I’ve been staring up at the ceiling since Kaius left the bedroom, my bladder full and my soul completely drained. My heart is shattered and my mind is numb; I have no idea what to think right now. Kaius dropped a bomb on me before leaving earlier and left me here not knowing what’s real and what’s not.Andrei was drugging me for years. This would be a preposterous notion if it didn’t make so much sense to me. Why I don’t even miss him right now, why I can’t remember most of our time together, and why I have been doubting my feelings for him all this time.The first day I arrived here I wasn’t feeling like myself at all, and the way I was vomiting and aching all over… it makes sense that it would be withdrawal and not just nerves or my blood pressure dropping dangerously low.I went through all that not knowing, and Kaius took care of me because he knew what was wrong with me. Why did Andrei drug me, though? Why keep me compliant all those years if he didn’t even love me?I know the a
I groan as I wake up on my stomach and I try to rub my eyes, but the sounds of a chain scraping against wood makes my eyes shoot open. I look at the spreader bar above me, and my heart drops when I realize that I shouldn’t be able to flip on my stomach with the way Kaius tied me down.“Good morning, Angel,” the sound of Kaius’ gravelly voice causes goosebumps to form all over my body and I turn my head to the other side. Wearing no shirt and in a pair of black sweats, he’s sitting on a leather chair with one leg swung over the other, twirling a glass filled with amber liquid in his hand. I can’t see the look on his face, but I have a feeling that this is where my punishment starts.“Kaius? What am I… Why am I tied like this?” I stutter as vivid images start playing in my head. I know he wouldn’t take from me unless I gave… so what the fuck does he have planned?He downs the alcohol and walks over to the bed, then he gets down on his haunches next to me and gives me a smile. There’s n
I lay slumped over Emilia, my breath ragged and my heart beating wildly. I didn’t intend for this to go as far as it did; in fact, I thought she would ask me to stop and not break for me as beautifully as she did.But the second she broke, I fell — this woman has my heart no matter how much I try to fight it. I lift myself off of her trembling body and move to untie her wrists from the spreader bar suspended above her. After removing her wrists, I kiss the reddened spots and grab the aftercare ointment to apply on the area.When I look up at her, there’s an unreadable expression on her face, and a smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.“Penny for your thoughts?” I ask as I kiss her wrist again, and she tries to hide the smile on her face when she shakes her head.“This feels unreal,” she says and slings an arm over her eyes. “You fuck my brains out only to be this gentle afterward. I don’t think I’ll ever understand you, Kaius.”I sigh and lay down on the bed next to her, bracing my h
“You know, you should probably get up and go do some mob business instead of laying here wasting time with me,” I peer up at Kaius as I say this. We’re naked in my bed, having spent the entire day here. I’m laying in his arms with my head on his chest, my leg swung over his, and his arm around my neck as he holds me. Things he revealed to me in the last few hours have left me a fragile mess, but I won’t show it to him.I need to break in private before I can.“Hmm, but I like wasting time with you,” he says, his rough timbre thrumming in his chest and he smiles. “It’s so much more fun being buried deep inside of you than it is torturing someone.”“Oh, I haven’t tortured someone in a long time, I might beg to differ,” I say with a wink. “But seriously, you should probably get back to business. I know you have things to take care of.”His smile fades a little, so I know I’ve hit the nail right on the head. Sighing, he pulls me closer and kisses the side of my head. “You need to stop be
EmiliaA pair of arms wrap around my middle and a soft kiss is placed on my neck. I open my eyes, still groggy from sleep, and groan when I’m swept up into a hard, chiseled chest. “Hmm, what are you doing?” I ask, closing my eyes again and snuggling into his chest. The scent of his gorgeous smoky cologne makes me smile and I breathe out a sigh.“Bringing you to where you belong, Angel; in my bed,” he says before planting a kiss on top of my head. God, this man will make me fall in love with him.I don’t open my eyes because I want to feel the full effect of actually opening them in his bed and seeing what expression he makes. It sounds absolutely silly, but the thought makes my stomach do little flips.Soft silk sheets caress my skin and the bed dips next to me under Kaius’ weight. It’s only then that I open my eyes and smile at the look on his face. He covers us both, then wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close to him.“Hey, babygirl; sorry I kept you waiting,” he says, p
I’ve done nothing the entire day but loaf around in Kaius’ bed with a smile on my face. God, I’m feeling like a teenager in love right now; everything feels so perfect when I’m with him. I’m almost too scared to blink, so I pinch myself just to make sure I’m not dreaming. I turn on my belly and bury my face into his pillow, inhaling the scent of the man I know I'm falling so hard for already. He gets me more than anyone has before and fuck if he doesn't reign me in when I sass him. It feels good to know I don't have to pretend when I am with him. Breathing out a sigh, I finally get out of his bed and saunter into his large walk-in closet. After our shower together, I threw on one of his t-shirts and love the way the clean material faintly smells of his cologne. I run my hands over his hanging shirts, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Everything he owns is either black or gray, with the exception of the five white shirts hanging by his suits. Ties, cufflinks, combat bo
Everything went according to plan before Ivan leapt out of nowhere and fired a shot at the Commissioner. Luckily I had seen him pulling out the weapon in time and gauged what he would try to do. Kill the biggest player in law enforcement and say it was an order from me. All this time I had it wrong; he wasn’t working for the fucking police. As I ran for cover after getting the Commissioner to safety, I slowly started putting things together. But when I ordered my men to take me home, everything became hazy. It was only when the elevator doors opened that I passed out. As I drifted back to consciousness, the world around me came into focus through the haze of pain and confusion. The first sound that registered was the incessant beeping of a monitor, its rhythm a loud echo in my head. Blinking against the dim light of the room, I groan and try to sit up, only to hear a voice echoing and I turn my head. An image comes into focus and I see Emilia’s tearful gaze upon me, her beautiful b
As the night approached, a sense of anticipation and dread weighed heavily on me. The intel Alexius received had confirmed Ivan’s impending attack on the penthouse. The shadows of my past loomed large, threatening to engulf me as memories of my life as my brother's enforcer resurfaced.Amaretto Vittori used to be a feared name. Being a woman never hindered me, in fact, it made me feel stronger because no one expects a woman to win a face-off with three men. I wanted to prove myself so badly back then, wanted to show them I am no mafia princess ready to be subservient to a man or marriage.How the times have changed. Now that’s all I want with the man laying in the bedroom waiting for me.I stand by the window, gazing out at the city below, trying to steady my nerves. The lights from the skyscrapers glitter like stars, but in my heart, anxiety threatens to suffocate me. I had spent years following orders, committing acts of violence, and shutting out emotions. It had been a life define
Every little girl dreams about her wedding day, but only a few live to see the day. Girls born into mafia families don’t have the luxury of choosing who they spend the rest of their lives with. We’re traded like livestock to ensure we kept alliances, and some don’t even live to see it past five years. I suppose I can be lucky; well, it depends on how you look at it I guess. “Getting married in all black and red. Yeah, you’re definitely still Amaretto under that baby bump.” I roll my eyes when I hear Gio behind me and I turn around to face him. “I’m a Vittori; I’ll die if I’m not dramatic,” I say and twirl around in my wedding dress. “So, what do you think?” I had this dress specially made for me since I’m nearly ready to pop. It’s a stunning crimson silk dress with a black lace lining and off the shoulder neckline. My heels are custom-made black Louboutin pumps with a black lace design over the red bottom and the stilettos are made to look like silver daggers. Our wedding is small
The dreaded day has fucking arrived.As Emilia lead me into the dimly lit club, I can feel the buzz of excitement in the air. Tonight is my 34th birthday, and in usual Emilia fashion, she went all out.She rented out the entire venue just for this, and just told me to get dressed in this suit that I’m in right now. The scent of fresh flowers and candlelight ambiance filled the room, setting the stage for what could be an unforgettable evening.“Did you have to do all this for me, Angel? I would have been perfectly fine spending an evening alone with you,” I say as we get out of the SUV and she scoffs.“Don’t be silly, this is something to celebrate!” she says and places a hand on her hips. “It’s not every day a mob boss turns 34 years old.”I roll my eyes but still marvel at her beauty. Being pregnant really looks good on her; the more her belly grows, the more radiant she looks. “Fine, anything for my woman,” I say, and she chuckles as she slips her arm into mine. One of my men ope
“What about this one?”“It’s cute,”“And this one?” I ask, holding up nothing at all.“Yes, that’s adorable, Angel.”I place my hands on my hips and raise my eyebrow as I watch Kaius scroll through his phone and not look at me at all. We’re currently out baby and maternity clothes shopping as well as buying some things for the nursery. Yes, he may be a big, bad mob boss but that doesn’t mean he gets off easy when it comes to shopping for these things. “Kaius,” I say his name but all he does is say ‘hmm?’ without looking up from his cell phone. When I don’t respond to this and keep quiet, he eventually looks up at me with a frown. “Seriously?!”“What?” he asks, looking genuinely confused. “I answered you, didn’t I?”I breathe out a sigh and push the shopping cart away. “You know what, fuck this,” I say and walk away from him. My patience is already paper thin with everything that’s been going on, and now he can’t even help me with this.“Wait, Emilia,” he calls after me, but I ignore
“We don’t have to do this, you know,” Kaius says as we approach Gio’s home, and I shake my head. “I haven’t seen my brothers in months and the only one who I have a problem with is Frankie anyway,” I say, shrugging. “Dom is the youngest and I’ve always doted on him, we used to be close once.” Until he started getting secretive for no reason. Kaius sighs as he takes my hand and kisses it. “As long as you’re okay, Angel,” he says. It still warms my heart with how much he cares for me, and always makes sure I’m comfortable above all else. “I promise,” I say, then I lean over the center console to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.” “You don’t ever have to thank me for looking after you, it’s my job,” he says, before capturing my mouth is a kiss that makes me wish we were alone. The gates open for us yet again, but I don’t see Gio waiting for us this time. When we get out, one of the guards escorts us inside and towards the dining room where everyone is waiting. I used to love having dinn
God, I am so nervous.We’re on the jet right now, on our way to meet up with Gio, and I don’t know what to feel. The last time I saw him I vowed that I’d never forgive him for trading me to Kaius. Now I kind of have to thank him for it. I look down at my tiny swollen belly and wonder how the heck I didn’t notice it before I got a test. Now that I know I’m pregnant, it’s like every other symptom decided to make itself known. Morning sickness feels like pure death, and don’t even get me started on my moodiness.Poor Kaius gets the brunt of it, but I usually make it up to him in a way he appreciates.“Are you still nervous?” he squeezes my hand as he asks me and I nod.“I never wanted to see him again and now we’re going to tell him about us,” I say with a nervous chuckle. “He’ll probably call it Stockholm Syndrome.”No, that’s not even a probability. He will definitely say that.“Well, I suppose we’ll find out in the next few minutes,” Kaius says, and the pilot lets us know we’re about
Emilia has been odd the entire day, and now that I’ve offered to take her out to dinner for the first time, she seems even more anxious. It’s been nearly three months since we eliminated Ivan and his threat and I have slowly started integrating Emilia into the daily life of a Romanian crime boss. She’s taken to it with surprisingly good ease and my men seem to love her spunky attitude.So why is she being so odd right now?“You look fine, Angel,” I say and take her hand over the center console. “Stop fidgeting with your dress, you look beautiful.”She finally offers me a smile and nods. “Thank you.”Okay, wait, something is definitely wrong. She would normally give me more attitude than that, but now she’s just…docile and Emilia is everything but not docile.When we reach the restaurant, I get out and open the door for her. She looks beautiful no matter what she does. Even stepping out of a car makes her seem regal; my woman, and I feel proud to say it out loud.The soft glow of the
I help Kaius get into a pair of black boxers and sweatpants, while I get into a tank top and shorts. His hair is hanging loose in damp threads and the smell of his smoky cologne is tingling my lady bits just a little bit.This man is a wall of rippling muscle, and just looking at him feels like I’m staring at a work of art. The way he’s built wasn’t just honed by hours in a gym, he’s been in active combat and it shows by the scars littering his body.The tattoos on his tanned skin just add to the allure of the man who has just professed his feelings for me. I knew I was starting to fall in love with Kaius, but I never expected him to feel that way about me so soon.We’re in the early stages, so this feels immense right now. Not only is he in love with me, but he wants me to rule alongside him in the Brigăzi. He doesn’t just want me as a trophy wife, as normal mafia men do.He doesn’t realize it, but he’s just handed me the keys to the proverbial gilded cage mafia princesses are locked
The intel Alexius sent through to me when Emilia was getting ready, put everything into perspective. I now know why Ivan got close to me, and it’s not just because he’s working for someone else.He’s a disgraced Bratva heir who altered his appearance, and his sister just so happens to be a woman who cared too much for me…. Or rather, the woman who grew to have an obsession with me and what we never had.Now Emilia is heading up here, guns blazing, thinking I’ve lied to her about something. She’s going to be a wolf with a sore tooth when she comes in here, so I have to be honest about everything.I hear the faint ding of the elevator and breathe out a sigh when the clicking of her heels draws nearer. Removing the headset, I throw it to the side and close the laptop while bracing myself for a confrontation I didn’t want to even deal with.Not because I’m a coward, but because it’s not even anything Emilia needs to be worried about.The bedroom door opens and she saunters inside, strippi
“They’re close to the parking garage; if you want to give them the element of surprise now is a good fucking time,” Kaius’ voice comes through my earpiece just as I get to the elevator, and Alexius nods silently.“Ready to dance, Emilia?” he asks as we get inside and I chuckle.“I was born covered in someone else’s blood and will leave this world covered in it as well,” I say, recalling how my mother said I literally tore her in two when she gave birth to me. Alexius chuckles and shakes his head. “Fuck, you’re the perfect woman for him,” he murmurs and the elevator doors open without a sound.The parking garage is dimly lit, its concrete walls casting long shadows that danced in the flickering overhead lights. Kaius' other men are here, sounding off their positions through the earpiece and setting me at ease. The tension in the air was palpable as Alexius and I positioned ourselves behind a row of expensive cars, preparing to face off against Ivan and his bunch of fuckers.I pull out