After a relatively calm few hours, I am riled up with stress and anxiety. It’s seven pm and Kaius Tulvan is on his way to meet us. We’re in one of the upper-tier clubs, seated in one of the back offices, and drinking alcohol. There’s been nothing but silence from our so-called assassin, but that doesn’t mean we’ll let our guard down.I’ve even gone as far as starting plans to build a hospital wing on the property so Lucia can give birth here safely. I’ve shared that it’s the best way, and she hasn’t fought me on it, even though I can see she’s dying to ask me what’s going on.There have been a few occasions where I have caught her stopping herself from asking me something. As much as I want to share details with her, it’s the wrong call; you don’t share your work with your woman.Unwritten laws are there for a reason, and this one is right at the top.“Do we know what to expect from this fucker?” Kaz says, pouring himself a glass of vodka. “I’ve never wanted to deal with the Romanian
My heart is beating in my chest as Giovanni holds my hand. This is our first appointment together, the first one where he could actually join me. Of course, we’re flanked by different men, and Giovanni insisted I stay at his side, but I’ve gotten used to it.“Are you okay, Amoruccio?” Giovanni asks as we walk inside the private clinic. I turn my head to look up at him and smile. “Your palms are all sweaty.”“I’m just nervous,” I admit. “We’re finding out the sex of the baby today and I don’t know what to expect. What if they find something? What if Lucky suddenly developed an abnormality and what if it—”He silences my worry by placing a finger on my lips. “Everything is fine, amore, your worries are valid, but we both know he isn’t called Lucky for nothing.”“Or she,” I say with a smile, and he chuckles.“Or she. Now, let’s go and see our little miracle.” As we walked hand in hand down the hallway of the obstetrician's office, a mix of excitement and nervousness coursed through my v
The evening sun bathed our home in a warm golden glow as I bustled around the kitchen, preparing supper for the family. The savory aromas filled the air, creating an ambiance of comfort and anticipation. With each chop of vegetables and stir of simmering sauce, I reveled in the joyous task.This always made me so happy, just cooking and getting lost in everything. But tonight I have Nikki here with me. “Frankie doesn’t seem to be interested in me at all,” she remarks again. “He’s almost never home, and we actually sleep in separate rooms.”I frown at this and look at the glass of wine in her hand. “Were you supposed to tell me that?” I ask, chuckling, and she waves the glass around.“I don’t care anymore. I’m thinking of doing what Frankie does and just going out to find myself someone on the side. It would make the long nights bearable—”“Nikki!” I exclaim, looking around and hoping no one hears her. “Let’s keep that conversation for when we’re alone, okay?”She takes a sip of her g
Emilia finds herself entwined in a web of conflicting emotions. Pregnant with Andrei Tulvan’s child, she harbors resentment towards Kaius, Andrei’s mysterious older brother. Unaware of the mix-up, Emilia believes Kaius is just as heartless as Andrei, and she builds a wall of resentment toward him. Kaius, burdened by his family’s dark past and the sins placed on him, longs to protect Emilia from the shadows that haunt them both. The secret he carries fuels his desire to win her trust, but Emilia remains skeptical, unable to see past her misconceptions. As circumstances force them to spend more time together, Emilia begins to glimpse the kind-hearted man hiding beneath Kaius's tough exterior. The lines between animosity and attraction blur, igniting a spark that neither of them can ignore. Emotions run high as they navigate the complexities of their shared past. With each revelation, Emilia realizes that her heart may have been confusing Andrei for Kaius all this time. Is this what Ka
—Kaius - 33 / Emilia - 29— Emilia I watch as Gio’s car pulls away and that little girl in me screams out for her big brother to come back. I fall to my knees, calling out his name, hoping he’d forget this bullshit and tell me it’s all a lie. That he’s not giving me to this asshole… but it never comes. And now I’m stuck with the man who raped and killed his brother’s fiancee. “No one’s coming for you, fetiţă mică; might as well get up,” his voice comes as a grating noise—like nails on a chalkboard even if his accent is sexy as hell. I grit my teeth and sniff before getting to my feet and turning around to glare at him. “Don’t fucking tell me what to do, asshole,” I say, while trying to appear intimidating, but I can already see the amusement playing in his eyes. He crosses his arms and I try not to stare at those massive things bulging. “Are you done with your tantrum yet? I have places to be and you’re cutting into my schedule.” “Excuse me, I didn’t realize my kidnapping was th
Kaius has been ignoring me since we touched down in Romania. We’re driving to God knows where with the two of us in the backseat while he’s on his phone talking in Romanian. I suppose I should be thankful for him ignoring me since I don’t have to deal with him, but I feel like I’m slowly losing my mind. A painful twinge pulls at my stomach, and I bite my lip to contain a gasp. I’m not used to silence in any form; I grew up in a rowdy Italian household where there was always something going on. So this right here…it makes me feel anxious as fuck and sick to my stomach. Not only that, but Kaius’ words from earlier are playing on repeat in my mind: “Unlike my brother, I don’t enjoy playing with his used toys?” What does that even mean? And why does he call me Angel so casually, as if he knows me? A shiver runs up my spine and goosebumps pucker all over my skin for some reason. I’m so damn on edge and I do not know if it’s because I’m in unknown territory or if it’s a pregnancy sympt
I look at the severed head in the box in front of me and fury burns hot in my chest. It’s one of my runners who went missing two days ago, and the cut-out marking on his cheek tells me this is a fucking message.No one is happy about Andrei’s death; well, those who were relying on that fucked up drug aren’t happy. The rest of the syndicate heads were glad he’s gone because that drug would have put a major dent in their work and they wanted nothing to do with it.I hear a loud bang reverberate through the walls and grit my teeth.Well, this is a total fuck up if I’ve ever seen one. Emilia has been nothing but a pain in my fucking ass since I brought her back here, but what did I expect? The subservient little girl she was with Andrei was the drugged-up version of herself.This fucking hellcat is the real Emilia, only this Emilia is currently suffering from withdrawal. She’s pregnant so I want to risk giving her narcotic withdrawal medication, so it’s her going cold turkey.It’s been ne
I open my eyes and immediately sit up, but a dull pain blooms on the side of my head. My hand goes to my throbbing head and I groan as white spots dance in my eyes. But even as I’m feeling this pain in my head, something feels…off.In other words, I feel great; rested.“What the hell?” I murmur, my eyes finally adjusting to the room. I’m under the covers dressed in a fresh set of silk pajamas and I feel clean. Did someone…bathe me?Shaking my head, I get up from the bed and my eyes fall on a metal IV stand next to the nightstand. Then I lift up my left hand and see the band-aid, confusing me even more. What the heck is going on here? How long have I been asleep for?I vow to find Kaius and ask him about what happened, but first I need the toilet. Why can’t I remember anything, though? Surely I couldn’t have been out for longer than a few hours. But why can’t I remember anything?After I’ve done my business, I wash my hands and walk outside my bedroom. As usual, there are two muscle he
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