Hope you all loved this chapter! Alessandro is opening up a little—who saw that coming? 😏 Drop your thoughts in the comments; I love reading them! Thanks for sticking with me 💖 XOXO 💋
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ I always make good on my promises. Even when people don’t deserve it. There’s something about following through that feels like my own personal rule, a line I won’t cross even when the rest of the world is busy stomping all over theirs. I can’t stand doing things half-assed—it’s like leaving something unfinished just to spite myself. So, there I was in the kitchen, making the same crepes Stella used to make for me, Brandon and Felicity when life was simpler. Ricotta stuffed with that warm blueberry sauce that tasted like home, like things used to be. It wasn’t just food—it was comfort. It was tradition. And somehow, in this quiet little corner of the world, it made me feel grounded. He wasn’t awake when I left the room. But he must be now, and I knew the moment he walked in, I’d have to deal with him. And I still didn’t know what the hell I’d say when he finally did. His words from last night kept ringing in my head, like a bad song on repeat that I couldn’t shake.
Alessandro ☩══♛══☩ High School Graduation... Alessandro Costello was the guy every guy wanted to be. Good-looking in that unfair way—sharp jawline, blue eyes that seemed to pull you in, and a smile that made people weak at the knees. He wasn’t just popular, he owned the school. Captain of the football team, straight A's without even trying, and with a last name that carried power far beyond the hallways. The kind of name that made teachers look twice, that had parents whispering when he passed by. He drove cars that turned heads—sleek, fast, and expensive—cars that left everyone else staring in his rearview mirror. Girls flocked to him like he was the sun, orbiting his every move, waiting for just a glance or a smirk thrown their way. He didn’t have to chase anyone; they came to him. Alessandro didn’t need to try—he was it, the one everyone wanted to be close to, even if it was just to get a glimpse of what life looked like on his level. But that was just what people sa
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ The day Viviane turned sixteen, her life split in two. According to her, that was the day everything changed—for the better. She sat on her bed, legs crossed, laptop propped up in front of her, while her family sang from miles away. Stella, John, and their daughter Felicity were huddled on one side of the video chat, Brandon on the other. The cupcake with a single candle flickered beside her. She wasn’t with them. She was here, in this empty house that barely acknowledged her existence. She blew out the candle, holding back the sting in her eyes. When she playfully pretended to feed them the cupcake through the screen, Stella opened her mouth wide in a theatrical "ahhh," and Brandon joined in with an exaggerated laugh. They were trying, but it wasn’t the same. It never was. Her siblings had sent gifts ahead of time, and after the song, they asked her to open them. Brandon’s was first. She didn’t bother with caution; she tore into the box like she was opening the
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ If this is heaven, then screw everything else. I could throw my entire life away for this. This is the only thing that makes sense right now, and if I get to feel like this for the rest of my life, sign me the fuck up. His head was buried between my thighs, and the morning light spilling through the window made my bare skin glow. My nipples were stiff, the air teasing them, and all I could hear—aside from the waves crashing outside—was the sound of Alessandro’s mouth on me. My fingers dug into his hair, pulling him closer, harder. His tongue moved in ways that had my head spinning, and every inch of my body felt like it was on fire. I let out a low moan, my back arching off the bed as I gripped the headboard like it was the only thing tethering me to reality. He was everywhere—teeth scraping along the inside of my thigh, tongue pressing against me like he was a man on death row savoring his last meal. His stubble burned deliciously against my skin. The way
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ Two days… Nikolai said he’d send a boat for us in two days. After that, everything became a haze. Time didn’t exist here, not in the way it did out there. Hours, days—it all blurred together, the lines between night and day erased by the way we drowned in each other. The sun had dipped lower, casting an orange glow over the beach as we swam in the ocean. The water was warm against our skin, the sound of our laughter echoing around us but then he stopped, eyes darkening as he pulled me close. His lips found mine, like he had no intention of rushing. Like we had forever. His hands traced lazy patterns on my back as we floated together, I wrapped my legs around him, and for a moment, we were weightless, suspended in the water and in each other. The setting sun became the perfect backdrop to our kiss in the ocean, the fading light wrapping around us like it was made for this moment. Alessandro wasn’t one to keep things gentle for long. We were barely out of the wate
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ No one had ever killed for me—never for my honor, my safety, or anything at all. The blood was still fresh, still seeping through the cracks in the boat’s wooden floor. Sal’s body was nowhere to be seen, and here I was, wrapped in this strange sense of safety. I glanced around the boat. Nearly a dozen men, all of them tattooed and scarred, men with knuckles rough enough to scrape bone and eyes that didn’t blink twice at the sight of blood. I was strong, I have worked my ass off to be this strong, tougher than people usually guessed but against a group of men like this? Against the strength in their fists, I’d be crushed in seconds. But Alessandro alone made me feel safe around them, a barrier they wouldn’t dare breach. I felt safer with Alessandro than I ever had with anyone, safer than I probably had any right to feel in a place like this. He made me feel... soft, in the best, most terrifying way. With him, I didn’t have to be the strong one. With him there,
Alessandro ☩══♛══☩ The elevator doors slid open, and the second we stepped into Scott's penthouse, I barely had time to blink before Magnus shot across the room, launching himself at me. “Hey, bud,” I murmured, burying my face in his fur as he head-butted me, purring loud enough to drown out Allegra’s laughter. “Did you miss me, little troublemaker.” Allegra, who was waddling in right behind him, laughed softly, holding her belly with one hand. "Oh, believe me, he did. I’ve tried to keep him happy, but I think he’s been counting down the days till his ‘dad’ came home.” Scott gave me a dry look, walking over to Allegra, he pulled her into his arms, one hand cradling her belly like she was made of glass, "He could’ve fooled me. Little menace acted like I was a complete intruder in my own place," he muttered, half to himself, half to Allegra, who simply laughed at him, "And for the record, the little beast was living like a king here." I nodded, "Thanks, Allegra. Really, I owe yo
Alessandro ☩══♛══☩ When I walked into the office today, something was different. I felt it before I even crossed the threshold. It was surreal—me, actually smiling. And not the kind of smile that came from hacking, landing a deal or putting someone in their place. No, this was something else. Dom was the first to spot me. He froze, mouth half-open, and then, like a domino effect, everyone in the room followed his gaze. I watched as they all rose from their seats, shock and relief written across their faces. They looked at me like I had died, as if I’d been buried six feet under instead of just off the grid for a bit. Then came Calla and Ha-yoon, practically tripping over themselves in their rush to get to me. Calla moved like she was on a mission, she didn't even let Ha-yoon get close; instead, she practically threw herself into my arms, clutching onto me like I’d vanished forever. She smelled like vanilla and some kind of floral perfume, something I recognized from the countles
Hey, everyone! I know this might feel like it’s out of nowhere, but I did try to give you a heads-up a few chapters back that this book was coming to an end. If you’ve loved reading this first part, please don’t forget to leave a 5-STAR review. It really makes a difference, not just for me, but it helps other readers find their way to this story. Your support means more than you’ll ever know. And now for the exciting part… Mafia Men VI - Alessandro’s Ruin.is coming soon. It’ll be right here, waiting for you. As much as I wish I could get straight into it, I need to sort out some things on my end first. Life’s gotten a bit messy, and I need to tackle it before bringing A and V's story back to life. So, thank you again for every vote, comment, and moment you've spent with me in this world. I’ll be back soon... P.s. Don't worry, I'll be back in a few days. XOXO 💋
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ He had my attention, all of it. And yeah, I know how that sounds—stupid as hell. But there it was, pulling at me, sneaking up every time I tried to put my focus anywhere else. I told myself it was nothing. Just a phase. A momentary lapse of judgment because we were alone with nothing better to do. He’s not special, I kept repeating. But now that I am here, he still has all of my attention, that pissed me off more than anything. I clenched my jaw, forced myself to focus on anything—emails, documents, hell, even staring at the coffee stain on my desk would’ve been better. But every damn time I tried to get back on track, my brain betrayed me. A flicker of movement from him, a low hum in his voice when he was on a call, and I was right back where I started. "Viviane," his voice slid over me, smooth as sin, "What did you have on your desk today?" I forced myself to glance back at him after trying so hard not to, "The security breaches," I said, as if he didn’t a
Alessandro ☩══♛══☩ When I walked into the office today, something was different. I felt it before I even crossed the threshold. It was surreal—me, actually smiling. And not the kind of smile that came from hacking, landing a deal or putting someone in their place. No, this was something else. Dom was the first to spot me. He froze, mouth half-open, and then, like a domino effect, everyone in the room followed his gaze. I watched as they all rose from their seats, shock and relief written across their faces. They looked at me like I had died, as if I’d been buried six feet under instead of just off the grid for a bit. Then came Calla and Ha-yoon, practically tripping over themselves in their rush to get to me. Calla moved like she was on a mission, she didn't even let Ha-yoon get close; instead, she practically threw herself into my arms, clutching onto me like I’d vanished forever. She smelled like vanilla and some kind of floral perfume, something I recognized from the countles
Alessandro ☩══♛══☩ The elevator doors slid open, and the second we stepped into Scott's penthouse, I barely had time to blink before Magnus shot across the room, launching himself at me. “Hey, bud,” I murmured, burying my face in his fur as he head-butted me, purring loud enough to drown out Allegra’s laughter. “Did you miss me, little troublemaker.” Allegra, who was waddling in right behind him, laughed softly, holding her belly with one hand. "Oh, believe me, he did. I’ve tried to keep him happy, but I think he’s been counting down the days till his ‘dad’ came home.” Scott gave me a dry look, walking over to Allegra, he pulled her into his arms, one hand cradling her belly like she was made of glass, "He could’ve fooled me. Little menace acted like I was a complete intruder in my own place," he muttered, half to himself, half to Allegra, who simply laughed at him, "And for the record, the little beast was living like a king here." I nodded, "Thanks, Allegra. Really, I owe yo
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ No one had ever killed for me—never for my honor, my safety, or anything at all. The blood was still fresh, still seeping through the cracks in the boat’s wooden floor. Sal’s body was nowhere to be seen, and here I was, wrapped in this strange sense of safety. I glanced around the boat. Nearly a dozen men, all of them tattooed and scarred, men with knuckles rough enough to scrape bone and eyes that didn’t blink twice at the sight of blood. I was strong, I have worked my ass off to be this strong, tougher than people usually guessed but against a group of men like this? Against the strength in their fists, I’d be crushed in seconds. But Alessandro alone made me feel safe around them, a barrier they wouldn’t dare breach. I felt safer with Alessandro than I ever had with anyone, safer than I probably had any right to feel in a place like this. He made me feel... soft, in the best, most terrifying way. With him, I didn’t have to be the strong one. With him there,
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ Two days… Nikolai said he’d send a boat for us in two days. After that, everything became a haze. Time didn’t exist here, not in the way it did out there. Hours, days—it all blurred together, the lines between night and day erased by the way we drowned in each other. The sun had dipped lower, casting an orange glow over the beach as we swam in the ocean. The water was warm against our skin, the sound of our laughter echoing around us but then he stopped, eyes darkening as he pulled me close. His lips found mine, like he had no intention of rushing. Like we had forever. His hands traced lazy patterns on my back as we floated together, I wrapped my legs around him, and for a moment, we were weightless, suspended in the water and in each other. The setting sun became the perfect backdrop to our kiss in the ocean, the fading light wrapping around us like it was made for this moment. Alessandro wasn’t one to keep things gentle for long. We were barely out of the wate
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ If this is heaven, then screw everything else. I could throw my entire life away for this. This is the only thing that makes sense right now, and if I get to feel like this for the rest of my life, sign me the fuck up. His head was buried between my thighs, and the morning light spilling through the window made my bare skin glow. My nipples were stiff, the air teasing them, and all I could hear—aside from the waves crashing outside—was the sound of Alessandro’s mouth on me. My fingers dug into his hair, pulling him closer, harder. His tongue moved in ways that had my head spinning, and every inch of my body felt like it was on fire. I let out a low moan, my back arching off the bed as I gripped the headboard like it was the only thing tethering me to reality. He was everywhere—teeth scraping along the inside of my thigh, tongue pressing against me like he was a man on death row savoring his last meal. His stubble burned deliciously against my skin. The way
Viviane ☩═✦═☩ The day Viviane turned sixteen, her life split in two. According to her, that was the day everything changed—for the better. She sat on her bed, legs crossed, laptop propped up in front of her, while her family sang from miles away. Stella, John, and their daughter Felicity were huddled on one side of the video chat, Brandon on the other. The cupcake with a single candle flickered beside her. She wasn’t with them. She was here, in this empty house that barely acknowledged her existence. She blew out the candle, holding back the sting in her eyes. When she playfully pretended to feed them the cupcake through the screen, Stella opened her mouth wide in a theatrical "ahhh," and Brandon joined in with an exaggerated laugh. They were trying, but it wasn’t the same. It never was. Her siblings had sent gifts ahead of time, and after the song, they asked her to open them. Brandon’s was first. She didn’t bother with caution; she tore into the box like she was opening the
Alessandro ☩══♛══☩ High School Graduation... Alessandro Costello was the guy every guy wanted to be. Good-looking in that unfair way—sharp jawline, blue eyes that seemed to pull you in, and a smile that made people weak at the knees. He wasn’t just popular, he owned the school. Captain of the football team, straight A's without even trying, and with a last name that carried power far beyond the hallways. The kind of name that made teachers look twice, that had parents whispering when he passed by. He drove cars that turned heads—sleek, fast, and expensive—cars that left everyone else staring in his rearview mirror. Girls flocked to him like he was the sun, orbiting his every move, waiting for just a glance or a smirk thrown their way. He didn’t have to chase anyone; they came to him. Alessandro didn’t need to try—he was it, the one everyone wanted to be close to, even if it was just to get a glimpse of what life looked like on his level. But that was just what people sa