As the meeting concluded, I couldn't shake the feeling that Selena and our unborn child were in more danger than ever before. The thought of her alone in the safe house with only Antonio and the guards for protection gnawed at me. I knew they were competent, but the stakes had never been higher. The very fabric of our Family was unraveling, and with it, the safety net that had been woven around her.The drive back to the safe house was a battle against the clock. Each red light, each traffic jam felt like a personal affront. The car's engine roared as I pushed it to its limits, the tires screeching as I pulled into the driveway. The guards outside snapped to attention as I emerged, their expressions a silent question. I nodded curtly, and they stepped aside to let me through.Selena was in the living room; she was crocheting a blanket. Her face was glowing, her hand resting protectively on her belly. The sight of her filled me with a fierce love and an even greater resolve to keep her
The quiet was suddenly shattered by the sound of gunshots, echoing through the night. I bolted upright in bed, my heart racing. Selena's eyes snapped open, wide with terror. The sound was close, too close for comfort."Stay here," I barked, jumping out of bed and reaching for my gun.Selena's eyes were wide with terror, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. I could see the fear in her eyes, but there was something else - trust. She trusted me to protect her, to keep her and our child safe.I pulled on my pants and shirt, not bothering with the holster. The gun felt cold and heavy in my hand as I moved silently through the house. The guards had been stationed outside, but the shots were much too close. They were supposed to be a deterrent, a warning of an incoming threat. But it seemed we had a breach.The house was eerily quiet, the only sound the distant echo of the shots that had woken us. I moved through the hallway, the adrenaline pumping through my veins. Th
Working with Torres was not the most pleasant business, but now that I have Selena I can take over the Family as it should have been. Joseph will be dead before sun up. Selena was in and out of consciousness. I had instructed the men to drug her so she wouldn't cause trouble. I saw great fear in her eyes that only grew stronger as we approached the warehouse where Torres was waiting. "Please, Salvatore, just let me go." Selena's voice was faint, barely a whisper against the harsh roar of the truck's engine. She was bound in the backseat, her eyes swollen from crying and her face a mess of bruises. Despite the pain, she hadn't stopped begging for her freedom and for her baby's life. "Shut up," one of the men yelled, his grip on her arm tightening. Selena winced but didn't stop pleading. "Please, I'll do anything." I turned in my seat to face her. "You've done enough already," I said, my voice cold as ice. "Your little act of playing house with Joseph, thinking you could be pa
The next thing I knew, I was being shaken awake by rough hands. My eyes snapped open to find myself in a cold, dimly lit room. The smell of antiseptic and blood hung in the air, and the pain in my chest was a constant, pulsing throb. Antonio hovered above me, his face etched with concern. "Boss, you're alive," he exclaimed, relief flooding his voice. I coughed, my chest burning with every breath. "Selena," I rasped, my eyes searching the room. "Where is she?" Antonio's expression darkened. "They took her, Boss. Salvatore had her taken." Rage boiled in my chest, the pain momentarily forgotten. "Where?" I demanded, struggling to sit up. "We don't know yet. By the time I got here, everyone was gone. Dante is the only one to survive and he is still in surgery." The room was spinning, and I felt my consciousness slipping away. "Find her," I managed to say before the world went dark again. When I came to, the room was brighter, and the smell of antiseptic was stronger. I was
I am so scared for myself, the baby, and Joseph. They shot him right in front of me. There was so much blood. My mind was racing when I was shoved into a cold, metal cell. The smell of the warehouse was a nauseating mix of dust and mold. I could feel the baby kicking as if she was reminding me to stay strong. I sat on the floor, my back pressed against the wall, and I tried to slow down my breathing. The sound of distant voices and footsteps echoed through the building, reminding me that I wasn't alone in this hell. I had to keep my head clear and find a way out. The cell door creaked open, and a figure stepped into the dim light. It was one of the men who had taken me. His eyes raked over me, his gaze lingering on my stomach. "You're the one they want," he sneered, tossing me a bottle of water. "Make sure you stay hydrated. We don't want any problems with the merchandise." The door slammed shut, the echo reverberating through the metal chamber. I clutched the water to m
Regardless of how much pain I am in, the only thing I can think about is Selena. She is innocent in all of this and so is our baby. Salvatore will pay for what he has done to me and to my family. When we arrive at the warehouse, it almost looks abandoned. My men, armed and ready, fan out around the perimeter, each one sticking to the shadows. My breath is ragged, my chest a constant throb of pain, but the thought of Selena and our baby pushes me forward. The sound of distant voices and the occasional shout echo against the metal walls. We move swiftly and silently, the tension thick. As we approach a side door, I catch the faint whiff of something sweet—Selena's favorite perfume. A flicker of hope ignites within me. "Break it down," I whisper to the men surrounding me. The door gives way with a crash, the sound echoing through the silent warehouse. We spread out, our footsteps barely make a sound as we search the vast space, our eyes peeled for any sign of her. The first fe
By the time Antonio and I got back to the estate, I was beyond exhausted. The only thing keeping me standing was pure adrenaline. "Joseph, you need to rest," Antonio said, his voice thick with concern. "Rest? How can I rest?" I snapped. "My wife is out there, pregnant with my child, and all we have is a boat that's been turned into a floating morgue." Antonio sighed heavily. "We'll find her," he assured me, his own eyes filled with a steely determination. "But you're no good to her if you're dead." I knew he was right, but the thought of Selena in the hands of those monsters was eating me alive. I stumbled into my office, the room where I had made countless deals and taken so many lives, and slammed the door shut. I needed to think, to plan, to find a way to get her back. "If I don't have her Antonio, I might as well be dead. She taught me how to live life. She is carrying my child. I promised her that I would protect her and I have failed her." Antonio nodded, understandi
**Parts of this chapter may contain triggers for some readers of reference to a sexual assault. Discretion is advised** I have been tossing and turning for hours. I have been praying that Torres was lying about Joseph being dead. We are supposed to be together to raise this baby. How could our lives be turned so upside down? I heard the lock click on the door and a young girl walked in with a tray of food in her hands. She looked no more than sixteen, with wide eyes that had seen too much and a tremble in her step that betrayed her fear. She paused just for a second before she set the food on the table. "They told me to give you this." I sit up slowly and take the tray from her. "Thank you. What’s your name?" "Anna. Please don't tell anyone I talked to you." "Of course, Anna. Is there anything you can tell me that might help me get out of here?" Anna's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "I-I don't know anything. I'm just here to work." The door clicked shut
I had not slept much in the last few days. I couldn't close my eyes and not see Selena. I have missed so much of her pregnancy because of Torres and my uncle. I will deal with each other them swiftly. Antonio had brought me the first piece of good news that we have had. The Mancini Family has one of the best computer hackers and he found the location of where the auction will be taking place. It was amazing at how quickly he was able to hack into the city records. The Garabaldi Family has a lock on all of the caterers in the upper west side of the city. Torres has no choice but to use outside caterers for the auction. He doesn't have the staff to handle it. Another thing in my favor. Angelo Garabaldi was able to obtain two tickets to this auction. I would be accompanying him to the auction. Both the Garabaldi and the Mancini families have agreed to go against the cartel with me. They stand a lot to gain if Torres is no longer above ground. I wanted to get Selena out before the
I am over halfway through my pregnancy, and it terrifies me to think of having my baby here. I hate being held prisoner. I did not want the same fate for my baby. I was being raped daily by Torres. I had tried so hard to just block out every thrust and every ounce of pain that he would inflict on me. He enjoyed giving me pain and I have the marks to prove it. As I lay in bed, my belly aching from his rough treatment, I hear a faint whisper. "Selena, it's Anna." I sat up, my eyes searching the darkness. "What is it?" "I found out something," she whispered urgently. "They're having an auction really soon here at the house." My heart sank. I knew what that meant. I had seen the way Torres looked at me, the way he talked about me to his men. I was going to be sold. "When?" I asked, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. "In two days," Anna said, her own voice shaking. "What can we do?" I whispered, my heart racing. Two days. That was all the time we had before I would be han
Thankfully, all of the Capos had remained loyal to me. There was no evidence of them conspiring with Salvatore. The meeting was tense, with everyone aware of the gravity of the situation. We discussed our options, the tension in the room thick as we weighed the risks and potential rewards of each plan. We needed to find Selena and crush Torres without igniting an all-out war with the Columbian Cartel. "We have a lead on a warehouse they use for storage," Antonio spoke up, his eyes never leaving mine. "It's a good place to start." I nodded, the room spinning slightly. The painkillers were wearing off, and the pain in my side was a reminder of the bullet that had nearly killed me. "Call a meeting with some of the other families," I said through gritted teeth. "We need to move quickly and quietly." Antonio nodded, already on his phone, arranging the meetings. I knew that Selena was strong, but each day that passed was another day of hell for her. The thought of Torres's touching
I never thought I could feel like a slave, but that is what I have become. Torres enjoys humiliating me every chance he gets. I walk around naked more than I have on clothes. Torres has been true to his word so far. No one has laid a hand on me, except for him. His touch is cold and calculated, as if he's trying to claim me in a way that goes beyond the physical. The other men in the house are allowed to look but not touch. It's like I'm a piece of meat in a butcher's window, displayed for all to see but only the highest bidder can take home. But even as I follow his rules, I'm planning. I have to find a way out of here. For the baby. Every night, after Torres has visited, I lie in the darkness, my thoughts racing. The room is cold, and I pull the covers tighter around my body, feeling the soft swell of my stomach. The baby kicks, a reminder of the life that grows inside me, a life that deserves a chance at happiness, not a future in this hellish world. I want better for he
I feel like a weight is holding me down. I am trying so hard to open my eyes. All I can hear is this loud beeping. "Mr. Rossi, wake up," a voice says, and suddenly, there's a hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently. My eyes crack open, and I'm greeted by a blur of white lights and concerned faces. The pain is a dull throb now, the fever's grip on me loosened. I blink, trying to focus, and see Antonio leaning over me, his expression a mix of relief and exhaustion. "Welcome back, Boss." Antonio's voice was a welcome sound, the first sign that I wasn't hallucinating. I managed to croak out a response, "Selena... where is she?" "We don't know," Antonio said, his expression grim. "But we're looking. We've got everyone on it." I nodded, feeling the heaviness in my chest lift slightly. The doctor hovered at the foot of the bed, his face a mask of professionalism. "You need to rest," he said firmly. "You've had a close call with sepsis. You're not out of the woods yet." "How lon
I lay on the bed, my body trembling with the aftershocks of what had just happened. The dress felt like a prison, sticking to my damp skin. I needed to get out of these clothes, out of this room, out of this nightmare. With shaking hands, I untied the dress and let it fall to the floor. The fabric pooled around my feet, a sad reminder of the violation I had just endured. I stepped into the shower, the water scalding my skin as I tried to wash away the doctor's touch. I scrubbed until my skin was red and raw, the tears mixing with the water as they streamed down my face. When the hot water turned cold, I stepped out, wrapping a towel around my shivering body. I felt exposed, like every inch of me had been laid bare. I needed to find a way out of here, to escape this hellhole. Our baby deserved a future, and I would not let anyone take that away from us. I sat on the bed, my eyes scanning the room for any hint of a way out. The walls were bare, the window too high to reach,
**Parts of this chapter may contain triggers for some readers of reference to a sexual assault. Discretion is advised** I have been tossing and turning for hours. I have been praying that Torres was lying about Joseph being dead. We are supposed to be together to raise this baby. How could our lives be turned so upside down? I heard the lock click on the door and a young girl walked in with a tray of food in her hands. She looked no more than sixteen, with wide eyes that had seen too much and a tremble in her step that betrayed her fear. She paused just for a second before she set the food on the table. "They told me to give you this." I sit up slowly and take the tray from her. "Thank you. What’s your name?" "Anna. Please don't tell anyone I talked to you." "Of course, Anna. Is there anything you can tell me that might help me get out of here?" Anna's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "I-I don't know anything. I'm just here to work." The door clicked shut
By the time Antonio and I got back to the estate, I was beyond exhausted. The only thing keeping me standing was pure adrenaline. "Joseph, you need to rest," Antonio said, his voice thick with concern. "Rest? How can I rest?" I snapped. "My wife is out there, pregnant with my child, and all we have is a boat that's been turned into a floating morgue." Antonio sighed heavily. "We'll find her," he assured me, his own eyes filled with a steely determination. "But you're no good to her if you're dead." I knew he was right, but the thought of Selena in the hands of those monsters was eating me alive. I stumbled into my office, the room where I had made countless deals and taken so many lives, and slammed the door shut. I needed to think, to plan, to find a way to get her back. "If I don't have her Antonio, I might as well be dead. She taught me how to live life. She is carrying my child. I promised her that I would protect her and I have failed her." Antonio nodded, understandi
Regardless of how much pain I am in, the only thing I can think about is Selena. She is innocent in all of this and so is our baby. Salvatore will pay for what he has done to me and to my family. When we arrive at the warehouse, it almost looks abandoned. My men, armed and ready, fan out around the perimeter, each one sticking to the shadows. My breath is ragged, my chest a constant throb of pain, but the thought of Selena and our baby pushes me forward. The sound of distant voices and the occasional shout echo against the metal walls. We move swiftly and silently, the tension thick. As we approach a side door, I catch the faint whiff of something sweet—Selena's favorite perfume. A flicker of hope ignites within me. "Break it down," I whisper to the men surrounding me. The door gives way with a crash, the sound echoing through the silent warehouse. We spread out, our footsteps barely make a sound as we search the vast space, our eyes peeled for any sign of her. The first fe