Salvatore doesn't say anything further and I stare at the unfamiliar man who had entered with Salvatore and Gabriel. There was something about him that made me instinctively wary, like as if a predator had suddenly entered the room. As if sensing my uneasiness, his steely eyes flicked up to meet mine briefly before I quickly averted my gaze to Gabriel. He on the other hand had a sardonic smile on his face much like the one he had last night and I suddenly wondered why the three of them were here.They approached Russo who looked at them calmly, it seemed like they'd been expecting them, the unfamiliar man handed Russo something that appeared to be a small wooden box or relic of some kind. I leaned forward unconsciously, my curiosity piqued as Russo accepted the object, cradling it almost tenderly in his thick hands.What on earth was that? If I could just get a closer look at whatever that was. Before I could get a closer look, Giovanni was rising abruptly from his seat and gripping
"What are you talking about?" I demanded still trying to remain calm. In truth I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of there.The woman let out a derisive chuckle. "Your husband isn't exactly who you think he is, my dear."Confusion swirled within me as her words sunk in "Just tell me why you brought me here. What do you want?"Panic slowly set in, and an overwhelming urge to flee took over. Were they going to kill me? Who on earth were they? "Let me out of this car," I said, hating how my voice trembled. "My husband is probably looking for me right now"Another chilling laugh. "You talk to much, maybe I should get on with it and kill you now". My heart sunk and cold sweat broke out on my face. "W-What?" I whisper. The car was silent, I was surprised the beating of my heart didn't cut through the silence. "But that would be a waste, you see Emily Rivera, you are going to help me and im going to help you, do you understand?"She says, she looks at me through the mirror."Un
I stared at Giovanni in disbelief, the anger boiling inside me. "He can't be serious," I exclaimed under my breath. That son of a bitch can't be fucking serious"I clenched my fists, struggling to maintain my composure. I couldn't let Giovanni see just how livid I was. Glancing down, I realized I was still clutching Anastasia's card in my hands. I swiftly concealed it behind my back."Calm down, Emily. I'll take care of it," he said with a wink. Take care of it? I narrowed my eyes at him."And by 'take care of it' I hope you don't mean anything...unwise," I said carefully. Giovanni let out a chuckle that made my skin crawl. I spent the rest of the day waiting, fuming, in Giovanni's office - replaying the incident with the card over and over in my mind. What game was he playing at? As evening fell, Giovanni ordered his men to take me home without him. That night, I tossed and turned, haunted by questions. Where was Giovanni? Who was Anastasia? By morning, I had gotten little sleep.
"We wouldn't want anything unfortunate to happen to you."I look at the strange woman across from me, a self-satisfied smile plastered on her face. Who did she think she was trying to threaten me?"I don't believe you," I said flatly. Her eyebrow raised in amusement. "I don't even know who you are. Why should I believe anything you say?" I continue."And yet here you are," she replied, that smug look not leaving her expression. I didn't respond, suddenly feeling like I had made a mistake coming to this place."I know many, many things, my sweet Emily," she continued. "I also know that the Sigerna are after you."My breath caught in my throat at the mention of that name. "S-Sigerna? What do you know about them?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them."You'll find out soon enough. As for you not knowing who I am, you don't need to. Just know that I am on your side, Emily. And I want you to help me...let's help each other."I shake my head, my voice hardening. "What you're askin
"What do you want, Zachary?" I asked flatly. My patience with Zachary was already paper thin."Emily, I need your help," he pleaded. A mirthless laugh escaped my lips."I'm hanging up. I warned you never to contact me again." I moved to end the call."No, wait! Emily, please don't hang up on me!" There was an almost frantic edge to his words now. Against my better judgment, I paused, curiosity getting the better of me."Fine, what is it Zachary?" I practically spat the question."I need you to be my escort to a family dinner." He paused, then added in a rush, "I...broke up with my fiancée." He says more like an order than a request. The absurdity of his request hit me like a slap in the face. An unbridled laugh burst from deep in my chest."Are you kidding me right now? Are you actually stupid?" I shook my head in disbelief. "I'm married now, Zachary. Happily married. Why the hell did you think I'll do that for you?""I know, I know," he pleaded frantically. "But I need a date to bri
What? Take charge? I look at Russo shocked. My breath caught in my throat as I whipped my head towards Giovanni. His face was unreadable, but I detected no hints of surprise at Russo's proclamation. Because he knew...he knew all along that this was their plan for me.As if sensing my inner turmoil, Giovanni squeezed my hand hard under the table. A silent warning not to make a scene, not to ruin whatever game they had going here. But I couldn't hold it in any longer."Now now, Emily, let's not be rash," he admonished lightly. "This is a family business. You said you wanted to be a part of this.”"The Colombos, the Gambiners, the Buteris - they all crave the same insatiable power and control over the drug trade's lucrative routes." His eyes glinted with a mixture of greed and ruthless ambition. "But we will be the ones to take territory from them. To expand our reach farther than those bastards could ever dream."He pierced me with a pointed stare then. "Which is why your direct invol
"What the hell is going on here?" I demanded, my voice trembling slightly as I took in the scene before me. "Put the guns down, both of you! Now!""Stay out of this, Emily." Talia's says looking at me menacingly.“This is none of your business, so go take your seat like a good little girl."Her condescending tone struck a nerve and White hot fury blazed through me. “Shut the fuck up”, I spat vehemently at Talia, she was clearly taken aback, as shock was written all over her face. I turn to the man holding Giovanni at gunpoint. “Drop your weapon right now!" He doesn't budge and continues staring at me blankly. Annoyed, I look at Russo, who had a nonchalant look on his face despite being held at Gunpoint too. "Call off your dogs, Russo!" I tell him. He casually raised his hand. "I would do so gladly, Emily. If my nephew would be kind enough to drop his weapon."I flicked my desperate gaze to Giovanni, silently pleading with him not to push this further. After a beat of taut silence,
Somehow I found myself hoping, just maybe it was my mother calling. The voice that came through could have frozen my blood in my veins. Cool, distorted, and profoundly disembodied...almost metallic sounding."Soon we will meet in Las Vegas, my dear sweet Emily" the eerie, genderless voice said before the call abruptly ended.I didn't even know when the phone slipped from my trembling hands until Giovanni's calloused palm cupped my cheek, gently urging me to meet his concerned eyes. I tried to speak but it came out in a jumbled torrent of words. "That...that was not my m-mother," I stammered out shakily.They said..." I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself. "They said we'd meet in Las Vegas soon. It's the Sigerna." Giovanni's brow furrowed deeply at what I had just said. He muttered somethin under his breath, his jaw tensing but I didn't hear what he had said. I remembered the strange man from upstairs in Russo’s house and what he had said. "The man from dinner tonight… the one
I stood in the abandoned warehouse, my heart pounding. The plan was simple: I'd act as bait to lure Primo here. Then, our team would capture him. But something felt off. "Are you ready, Emily?" Giovanni asked, squeezing my hand. I nodded, trying to look braver than I felt. "As ready as I'll ever be." As Giovanni and the others hid, I heard a car approach. This was it. Primo entered, his cold eyes scanning the room before landing on me. "Well, well," he smirked. "Little Emily, all alone." I took a deep breath. "I want to make a deal, Primo. The gem for my family's safety." He laughed, a chilling sound that made my skin crawl. "Oh, Emily. You're in no position to make deals." Suddenly, smoke filled the room. I heard shouts and gunfire. This wasn't part of the plan! Through the chaos, I felt someone grab me from behind. "Sorry, cousin," a woman's voice whispered in my ear. "But I need you more than they do." As the smoke cleared, I found myself face to face with a woman
Suddenly, a very loud explosion shook the car and it wobbled violently, tires screeching against the ground. Before I could process what was happening, the door beside me was violently opened, and a familiar face appeared."Hadid!" I gasped in disbelief."Come on, Emily! We need to move!" she shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me from the car. This would be the second time Hadid would hijack me from a situation it seemed.Gunfire erupted around us as we ran towards a waiting motorcycle. I glanced back to see Primo and his men stumbling from the damaged vehicle, their faces contorted with rage.Hadid revved the engine as I clung to her waist. We sped off into the night, leaving the chaos behind us."Where are we going?" I yelled over the wind."Somewhere safe," Hadid replied. "Hold on tight!"We maneuvered through traffic at an alarming speed, my heart pounding in my chest. After what felt like hours, we finally slowed, pulling into a dark, quiet alleyway.Hadid killed the engine and
As the guards began to drag me away, a desperate idea struck me. "Wait!" I shouted, my voice cracking with fear. "I... I know something about the gem!"The guards paused, and I felt all eyes in the room turn to me. Primo raised an eyebrow, a flicker of interest crossing his otherwise emotionless face."Bring her back," he ordered.I was roughly shoved back into the chair, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. I had no idea what I was going to say, but I knew I had to buy time."Well?" Primo leaned forward, his eyes boring into mine. "What do you know?"I took a deep breath, my mind racing. "The... the gem. Giovanni told me it was hidden in a place where the sun meets the sea."Primo's eyes narrowed. "Go on.""He said it was in a lighthouse," I continued, the lie growing as I spoke. "On the coast of Maine. A red and white striped lighthouse, with a secret compartment in the lantern room."For a moment, there was silence in the room. Then Primo turned to one
Desperation and fear clawed at my throat as I looked around the room. These men, with their cold eyes and cruel smiles, terrified me. But I had to know."Please," I begged, my voice trembling, "what do you know about my mother? Where is she?"Their laughter hit me like a physical blow. It was cruel, mocking, and devoid of any real humor.Before I could say anything else, the door burst open. A group of armed men stormed in, their weapons at the ready. Two of them grabbed me, their grip painfully tight on my arms. I struggled against them, but it was useless.The blonde man, who had been watching me with those emotionless eyes, finally spoke. His voice was calm, almost conversational, which somehow made it even more chilling."Allow me to introduce myself," he said. "I am Primo Belluci."He paused, as if expecting a reaction. But the name meant nothing to me. I just stared at him, confused and scared.Primo scoffed, shaking his head. "My, my. You really are an ignorant little thing, ar
The person stepped closer, a strange smile playing on their lips. "Hello, Emily."As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I felt my heart drop. It was Salvatore, Giovanni's half-brother. My mind reeled, trying to make sense of his presence here."Salvatore?" I croaked, my throat dry from fear and dehydration. "What's going on? Why are you here?"His smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, Emily. You played right into our trap. It was almost too easy."I shook my head, confusion mingling with terror. "Trap? What are you talking about? Where's Hadid?"Salvatore laughed, a cold, mirthless sound that sent chills down my spine. "Hadid? She was just a pawn, my dear. A means to an end. And that end was bringing you here.""What?" I gasped, struggling against my bonds. "No, that can't be true. Hadid wouldn't... Where is she? What have you done with her?"His face hardened, all traces of amusement gone. "Shut up," he snapped, "or you'll regret it."Before I could say another word, he p
I jolted awake in the middle of the night, my heart racing. I suddenly hear a sound, barely audible but out of place in the quiet safehouse. Straining my ears, I caught muffled voices from downstairs.I moved stealthily towards the door, my feet silent on the cold floor. As I reached for the handle, a thought struck me - what if it was Hadid, finally returned?But when I tried to open the door, I found it locked. Panic began to rise in my chest. Why would they lock me in?"Hello?" I called out, my voice trembling slightly. "Is anyone there? Is Hadid back?” After a moment, I heard footsteps approaching. The lock clicked, and the door swung open. But instead of the friendly faces of Sarah and Maria, I was met with the barrels of two handguns pointed directly at me.I stumbled back, my mouth dry with fear. "W-what's going on?"Sarah's usually kind face was now hard and cold. "Get back inside, Emily. Now.""But... I don't understand," I stammered. "Where's Hadid? What's happening?"Maria
"What?! Is he alright? Please tell me he's alright. Where is he now? Who shot at him?" The questions poured out in a rush."I don't know all the details," Hadid said, tiredly. "I think it happened at the Oasis. He was also there at the brothel, Marcus must have led all of them there."I threw off the covers and got down from the bed "We have to go see him. Now. Where is he?"Hadid placed a gentle hand on my arm. "Emily, I don't think that's a good idea. It's not safe out there. You should try to get some more sleep."I shook my head roughly "No, you don't understand. I can't wait. I need to see my husband.”Her eyes widened in surprise."Please," I begged, ignoring her surprise.Hadid sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Emily, I'm sorry, but I don't think he's back at the hotel. I'm not even sure where he is."My heart sank. "Then where is he? We have to do something!""I know, and we will," Hadid assured me. "But right now, the best thing we can do is wait until morning. We'll
The next morning, I woke up with a start, my heart pounding. I quickly made my way to Hadid's room. To my astonishment, Hadid was not only awake but up and about, pacing the small room with surprising energy."Hadid!" I exclaimed, relief washing over me. "How are you feeling?"She turned to face me, a wry smile playing on her lips. "I told you, I won't die easily. It takes more than that to keep me down."I marveled at her resilience. "I'm glad to see you're doing better. But you should still take it easy."Hadid shook her head, her eyes gleaming with determination. "There's no time for that. I think I know a way to find your mother."My eyebrows shot up. "Really? How?""She sent me a message last month, just before she disappeared again," Hadid explained. "Now I have no idea where she is or what's happened to her, but that message might hold a clue.""What did the message say?" I ask anxiously.Hadid's brow furrowed. "Something about 'returning to the place where it all began' and 't
Marcus would suddenly release me and I fell to the ground, I quickly scrambled out of the way and watched as Giovanni and Marcus clashed, their confrontation escalating into a full-blown fight, I watched as they shot at each other. Marcus began shooting rapidly, bullets began to fly everywhere and I went down and took cover to avoid being hit. Suddenly I felt a hand grab my arm and I shriek. It was Hadid."We need to go, now!" she hissed urgently. Without thinking, I let her pull me away from the chaos. We slipped through a side door and found ourselves in a dimly lit corridor. The sounds of the fight grew muffled as we ran, my heart pounding in my ears. We burst out of the building and into the cool night air. Hadid's car was right where we'd left it. We jumped in, and she started the car driving quickly away from place. When we were at a safe distance away from the place. I finally caught my breath enough to speak. "Hadid, what the hell just happened back there?"She kept her ey