband's influence is starting to leave its ma
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Ever tried stargazing?" he asked, as he led me further into the beautiful Planetarium. I've never been to a planetarium or tried stargazing. The closest I got was lying in bed after my uncle was done with me, just staring at the stars and feeling betrayed by them for not rescuing me.I shook my head, he led me to the telescope at the Adler Planetarium, the air buzzed with a different kind of electricity. Vincenzo's fingers, rugged and experienced, skillfully adjusted the telescope, sending a subtle shiver through me. His touch lingered as he passed the eyepiece to me. I don't know why his touch never gets old...Excitement mingled with a hint of nervousness as I peered through the lens, the vastness of the cosmos unfolded before my eyes, each star telling a story written in the language of the universe. The city lights transformed into a celestial masterpiece, and he stepped behind me, his presence was an unexpected heat to the chilly night.His hand found my w
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Vincenzo Capone - Fifteen years old. The Capo, my father, a figure of authority, Salvatore Capone stood before me. "You stand on the precipice, Vincenzo, on the edge of loyalty and consequence. This family is your blood, your sanctuary. Once you step in, there's no turning back. Family comes first, above all else – your wife, children, mother, father, your brothers. It's a bond unbroken."A ceremonial knife glinted in the subdued light as it passed to me. "In the crucible of loyalty, a cut to mark your pact. Blood binds, and with this, you embrace the vows of kinship."I ran the knife over my palm, allowing the blood to drip onto Saint Peter's card.Dad with a stern gaze, intoned, "At the sanctum of Saint Peter, this family swears. May your soul burn in hell if you betray your family." My dad seized the Saint Peter card, placing it cautiously above the candle's flame until it ignited. With deliberate movements, he then positioned the burning card onto my bloodi
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Vincenzo Capone - Fifteen years old. She entered the room clad in the most provocative attire she could scrounge up, yet it did little to mask the inherent lack of grace. She had taken off my mother's jewels, and it was for her own good, or else I don't know what I would have done. What truly revolted me, however, wasn't the revealing outfit but the audacity she displayed. A smile was etched on her face, and there was not a symbol of respect for the man she purportedly shared a relationship with—my father. The disregard for herself and the blatant disrespect for him festered a disgust within me that words could hardly capture. It was a grotesque display, and her grin only deepened my contempt. She smirked, hands resting on her hips. "If you wanted me, Vincenzo, you could've just said it. Now I see why you were all worked up about me and your dad. You wished you were in his spot instead," she spat out, her words oozing with a shameless audacity that left a dist
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"What is it?" I asked, my eyes darting between the door and Adriano. Adriano sighed, "So, they raided Il Silenzio Oscuro, the stuff they found there was way more than what we found on that hard drive we retrieved from Santino's safe." As I was listening to him, Claire's door slowly opened and she stepped out, dragging a suitcase behind her. Fuck!Claire froze by the door, her eyes silently seeking answers. Adriano, catching sight of her, shot her an almost apologetic look, promptly sealing his lips shut."Can this discussion wait?" I interjected, aware that while intel wasn't going anywhere, Claire seemed on the verge of doing just that.Adriano, with visible reluctance, nodded. "Yeah." Circling around Adriano, I made my way to Claire. Without a word, I gently nudged her back into the room, leaving her suitcase stranded in the hallway. As the door clicked shut, she caught me off guard, making the first move. She flung herself into my arms, burying her face in
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"He refuses to talk to me. Scott cut off all contact after I told him. He wants me to choose between—" I sniffled, lying in bed and staring at the ceiling."Fuck him, who even asked for his fucking blessing? He can shove that shit up his ass," he sneered. I don't know how but that's exactly the reaction I expected from him. Ugh, God, for once couldn't you just give me a normal man with normal thoughts, who does normal things, and who is not a whole-ass mobster? "I asked for his blessing, I did. It means something to me," I stated. "You know I'm really tempted to just kidnap you." Yup! A man who thinks kidnapping is a piece of cake is completely normal. "Vince..." "Why is he so important to you, Claire?" he asked, his voice suddenly turning really low. I frowned, "What do you mean? I told you he's all I have—" "Yes, but why? You have this odd connection with him like you can't make any major decision in your life without his permission or approval." I blinke
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I furiously and impatiently pushed the elevator button and waited as the floors went up. The door slid open and I ran inside only to see Allegra standing in the corner with her arms crossed over her chest and Scott and Vincenzo were busted up. Did they fight? Physically? "Oh, thank God, you're here," Allie released a sigh.Scott's green and Vincenzo's brown eyes focused on me. Vincenzo's anger seemed to have softened, but Scott, no, Scott looked like he wanted to kill me."What is going on here?" I asked, shifting my gaze between the two of them."I thought I was clear about this thing!" Scott spat venomously as if what Vincenzo and I had wasn't even worth naming. "This is never going to happen.""I don't fucking care about what you made clear, Scott. You don't own her, and you certainly don't dictate her choices. I could take her away this very moment if I chose to. Consider yourself lucky, because the only reason I bothered talking to you is for her sake. You ma
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Vincenzo Capone - Fifteen years old. Covered in their filthy blood, I stood before my father, glaring right into his eyes. We were both alone in his study at home. He hadn't said a word to me since the initiation ceremony, no one had really talked to me. I could see the fear in everyone's eyes. I killed my own uncle ruthlessly, a move that struck terror into the loyal men but also earned a twisted form of respect. In the Outfit, justice remained impartial, even when it came to one of our own.My father, the head of the family, finally broke the silence, his voice resonating with authority. "We both know your mother's death was a tragic accident, not a deliberate murder. Amber and Elio weren't even in the house when it happened."I couldn't help but smile, a hint of defiance in my expression. "Because they were too busy fucking around in your marital bed that you shared with my mother." Dad's jaw clenched, and he demanded, "For how long has this been going on?"I