RafayelBetween dealing with the mess some idiot called Rocky caused with cops at the casino and trying to track down some amateur gang that tampered with one of our safe houses, my afternoon had been shit.Now, there was some other disaster to take care of. Apparently, a sparring session gone wrong between two grown-ass men. The ring was chaos, and while the rest of the men stood by the sidelines observing the chaos as though it was just another sport, Maxim waved his gun in the air and gave a clear aim at Vasili’s head.Beads of sweat ran rivulets down his back, from his bare torso to his shorts, and he looked mad, with a crazed look in his eyes. This wasn’t the first time I’d witnessed Maxim’s fuse blown to shards, and that was why most of the men preferred keeping their distance.Today, however, the ring was a battleground between two of my best field soldiers, and the others were enthused spectators.“I swear, I’m going to fucking blow your head off,”Maxim roared loudly in Russia
At the same time, Maxim tossed his gun to one of the new recruits outside the ring, and Vasili seized the chance to deliver a clean right hook to his jaw, which sent him sprawling. The walls echoed with the sound of knuckles connecting with flesh, and a splash of red flowed from Maxim’s nose and mouth.“That was fucking dirty,” Tikhon commented beside me and blew out smoky clouds from his mouth. I agreed. But Vasili preferred playing dirty. It’d always been his style.“She’s a fucking slut like the rest of them, bastard,” Vasili barked, dealing another blow to Maxim’s right rib without giving him a chance to recover. Then, he dealt another and another, smashing the same side until we thought Maxim’s rib cage was going to cave in.With a frown, I faced Tikhon. “This shit is about a woman?”He didn’t look at me, but his lips curved with the smallest smile. “This shit is about Vasili fucking Maxim’s sister.”“Shit.”We both laughed. If that was the case, Maxim wouldn’t stay down for very
LeonoraRapid and urgent knocking on the glass startled the shit out of me, and when I raised my head, I didn’t expect to see Rafayel and Tikhon, and a bunch of other men, breathing heated fogs down my window.Rafayel pulled back, only to say something to Tikhon that I couldn’t catch on to, before leaning back in and motioning that I wind the glass down. I unclamped my palms and touched my head, chest, and shoulders before rolling the glass down.The look in his eyes was unbelievable. “Were you...were youpraying?”“No. It was the Shadow Clone Jutsu.”He couldn’t be more baffled. “What?”I shook my head. “Never mind.” I was going to pretend that my heart wasn’t racing a thousand miles per hour at the sight of him, with his head lowered through my window. “The question should be, what areyoudoing here?”“Saving you, that’s what. And you’re welcome.”Once in a while, there were times I had visions, more like flashbacks, of a woman talking to me, smiling down on me, and putting my palms t
I glared because the rest of my words dried on my tongue. He was right, and I remembered why I was here in his house, lying on his bed in the first place.When I looked again, it felt like years since the last time I saw him, although he looked the same. Maybe even more handsome than before. Now, in the light, I saw him more clearly. Tonight, he wore a simple pale grey shirt that clung to the ridges of his torso and black slacks that I considered sexy. His hair wasn’t gelled back like I expected it to be. It was more tousled, like he’d forked his fingers through it multiple times. Like he was stressed.There were worry lines between his brows, small eye bags underneath those beautiful dark irises of his, and a constant frown on his lips. Somehow, this familiar image of him calmed my racing heart...and kickstarted the waterworks all over again.He’d gotten a doctor to take care of me, had one of his maids prepare dinner for me, and ordered one of his men to wash my car because I’d driv
RafayelThe first thing I did when I shut the door was toss my jacket and tie and march up to my study to fish out a bottle of theShipwreck Heidsieck. Then, I put it back and went for the vodka. I lined up two glasses, cursed under my breath, and returned one.I kicked my head back to chug down the full glass. It burned down my throat in a good way, but it wasn’t the best distraction. She wasn’t even present, but her absence screwed with my senses all the same. The lack of concentration became worse. My thoughts were frequently drifting to Leonora. And today, when I accidentally remembered the bruises on her face from last night, I suppressed the pressure to hunt down Rossi myself.I swallowed another glassful. And when it didn’t burn hot enough, I chucked the glass at the door, and it shattered on impact. Taking the bottle to my mouth, tiny shards of glass crunched under my shoes as I stomped off to the bedroom.“Varya, I need you to clean up the mess in the study!” I shouted over my
Leonora“Hi, again.”Like a tree rooted in the soil, I stayed put. I was too stunned to speak, too angry to move. Papa was just seated there. With more gray hair scattered on his head and littered among the scruff on his jaw, he appeared frailer than he was at the last minute. His body slouched on the wheelchair, and the glow in his eyes was dull and tired. But he was smiling. Smiling because of whatever he’d discussed with this so-called visitor in the room.“You.” I finally found my voice, but it lacked the strength I needed to confront him. “What are you doing here? Papa, why is he here?”“Sit down,principessa.”“But Papa—”“Fucking sit down, Leonora. Goddamn it.” Papa dragged his hand down his eyes, and I obeyed, but only because he started coughing again.I looked between Luca and Papa. This was a dream. This wasn’t happening. And if Papa thought I was just going to sit down without saying a word in the same room with the man who had the nerve to punch me in the face, he had anot
As I stared at the man I thought I knew all my life, that gloating dissipated to nothingness.“—you used me. I can’t believe this. You consented to this asshole punching me in the face becausehe couldn’t afford to blow his cover.What—what the actual hell, Papa? You took advantage of my ignorance and used me as a pawn inyourgame. And for that, I’m greatly disappointed.”Papa frowned at me, and, for the first time ever, I saw the man people feared—the real Enzo Colombo, without a sliver of emotion or concern.“Don’t you dare go soft on me, Leo. Get rid of those fucking emotions and focus. This tactic was necessary. Now we have the Russians in our palms and can infiltrate with ease.Principessa, I’m doing this for us. My legacy can and will not end. By the Rossis’ side, you both will lead our people, Colombo and Rossi united.Uno Italia.”“No! Did you say you did this for us?” I jumped to my feet like there were hot coals everywhere. I was suffocating. And those walls? They were caving in
RafayelI gripped the steering wheel tighter as I spotted her car ahead.I’d always known you couldn’t trust a woman. But we didn’t listen to our heads, right? Sometimes, we’d see the burning orange and yellow flames and still dive right in.Tikhon wanted to tag along, but I shut down his request. This was my shit to handle. Mine and mine alone. If anyone had to deal with her, it was me. And despite the pressure sitting on my chest like a boulder, I was going to snap her fucking neck with pleasure.Did she honestly think she could slip away from me? Didn’t matter what she thought at this point; I wasn’t letting her out of my goddamn sight.The taillights of her Audi glinted under the streetlights as she weaved through minimal traffic. I kept my foot on the accelerator to match her pace, maintaining enough distance not to catch her attention immediately.I had blood roaring in my ears and intoxicating adrenaline rushing in my blood, like a juvenile on fucking meth. I couldn’t tell what
I was grateful.Andrei’s face creased with worry. “Are you okay?”I drifted back to the presence and nodded. “I just thought of Dad. I mean, isn’t it funny how I was able to meet you because of the shipment he hid?”“Tell me about it. You think Peter had this all mapped out before he died?” Andrei asked with a playful grin. “That he wanted me to meet you?”I shrugged. “He was a genius. It’s not completely out of the box. He worked with you, so he must’ve known how great of a person you are.”Andrei chuckled. “Your father watched me murder men in cold blood a few times. There is no way he would have wanted a man like me for his daughter.”I looked him straight in the eyes and corrected him. “Every father wants a man who would love and protect their daughter. You’re all of those things, and I’m sure he would have approved.”Even if Mom hadn’t been a fan of it at first, she’d adjusted pretty well.Andrei took my hands and kissed the back of my palm. “And I promise to always love and prot
GiselleSeven Months Later“It’s your birthday in less than an hour,” Mom said over the phone.For the first time since Dad died, she sounded happier, as if she’d finally gotten to that final stage of grief.Acceptance.The stage where even though the pain was still there, it just became easier to live with.I believed I’d also gotten to that stage.There were days when I missed Dad so much and wished he was still here, but those days were fleeting, and I found myself cherishing the memories we had when he was here.I’d shifted my focus to finding my own path in life and living in the moment. Andrei was the moment; because of him, I could live happily and smile freely again, something I never thought I would experience after Dad died.I stared blankly at the wall above me and sighed. “Yes, Mom. It’s my twenty-third birthday in an hour, and the only company I have is an empty house.”It was the first time I’d ever been home alone for a while now. Andrei made it a duty to always come ho
“I think we need to celebrate.” She leaned in and whispered. “Let’s sneak away from here.”I took her hand in mine. “Come with me.”She squinted. “Where are we going?”“You’ll see.”I led her to the rooftop of the building, closing the door behind us to avoid any interruptions and burying the noise of the chaos below.The rooftop was quiet, and the city stretched out before us, a glittering expanse of lights and movement. The night breeze was cool, carrying with it the distant sounds of cars racing down the street.Giselle stood beside me, her hands covered in mine as she admired the full moon and the bed of stars in the sky.Our fingers grazed, and it felt like the entire world had been set ablaze, the heat licking through my veins and the air cracking with a jolt of tension.The weird feeling in my chest intensified, and my pulse raced. It was a reminder of what she meant to me—what I’d just discovered she meant to me.I watched her, something in my chest fluttering as I admired how
AndreiThe air was thick with the aroma of burning cigars, the low murmur of laughter and conversation blending with the shuffle of cards and the clinking of crystal glasses.My fingers drummed idly against the felt-covered table, my gaze sweeping across my opponents.They were all seasoned members of the Bratva with hands that were scarred from bloodshed and dark eyes that threatened death.Antonio Morozov and Victor Volkov.We were all cut from the same cloak—all three of us—bred with cruelty, brutality, and bloodshed. Different in many ways yet similar in more than one.And at this table, every card we tossed was a matter of our pride. The joy that came with victory surpassed winning a war with a rival family.I’d always been a good player, only lost a game a couple of times. My skills were unbeatable, and everyone here knew it.But it was different tonight. Giselle’s presence made it different.She sat on the edge of a leather chair across the room, her back straight and hands fol
I wrapped my arms around his neck, reveling in the heat seeping from his body and into mine as he carried me to our room.His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his body pressing against mine and enveloping me with warmth.We barely made it past the bedroom door when I shifted from the position in one fluid motion, wrapping my legs around his hips and tracing his lips with mine.His arm snaked around me, and one of his hands slid under my swimsuit, finding my bare breast and cupping it.I raked my fingers through his hair and kissed him. It was a hot, searing, primal kiss that evoked something deeper than lust from both of us. It was need, mixed with deep yearning.He deepened the kiss, dragging his thumb across my nipple and twisting it lightly.I moaned into his mouth, bucking when I felt his erection poke against my sex, and ground against him, desperate to ease the throbbing between my thighs.He slid a hand through my thong and cupped my sex, and then, fisting the thong, he ripp
I swam toward him, resting my elbow on the edge just by his feet and tilting my head to look at him. “It’s called a two-piece swimsuit.”“Ah, I see.” He whipped his head around and glared at his guards, a silent signal for them to look away.I laughed. He hadn’t just grown more protective; he’d become even more possessive and jealous as well. It was cute to see. “You know they’ve been watching me swim every day for weeks now, right?”“Well, they’re not allowed to watch you swim anymore. No man is allowed to watch you swim beside me.”I huffed. He’d just saved me from having to discuss the bodyguard situation. “How was work today, husband?”“I had a couple of meetings with thePakhanand a couple of members of the Bratva. All I could think of while I was there was coming back home to you.” He placed a finger beneath my chin and leaned in. “I missed you.”“Me, too.” I squinted and grinned. “I think I missed you more.”He pretended to think for a moment. “I doubt it.”Something about the w
GiselleIt’d been two months since the whole fiasco with the FBI and Tyfun-1. Luckily, the cops hadn’t found anything to implicate me with the drugs, and the news about it had become irrelevant.A lot of things had changed—like my relationship with Andrei.I’d started to truly enjoy his presence, with no fear or doubts attached, and I missed him in his absence—like a part of me had been torn away.He’d changed a lot, too, over the months.Although he was still that dominant, fearful, and brutal man others feared, he’d become softer with me. He smiled more now and didn’t have to pretend to be cold whenever we were together.To be honest, I didn’t think I could’ve pulled a better man than him on my own, even if I tried.It was the middle of summer, and the weather outside was scorching. Andrei wouldn’t be home until evening, and I’d grown tired of watching TV.I went to the pool outside, sliding off my robe and slipping into the water. I groaned as a blissful chill cascaded over me, was
And there was no way in hell I was going home tonight without the damn camellias.***When I got home, Giselle was standing in the living room, arms crossed, waiting. Her hair was loose, falling in dark waves over her shoulders. Her lips parted slightly as her gaze dropped to the box in my hands.She held her chest and exhaled. She ran to me, pressing up on her toes to hug me.I snaked one arm around her waist, hugging her back. She smelled jasmine and vanilla tonight—delicious and sweet.“I was so worried, Andrei,” she whispered, hugging me tightly, as if I would vanish into thin air if she pulled away. “You told me you were coming home hours ago.”I pulled back first and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “I was coming home until I saw something that looked just as beautiful as you.”She peered at the box again but completely ignored it. “Did you get into trouble? Was thePakhanmad at you?”I looked at her long and hard—the way her brows creased with worry and her emerald eyes da
“I’ve seen how you men live. I’ll be damned before I let myself become that kind of a mess.”I nodded. I’d thought the same thing months ago, and here I was, risking it all for a woman I never thought I’d meet.She’d been freaking worried this morning, afraid of how this would turn out. I needed to go back home to her. I needed to see her face and watch her give that delightful smile when I broke the news to her.Rising to my feet, I smoothed out my suit and nodded to thePakhan. “I’ll be leaving now. I’ll give you an update if there’s any soon.”He nodded back. “Khorosho.”Dobryn was leaning on the white S.U.V. when I reached the parking lot. His face wrinkled with concern when he saw me. “How did it go, sir?”“Luckily, he wasn’t angry.” I climbed into the back seat, pulling out my phone to text Giselle that I was on my way home.The car roared beneath me, and soon, Dobryn reeled it out of the parking lot. “Where are we going now?” he asked, peering at me through the rearview mirror.