Although he was far from sober, there was something in that appeal and the almost clumsy way he was holding her prisoner that melted Elena down deep inside. ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ she whispered, tracing one bronzed cheekbone with tender fingers.He made love to her first with blazing power and potency, and then with a piercing sweetness that brought tears of gladness to her eyes in the aftermath.‘Even when you’re drunk, you’re amazing,’ she muttered gently, wishing she knew what was wrong with him—because there was very definitely something wrong.‘I’m not drunk,’ Andrea groaned, and even though it was a very warm night he kept hold of her until he slid into a restless sleep.Before dawn, she wakened to see him emerging from the bathroom towelling dry his hair and she switched on the lights to study him with troubled blue eyes. ‘Can’t you sleep?’His lean, darkly handsome face tightened. ‘I have something to tell you,’ he breathed abruptly. ‘I’ve done some stuff you know nothing a
‘My mother was Carmelo Zanetti’s daughter and my father was the son of another crime family.’It took Elena thirty seconds to work out what he was telling her and if she was aghast, it was not for the reasons he had expected. ‘My word, that old man who died this week was your grandfather and yet you didn’t trust me enough to tell me that. No wonder you were upset last night!’‘Per amor di Dio! I wasn’t upset!’ Andrea launched at her in an immediate denial. ‘He was an evil man and I didn’t know him—we met only once when he was already dying.’Elena saw that being upset fell into the same category as being drunk and in shock in Andrea’s uncompromisingly tough expectations of himself. If he said it wasn’t happening, he could avoid having to acknowledge that he had emotions. She could only imagine how disturbing he must have found that meeting with his grandfather. She would have put her arms round him if she hadn’t known that such obvious sympathy would infuriate him.‘You may have despi
Elena was perplexed by that statement, for it came at her from an unexpected angle. ‘Sorry, what are you saying?’‘Haven’t you seen today’s big story? Listened to the news? Don’t you realise that your boyfriend is Don Carmelo Zanetti’s grandson?’‘Yes, but … this Fiorella lady you mentioned—’‘She was Zanetti’s daughter, but she wasn’t calling herself Santino when I knew her. I only saw Andrea a couple of times when he was a toddler. Fiorella always left him with a babysitter,’ her father informed her. ‘Remember me saying that Andrea put me in mind of someone that day he got hit by the car?’‘Yes.’ Elena was finding it hard to catch her breath and her legs were feeling all wonky. She backed down into the nearest chair. A past connection that close between her family and Andrea’s? How could that be possible?‘He’s got his mother’s eyes. Don’t you see what this means?’Her brain felt as if it were drowning in sludge. ‘What a very small world we live in?’‘You can’t be that naïve. Obviou
‘No, we passed that point long ago. You put me through hell. You kept on trying to dump me—you came to Sardinia of your own free will. You really mean more to me than you think and I am sorry that I gave you the impression that you are just my mistress.’ ‘Blame that on your fatal charm. Or maybe you brainwashed me. And don't even try to fool me into believing that you actually care for me. You don't. I obviously wasn’t clever enough to see that I was just part of your revenge,’ she muttered shakily. ‘You weren’t going to confess either, were you?’ ‘I didn’t want to lose you,’ he bit out thickly. 'I knew that if I told you the truth, you would leave. I knew you would hate me if you discover what I have done. And that kept me from telling you. Trust me, it has been eating me up and I have wanted to come clean to you.' ‘You never had me to lose,’ Ayesha lied, determined not to show her distress. ‘But I can see now that you set out to own me. You don't care about me. You just want to ke
Violet’s tail began to wag and he charged off down the walled garden. When she called him, he ignored her. He had got very wilful since he had been spoilt rotten in Sardinia, she ruminated ruefully. He had also been very restless and excitable. The suspicion that he missed Andrea set her teeth on edge. She attacked another clump of weeds with her hoe.Violet’s wild barking finally made her look up. Her dog was leaping and dancing in frantic welcome round the feet of the very tall, dark male striding across the grass towards her. Andrea, all potent masculinity and sophistication in a designer raincoat and a sleek business suit. As always, he was the living, breathing definition of drop-dead gorgeous. Her heart started thumping. She let go of her hoe and stepped off the soil onto the gravel path.Andrea came to a halt ten feet away. His brilliant dark eyes roved over her in a hungry, all-encompassing appraisal, but there was a combative edge to his stance. ‘I’m not leaving without you,’
‘Yes …’Andrea sprang upright, surprised at the speed of her response but content not to question it. ‘Does that mean you forgive me?’‘Not necessarily … but I will marry you.’ Elena discovered that her teeth were chattering with shock.‘Okay,’ Andrea pronounced, wondering if that dazed look was positive or negative, and then remembering what he had not yet said. ‘I love you … I love you a lot, amata mia.’Dazzled by the enormous sapphire and diamond ring he’d placed on her finger as he confessed his love, Elena lifted startled eyes to his lean, darkly handsome face. ‘You don’t have to say that if you don’t mean it.’Andrea strode forward and caught both her hands in his. Intense tawny eyes claimed hers in a look as possessive and urgent as his hold. ‘I can’t sleep at night without you. When you left Sardinia I thought my life was over. I’ve been in love with you for weeks and weeks without realising it … I really need you to be with me … for ever. ‘Overwhelmed, Elena nodded several
The next morning, Elena signed peacefully in the bliss of love she had found herself in. She couldn't believe that she had hitched a man like Andrea who gave her so much attention and love she thought it was fake. Ever since they began dating, Elena realized that she hadn't for one day experienced any form of sadness or heartache. He was a lover boy through and through and she blessed the day she had agreed to be his girlfriend.''What's that smile on your face?'' Andrea asked, walking in with a towel wrapped around his luscious body.His body was dripping wet and in that moment, Elena had a whole lot of thoughts cradling her head. Dirty thoughts, thoughts that her mother wouldn't be proud of.''Oh nothing.'' she sighed, looking at him in a dream-like state.Andrea, knowing that there was more to what she was saying walked towards her, smiling like a predator would when it was about to catch its prey. Elena screamed, backing away not in fear but from the heated look Andrea gave her.
''Are you serious right now?!'' Andrea barked.''Does it look like i'm joking?'' she asked, standing her ground.There was a very serious look on her face that could only be one of pure determination. She wasn't going to give up on this, not now or ever.''Why are you so bent on following me back home. You need to stay.'' he said.''Why are you so bent on keeping me here.'' she countered.She realized that if he wasn't hiding anything, there was no need for him to be so seretive about all of this.''You want to go with me?'' he asked.''Yes,'' she said, sturbbornly.''Fine! But don't say i didn't warn you.''In that moment, a sliver of fear passed through her and she wasn't quite sure if she had made the right decision. ''Alright.'' she said.He dressed up quickly, stalking outside, leaving her to dress up. Elena followed quickly but before she could get outside, Andrea was already in his car, leaving her behind.It was in that moment that she was grateful she had a car. Quickly, she
It was a beautiful afternoon, and Elena and Syria were sitting in their favorite corner of the local coffee shop, sipping on their lattes. The atmosphere was cozy, with soft music playing in the background and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. As they chatted about life, love, and dreams, Elena hesitated for a moment before gathering her courage to share her big news."Syria," Elena began with a smile, her eyes shining with excitement, "I have something important to ask you." She paused, taking a deep breath, and then continued, "Will you be my maid of honor at my wedding?"Syria's eyes widened in surprise, and then a wide grin spread across her face. "Oh my goodness, Elena! Are you serious? Of course, I will!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her joy. She leaned forward and hugged her best friend tightly. "I'm so honored and thrilled to be a part of your special day!"Elena felt a wave of relief and happiness wash over her as Syria's response was exactly what she ha
On a sunny afternoon, Elena picked up her phone with excitement bubbling in her heart. She dialed Syria's number, eager to share the incredible news. As the phone rang, Elena's nerves mixed with happiness, and she couldn't wait to hear her friend's voice on the other end."Hello?" Syria's voice came through the line, filled with warmth and familiarity."Hey, girl, it's me, Elena!" she said, trying to contain her enthusiasm."Elena! Oh my goodness, it's been too long since we last spoke. How have you been?" Syria replied, equally delighted to hear from her.With the announcement of her babies, Elena had been too busy and she hadn't called Syria in a long time."I've been doing great, but I have some amazing news to share with you!" Elena said, her voice trembling with joy. "I'm expecting a set of twins!"There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then Syria's voice erupted with excitement. "Oh my goodness, Elena, that's incredible! I'm so happy for you! Twins, wow! You're goin
Finally, Elena and Andrea, arrived at the prestigious medical center for the eagerly awaited scan to determine the sex of their baby. The anticipation had been building for weeks, and they couldn't contain their excitement."What do you think it's going to be?" Elena asked as Andrea helped her out of the car."Hmm… I don't really care about the sex of the child because no matter the outcome, I'll love the child with all my heart." he smiled.Elena gave his hands a gentle squeeze, silently telling him that she loved what he said. He had always been a mature person and she loved that he saw things that even her couldn't see."But in your deepest hearts… what do you want?" she asked."Baby, I see what you are doing and it's not going to work," he laughed."But I'm not doing anything," Elena said pretentiously."You know what… let's just wait for the doctor," Andrea laughed.As they sat together in the beautifully decorated waiting room, Elena couldn't help but feel a mixture of nerves an
In the dimly lit underground headquarters where they had camped, Andrea who was the mastermind of the operation, stood before his loyal team of highly skilled mercenaries. The room echoed with hushed murmurs and tense anticipation as he prepared to reveal the breakthrough they had all been waiting for."Listen up, everyone," Andrea 's voice boomed with authority, cutting through the silence. "After days of pursuit, I can finally say that we have discovered the location of those bastards we've been after. They're holed up in an abandoned industrial complex on the outskirts of the city."Excitement and determination filled the room as Andrea 's men exchanged glances, ready to embark on their final mission to bring their enemies down but little did they know that the forces they were up against had not given up the fight just yet.As Andrea continued to detail their plan of attack, a sudden loud crack echoed through the room. A gunshot! Time seemed to slow as everyone's eyes darted tow
In the dimly lit room, Andrea stood tall, his face grim and determined. He looked into the eyes of each of his men, a mix of trust and intensity reflected in his gaze. Elena stood at a distance, her hands trembling, and fear etched across her face as she stared at each of the die-hard men."My brothers," Andrea began, his voice low yet commanding. "Today, we stand united against those who have committed the gravest of sins. They thought they could take away the ones we love and go unpunished but we will show them the consequences of their actions."His words carried weight, and a solemn silence enveloped the room. The flickering candlelight danced upon the walls as Andrea continued, "We're going in with a total clampdown. Every move calculated, every step precise. Our enemies won't see us coming, and they won't know what hit them but know this, my brothers, we are not just seeking vengeance; we are seeking justice."Elena's heart pounded in her chest as she listened to Andrea's plan u
In the opulent penthouse office of Andrea's skyscraper, high above the bustling city, the billionaire sat at a grand mahogany desk, waiting with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Today was the day he would finally have a meeting with Ethan, to settle their long-standing fight and mend the rift that had torn their family apart."I hope this turns out well." he murmured.As the clock struck the appointed hour, the door to the office swung open, and in walked Ethan, an air of intensity surrounding him. His stern expression softened a little as he took in the luxurious surroundings, but the tension between the two was still palpable."Andrea," Ethan began, his voice guarded, "I must admit I didn't expect this meeting to happen. After all the fights and disagreements, what's the real reason you called for this?"Andrea, looking peaceful, stood up and walked around the desk to face Ethan directly. "Ethan, you're right. We've had our differences, and I'll take my share of the blame for
In his lavish penthouse apartment overlooking the city, Andrea sat across from Elena, nervously fidgeting with his tie. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes, finding comfort in her warm gaze."Elena," Andrea began, his voice tinged with a mix of excitement and apprehension, "I need to tell you something your mother shared with me earlier today."Elena reached out and gently held his hand, encouraging him to continue. "What is it, Andrea? You can tell me anything."Andrea smiled at her support and continued, "Well, your mother called me this morning, and she mentioned that she thinks we should organize a small wedding ceremony. Especially now that... now that a baby is on the way."Elena's eyes widened with surprise and delight. "A wedding Andrea? Are you serious, right now?" she exclaimed, feeling a rush of emotions at the unexpected news.He nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Yes, I'm absolutely serious and honestly, I couldn't be happier about it but about the wedd
The following day, Elena woke up feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. The thought of being pregnant both thrilled and scared her. Wanting to confirm her suspicions, she secretly bought a pregnancy test and went to the privacy of her bathroom. Her heart pounded as she followed the instructions, and as she waited for the results to appear, her mind raced with thoughts about how this could change her life.When the results finally appeared, Elena stared at the small window with disbelief. Two lines confirmed what she suspected - she was pregnant. Emotions flooded through her - joy, fear, uncertainty, and love for the tiny life growing inside her. She wasn't sure how to process it all, but one thing was certain: she wanted to share this news with Andrea."I'm pregnant, i'm really pregnant." she mummured.As she thought about what had just happebed, she thought about Andrea too and she knew that he had been nothing but supportive and caring throughout their relationship. She knew he wo
Early one morning, Elena found Vanessa watching t.v from the large screen in the living room. It had been a while since she saw her and seeing her now just put a smile on her face. She couldn't believe that a girl as young as she was was very strong which was one of the things she loved about her.Her wide eyes were fixed on the television screen, captivated by a vibrant animated world. Elena couldn't help but smile at the sight of the adorable little girl, her heart warming at the innocence and happiness radiating from her.Vanessa turned her head and noticed Elena standing in the doorway. A bright smile spread across her face as she patted the empty spot beside her on the beanbag chair. "Come sit with me, Elena!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement.Elena's surprise melted away, replaced by a sense of warmth and affection for this precious child. She made her way towards where Vanessa was and settled down next to her on the beanbag chair. Together, they watched the col