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Chapter 29: Zefiro
Last Updated:
2024-10-22 17:50:22
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My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 30: Zefiro
She extricates herself from my touch, turning around to grab her things angrily. "Yes, I'm on the fucking pill. The last thing I want, though it does seem everyone else is open to the idea, is a messy scandal with you or anything that'd bring me back to you after I leave." Agitation tightens my shoulders. She doesn't want to stay. She speaks of forgetting me. She doesn't want more from this. Me. It's just sex. I knew the lines would blur when it came to her. It is why it pissed me the fuck of that the hunger I felt only burned hotter for her. "You're unexpectedly good at this, Mrs. Hawke. The affair. The detachment. Staying your line. Clearly, this isn't new for you. How many other 'scandals' have there been? Two? Three? More?" The words are out before I can think of stop them. Venomous, spiteful and angry. And I hate them immediately, regret them. When Susanna turns to look at me, the light in her eyes are gone, replaced by a darkness I've seen haunt her in the privacy
Last Updated : 2024-10-22My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 31: Susanna's pov
There is something particularly selfish about lust. The heat of naked skin pressed flush together, the joining of sexes in the most perfect fit. The exchange of hot breaths and slap of thigh against thigh. Kisses, not necessary, but nonetheless, hungry. The digging of nails and the sinking of teeth into flesh.It takes. And takes. Mindlessly. Morals disappear, handing over control to depravity. Lines blur between what should and what shouldn’t, and soon, there are no lines at all.My heels click and my fingers slip over the tray. What did I hope to gain from this arrangement? My blood ices over at the mere thought of his words. I wanted the papers first. Then I sought control, even when I knew it was a lost cause. And then, I wanted more. Everyday, my appetite grows larger, my needs instinctual over habitual. What did I want?Him.“You can’t be down here,” a dark voice says, blocking my path to the boardroom. Rizzi stands like a brick wall, hands crossed in front of him, suit well ir
Last Updated : 2024-10-23My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 32: Susanna's pov
My world narrows on the pool of blood forming around the body, soaking into the white suit. There's something oddly colorful about the stain of blood on a white fabric. Perhaps, more so, because it is Donovan's.Numbing cold flows from my toes to my fingertips and I feel it reaching into my chest as I glance up from the body to catch Zefiro lowering his gun.There.His amber eyes gleam, unnaturally bright with something unidentifiable, yet devilishly sinister. Though I know I won't find it there, I search for even a glimmer of remorse and find nothing but chilling satisfaction. "I urge you to sit, Belikov. Donovan was and has always been a loose end. For Cosa Nostra. For Bratva. He talked too much."The blonde sits, wiping the blood off his cuff. "He had his uses."Like that breaks the tension in the room, everyone else sits, and conversation continues like a dead body isn't a few feet away. Against the marble, the blood is thick and black, like the soul of the man seated at the head
Last Updated : 2024-10-23My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 33: Susanna
Rrrinnnnnng. Rrrrrinnng.I groan, throwing a pillow over my ears. I’d barely dozed off when my cellphone started buzzing. It was my work line—my only line—and I only ever got calls from three people: Adriana, Lucia, and Zefiro. Work-related, mostly, except for the latter. And I was willing to bet it was him.So, I ignore it.I might not have had many normal relationships in my life, but there’s an unspoken rule about not rushing to the call of a man who stood you up. He didn’t technically stand me up, but knowing I was waiting in his study and never showing could be interpreted as such. I think.Sleep pulls me back, luring me in, when the phone starts blaring again, louder, more insistent. And it doesn’t fucking stop.Pissed, I roll over and snatch it off the thin nightstand, sliding the green button without checking the caller ID. “Can I help you? Because the last time I checked, you were too busy taking walks with your fiancée to spare me even a damn minute of your time.”The other
Last Updated : 2024-10-24My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 34: Susanna's pov
I stare at the woman in front of me and understand why I’ll never be a man’s ‘only’ choice. She is everything I could never be. Regal, graceful to a point that borders royalty, soft spoken, demure, and more importantly, there are no dark shadows haunting her eyes.She’d make a loving partner. The kind that’d make her husband and children breakfast, lunch and dinner and even sing while doing it. The kind that has every important date in her head and signs off everyone’s gifts. The kind that holds her husband in his darkest hour and knows the right words to say, not offer him her body because it is the only way she knows how to take the pain away. The kind they make love to and whisper against her ear, “I love you.” The kind they kiss on the forehead before a heartfelt, “Goodnight.” The kind every man needs.Not some broken, stray dog without an owner.The shower stops running and I know it’ll hurt more if I saw him step out of it. My limbs tangle in a desperate attempt to get out of th
Last Updated : 2024-10-24My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 35: Susanna's pov
“You drank from my glass.”I pout, my skin feeling abominably hot. “I was curious. I’ve never had alcohol before.”“You’re lightweight,” he says, and I can tell that it amuses him somehow. “What’s your vice? A loose tongue or erratic behaviour?”I giggle, and snort, unable to help myself.“Starting over, what does that entail for you?” Zefiro asks, his lips trailing a path down my naked spine.I moan into the--his--pillow, breathing in copious amounts of his scent. Today, his lips trail every inch of my skin, not his hands. Something about being obscenely naked under a fully dressed Zefiro turns me on harder and faster than normal. Something about the way his crisp tie trails the curve of my ass softly makes the hair on my skin rise. “A new name. Something Scottish. I’ve always been--” A heavy breath slips out when he kisses the back of my knees. “Fascinated by their culture.”A chuckle skitters off my skin. “I like Susanna just fine.”“Good thing it’s my name, not yours,” I drawl cat
Last Updated : 2024-10-25My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 36: Susanna's pov
My flipflops squeak against the dirty rug and my nostrils crinkle at the familiar stench of alcohol, sweat, sex and cheap perfume. I wonder if this is where Alessandro brings all his women, or if my worth was to him was the same as the run down, shady and unkempt hotel that seemed more appropriate for drug dealings and traffickings than hook ups.Or maybe Alessandro is just a cheap bastard.We stop at the counter, and despite my aversion to the man in front of me, I step close to him until our sleeves brush. Hungry gazes leer at me from every corner, vicious, predatory. I resist the need to hug my chest and hide myself from them. I’m dressed decently. It’s not my fault they’re staring at me that way. It’s them. It’s not me. I’m not a whore. I’m not a slut. Gum smacks loudly, bringing my gaze to the receptionist. The ginger slouched behind the counter is so high, her irises cover her pupils, making the light blue appear black. Under the red, harsh lighting, her skin appears pale and
Last Updated : 2024-10-25My Neighbour's Wife Chapter 37: Susanna's pov
A year later...“I went on a date last night.”Frank black eyes peer at me through blurry oval lenses. “And?”I bite my bottom lip, chipping at the red nail polish I had painted on for an outing I shouldn’t have attended. “He was...nice. Name’s Grayson. Chef. Twenty four.” When those eyes keep piercing into me, waiting for my next words, I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I don’t think I’m getting any better, Doc. I...I wanted him to hurt me when he kissed me. Bite me. Hit me.”A nod. A long silence filled with the sound of scribbling on paper. At this point, I wonder what else she has to note that she hasn’t already in the last seven months. Light lashes flutter before her eyes return to mine. “And did you communicate your...preferences this time?”I drop my hand in my lap. “I...hinted at it. He took it.”Hinted. I can never tell a man what I want, even after all this time. My therapist, Dr. Garcia pins me with a dry look that tells me to keep going. Heat stains my cheeks and
Last Updated : 2024-10-26
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My Neighbour's Wife Epilogue II
Alessandro There’s a woman by the bar. A friend of Susanna’s, I suppose. Nice tits in that golden silk dress, jade green eyes that seem haunted, yet alive in a strange way, a trim waist and a dip in her hip. Usually, I hated those. But she’d turned slightly and I had been graced with a fucking boner when I caught sight of her ass.Round and fat. Fuck.And then, she’d opened her mouth and sang for Susanna. While everyone around me had been held captive by a voice that didn’t quite belong in this world.My mood had gone from zero to a thousand. A steady bitterness coated my tongue at the sight of Visconti’s tongue down Susanna’s throat, while my sister rotted in the hell of his choosing, the guilt and hatred eating me alive. I wanted to have even a taste of the sweetness Zefiro had in his life. Wanted to have his wife and his son. Wanted to have his power and his lack of fear. Wanted to be the mother fucker.And a little dainty thing had walked past my line of sight and distracted
My Neighbour's Wife Epilogue I
Zefiro Eighteen months laterThe spoon smacks back. Soup hits me square in the cheek, thick and warm, sliding down my white shirt.Silence.Golden-hazel eyes blink up at me, wide and innocent. Then, a delighted squeal. “Fa-fa!”Nonna laughs, reaching down to pluck Dominic from his high chair. I wipe my face with the back of my hand, scowling, while she presses a kiss to his chubby cheek, murmuring, “Stellino mio.” My little star.I wonder what that makes me. Everyone has forsaken me for the little shit.Even Susanna calls our boy her greatest love, giving him most of her time, kisses and affection. It’s been nine months since she delivered, and due to the difficulty of her delivery and the severe degree of tears and trauma, the doctor advised strongly against…penetration.I understand this. I refuse to let her cajole me into ripping more of her stitches, but it doesn’t mean I don’t get jealous when Dominic has his lips latched around her nipples, blinking up at me with eyes too
My Neighbour's Wife 94. Susanna’s pov
He says nothing as he carries me inside. I spot Fabian and Erica pressed against one of the stone gargoyles, kissing like they’re about to rip each other apart.I look away quickly, swallowing the longing in my gut. “You have been avoiding me.”His eyes flick to mine briefly and his throat works slightly. “I’ve been occupied.”“You’ve been sneaking out of your bedroom before I wake,” I counter as he walks us through the crowded hallways of his mansion. His lips press together. His ears go slightly red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”I sigh, looping my arms around his neck as he ascends the stairs. “I know you’re still mad at me, but you can’t ignore me forever.”He doesn’t answer.“What do I have to do to get you to forgive me?”His gorgeous eyes slant at me suspiciously, but he stays silent. When we reach his bedroom, he sets me down gently on the bed. “You should rest. The party will go on past midnight, and I have business to attend—”“It’s our wedding night.”His eyes
My Neighbour's Wife 93. Susanna’s pov
My feet ache from being passed from one dance partner to another, and I lean against the table, swirling the orange juice in my glass. No alcohol for me—not tonight. Not for the baby, though. No, someone’s just terrified I’ll get wasted and take advantage of him again on our wedding night.Erica, on the other hand, is drinking like she’s trying to drown in it. Has everything to do with the fact that she just found out her boyfriend is… well, in the Mafia.“Lying, unfortunate dick,” she mutters, glaring at him as a cluster of women simper and paw at his expensive suit and pretty face. “Said his dad was Italian, his mom was French. That he’d only ever stepped foot in Italy last year to visit his father, since they had a terrible relationship. And I believed him. How the hell am I supposed to believe anything else that comes out of that beautiful mouth?”I bite my cheek to keep from laughing. “So, his mouth is still beautiful?”Her cherry lips twist into a sneer. “No.” A pause. A glance
My Neighbour's Wife 92. Susanna’s pov
I don’t have my mother or father to walk me down the aisle, but I don’t do it alone. I clutch Rizzi’s arm like a lifeline, nails digging into the expensive black fabric of his suit as we step past the arched hallway and into the garden. My pulse is a runaway train, my stomach in knots that have knots, and my heels suddenly feel two inches taller.“Is it the nerves or the dress?”My nails dig into his black suit and I try to force down more floral coated air. The yard stretches out before us, decorated in wild flowers, vines and lush greenery, the shaded walk way covered in rose petals path draped unraveling under my feet. My train catches, sweeping across the floors and soft ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ fill the air as we close in on last row of white Chiavari seats.“Both?”“If it makes you feel any better, I was too.”An ugly snort slips past my lips before I can stop it, loud enough to make even the pianist flinch. Christ. "They must think I’m a mess."Rizzi taps the back of my hand, a smirk t
My Neighbour's Wife 91. Susanna’s pov
I’m shown to a bedroom beside Mrs. Della Rocca’s, and I barely have a moment’s peace before I’m assaulted by an army of designers.Dress fittings. Jewelry selections. Shoes. Flowers. Colors. Styles. Over and over again, until it finally dawns on me.I’m getting married. Again.The first had been nothing at all like this. There hadn’t been any arrangements made prior and I didn’t have a choice in a single thing. Now, I am consulted about every detail. The colors for the wedding and reception dresses, as well as the designs. The jewelry—Grandmother suggested I wear something of the family heirloom when I found everything I was shown to be more than exaggerated. Shoes. The type of flowers to be used for the decoration of the yard and halls, since we’d decided on a classic romantic garden theme.Not we. His grandmother did with such glee, I couldn’t say no.I often found myself wondering if Zefiro wanted a romantic wedding. If he even had a care in the world left for me at all. Then I’d b
My Neighbour's Wife 90. Susanna’s pov
Zefiro doesn’t take the envelope. Doesn’t even look at it. And for a second—maybe longer—I panic.“I’m twelve weeks.” My voice is hoarse, shaky. “I—I didn’t know. Not at first. Thought it was just the stress from exams, my shitty diet, my lack of sleep. But when I couldn’t keep food down, Fabian dragged me to the doctor, thinking I had the flu, and…”My words taper off into nothing as Zefiro takes a slow step back, then another, before sinking into his chair. He drags both hands over his face, through his hair, down again. Lets out a shuddering breath.“There’s a deal with the Chicago Outfit.” His voice is quiet, almost to himself. “This changes everything.”And then, he’s peering at me with a well -guarded, well-controlled expression. His eyes flick down once to my belly, and his nostrils flare. “Do you want it?”It is phrased like a casual question, but I see it for what it is. Another choice. The last choice I’ll ever likely make when it comes to whatever is left of us. And because
My Neighbour's Wife 89. Susanna's pov
I went through day after day like a wraith. And before I could tell, a month had passed since the encounter. By the end of October, I have succeeded in not only failing every class woefully, but getting enough concern to get enrolled for counseling.November is the longest month. I can’t bring myself to do anything but breathe, bathe, eat, sleep and cry. By the month’s end, my clothes begin hanging off my frame awkwardly and my appetite is as dead as I feel inside.I stop calling him and leaving messages. I wouldn’t forgive me either had I been in his shoes.The loud banging on my front door rouses me from tired sleep, but I have no strength in my limbs to answer it. I draw the covers over my face and nestle back into the pillows.My room door slamming open startles me and I turn slowly at Erica’s remark. “It’s a pig’s sty in here.”The covers are thrown off my body and I voice my protest as larger arms yank me off the bed. “Put me down,” I whimper as Fabian takes me to the bathroom a
My Neighbour's Wife 88. Susanna's pov
The memories return to me in bits over the next few weeks, fueling my need to see him. To explain. To apologize. To plead. But he never returned to London, and it took an embarrassing amount of time to realize why.As the owner, it was only normal that he attended the opening ceremony. The woman who had been perched on his shoulder that night is Diana Moreau, and she will be managing Oblio Nero. He has no reason to be here, when he has other engagements elsewhere.I wasn’t enough reason for him to stay. Not anymore. Because I’ve gone and ruined everything. Again.“I can’t have children!” The words rip from my throat like something jagged and raw, something torn straight from the center of my being. I hadn’t known for a long time. Not until a couple of years into my marriage with Jaxon. He’d returned home one night, drunk and angry. I was ill and didn’t feel like being subjected to his rage. I refused and the beating had been so bad, I’d broken a rib.He’d taken me to the hospital in b
