Heyooo! I hope you guys enjoy today's chapter! 💕 Sneak peek, Claire is going to meet his father in the next chapter! Xoxo! 💕
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Fingers trembling, I hastily gathered my hair into a tight knot. Frustration etched on my face, I sighed and released the captive strands, deciding to weave curls into them. Perhaps curling first and then attempting an updo would make me appear more presentable.Nearly forty-five minutes deep into curling, and I thought I had it nailed. But the moment I tried pulling off an updo, my hair turned into a rebellious mess, refusing to cooperate. Argh! Frustration level: through the roof.My eye makeup might have gone a tad overboard, a bit too strong, which is probably why I'm feeling a bit less than decent if that's even a thing.I snatched a makeup wipe, fingers fumbling in my rush to erase the painted layers from my face. As I glanced at the dresser, there it sat—a glass of juice, Vincenzo's thoughtful gesture. Anticipation mixed with anxiety, I reached for it. But in the clumsy dance of my nervous hands, disaster struck. The glass tipped, juice escaping in a rapid d
Adriano⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅"Let's just scrap the whole thing," Dante suggested as we entered Dad's study."Did you see his expression? It was like he won the lottery," Luca remarked, running a hand through his hair."They seem made for each other. He was laughing with her, and Vincenzo don't fucking laugh with just anyone," Raphael huffed in frustration.My jaw tightened. "I've been saying this all along. You weren't there, didn't witness how much Vincenzo cares for her, loves her even. Why would you think he'd be so hellbent on marrying her." Raphael leaned against the wall, "After digging into her past, I can't help but feel like a complete asshole for letting it spiral like this. Vincenzo's my brother, my blood. If he's genuinely happy with her, maybe it's not our place to interfere."Silvio glanced around at the group. "The real challenge is convincing Dad. He's not exactly known for changing his mind easily."I shrugged, "That's where we come in – all of us, together." Dad entered rig
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅He had fallen back into his routine of going to the gym first thing in the morning, which was followed by his coffee and then shower. I always made sure to wake up before he came back from the gym to make coffee for him, we'd both drink a cup of coffee before he went to take a shower but today I woke up a little late and found him in the bathroom standing over the sink, putting on shaving cream. I smiled as I made my way to him and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, interrupting his shaving because I didn't want him to shave. "Why didn't you wake me up for coffee?" I asked, kissing the muscles of his chiseled back. He let out a dark deep laugh, in his husky morning voice no less, fuck, how can I woman in her right mind resist that. If someone didn't sculpt this godly creation into stone, they missed out on an art exhibit that would've left everyone panting. Forget museums; he deserved a dedicated shrine of worship, and I'd be the first in line."I th
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I lay on my stomach over the massage table, only a white towel covering my butt, surrounded by calming music and soothing scents. The masseuse's hands worked on my shoulders, melting away the stress. The water nearby made a soft sound, like a gentle escape from my thoughts. Closing my eyes, I let myself forget about the talk I'm supposed to have with Vincenzo tonight for a moment. "I love this..." I whispered. Alessia let out a laugh, "I know, right? I've been praying for a spa partner forever. I always thought if Allegra's dad hadn't taken her away, we'd do everything together, but nope, she's like the yin to my yang."I nodded with my head still wedged into the face cradle in the massage table, "Allegra's all about the simple life, except when it comes to that trouble magnet she calls a husband. I still can't wrap my head around how she fell for Scott, considering she usually prefers peace and quiet.""Love works in mysterious ways," she mused.A smile played o
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅And before I knew it, he was walking over to me. "NO!" I screamed, covering my head with my arms, making myself as small as I could.A guttural groan and a series of loud thuds echoed, my mind struggling to comprehend the chaos unfolding around me. He hadn't touched me yet, but I still wrapped my arms tighter around my frame to save myself. "Adriano, let him go..." I heard Mr. Capone say. His words sliced through my disorienting sobs, and I dared to peek through my arms, trembling. Adriano had Uncle Tony on his knees, blood streaming from his nose, a knife pressed menacingly against his throat. His arm muscles flexed with rage, and his eyes bore down on Tony with nothing but disgust. A glimmer of hope that maybe he'll get me out of here ignited. Adriano's rage radiated off of him as he held Uncle Tony in a vice grip, the knife a glinting threat against his throat. And a voice inside of me told me to shove that knife deeper inside his throat but my limbs wouldn'
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅I sat on the couch, clutching the cup of coffee in my hands watching the smoke, observing it dance upward. On the table rested his mug, freshly prepared. I knew he was on his way up, so, I waited. The door opened and closed, I could hear his footsteps approaching until he came into my view. Our eyes met and he stopped before clenching his jaw and continuing to walk to the bedroom. "Aren't you going to have your coffee?" I asked. He stopped again, glancing at me with a slight frown and a hardened expression on his face, "Did you have enough air? You didn't come to sleep in bed last night so I thought you still needed some time alone," his voice was so brusque, so harsh. Swallowing hard, I averted my gaze to the mug clasped in my hands. "I'm okay now. Can we just enjoy the coffee before it gets cold?"He looked like he was thinking about it before he nodded to himself and walked over to me. He settled on the opposite couch, his gym gear clinging to his body. "I'
Claire⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅New York... New York embraced me with the familiar sense of home, a sanctuary where I could finally exhale. Adriano maneuvered the car while I observed the trees blur by from the passenger seat."Claire," he called."Hm?" I responded absentmindedly."Say something."I shut my eyes, inhaling deeply. "What do you want me to say?""Anything," he urged.My eyes stayed closed; the tears from last night had drained me. No matter how I struggled, there were no tears left – just a hollow numbness."Thank you for the ride," I murmured in a low voice."Goddamn it, Claire, I'm so fucking sorry."I nodded, opening my eyes and meeting his gaze. "I know, you've said it a hundred times since I sat in this car with you. I know you're sorry, Adriano, so am I...""You have nothing to be sorry for, Claire," he insisted. A bitter smile played on my lips. "I do. Vincenzo will never forgive me.""It wasn't your fault."I sighed, the weight of regret settling in. "If I had told him the
Vincenzo⋅•⋅⊰∙∘∘∙⊱⋅•⋅Dead... That's what I felt from the inside. A chilling emptiness consumed me as I huddled on the cold floor within the shadows of my family's home. My brother had brought me here after they found me pathetically paralyzed in my apartment. I, Vincenzo Capone, got outsmarted by the woman I loved. Loved? Loved. It's insane how, in mere seconds, your perspective on someone can take a wild turn.One second you love them more than the whole world and the next, you hate them with every fiber of your being. Your whole being caught in this intense switch, like a tug of war between what felt great and what feels like a punch in the gut.Love and hate, surprisingly alike, are these crazy powerful feelings that have a knack for devouring you from within, like flames licking at the edges of your soul.In the end, both have the power to reshape you, leaving imprints that linger long after the flames have subsided.Claire Parker — She had me hooked from day one. I spotted