GIOVANNI I stepped toward my brother, meeting his gaze head-on. Marcelo groaned and tossed his hands up, bowing out of our silent battle."Giovanni, let the kid be." Nikola hissed, standing up from the floor. "And you, Marcelo," he said, and then turned to look at our brother who had his lips pressed together. "The next time you point your gun at me, I'll kill you.""Whatever, I'm just trying to save your ass from being kicked, okay?" Marcelo grumbled, throwing his gun on the couch before disappearing into my bar.One of these days, I'll have that bastard stock my bar."Are you okay?" Adrian asked, rushing over to me. I had almost forgotten he had was here with us.His face hardened when he saw my bruised cheek.God.I fucking hate myself for letting him see me like this."I told you to stay upstairs but chose not to listen. You are a brat, aren't you?" I smirked, tugging at his cheek."Hey, I was worried your brother is going to kill you." He rolled his eyes, pressing his thumb agai
GIOVANNI "I'm out!" Nikola said, sounding exasperated.Marcelo fumed yanking Nikola up by his collar and looked around before tossing him a deadly glare."The fuck you mean?" He barked, I could see his hands trembling from where I sat. "You wanna spare that fucker after he fucked you over?"Nikola stared at me for a few seconds, giving me a confused glare before he yanked Marcelo's hands off his shirt and sighed. "You don't know shit, Marc. Killing Dad shouldn't even be on your list.""You think if I have a way I wouldn't have killed that bastard long ago?" Marcelo said as he took a seat. Fuming in his seat like a thick cloud."Seriously, Niko?" I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest.I thought we were all on the same page, I can't believe he would bail out on the mission even before we finalised it.“Is that necessary?” Nikola asked through gritted teeth.Is breathing necessary? I blinked slowly at him before clenching my fists against Adrian's hips."You both know Benedetto is t
ADRIAN I couldn't shake off the question that had been lingering in my head ever since the Marino brothers had that meeting earlier: what had driven their father's deep-seated hatred towards them? I couldn't understand it. I would be a bad liar if I say I have the best relationship with my father, but it wasn't so bad to the point I would be planning his death. This family was far messed up than I had thought. I wanted to know why it was like that. I couldn't get my mind off the three brothers conversation and it was messing with my mind. They even wanted to get my father involved. "This is stupid. My father hates them," I groaned out, staring at Giovanni's broad back as he did the dishes we had used for dinner. He was acting like nothing happened. As if planning to fuck their father over was a normal thing people do. "Baby," Giovanni suddenly called out to me, making me snapped out of my thought. I didn't know how long I'd zoned out for, but when I snapped back to reality,
ADRIAN When I asked Giovanni to tell me more about himself, I never really expected his story to be so heart-wrenching.I had always thought being a mobster was the life he chose, but I never really considered that he had no say in the person he wanted to become. His future had been decided from the day he was born into the family. He wasn't born for himself, but was born and raised for the organisation.All the bad things he said the organisation made him do at a young age were the most depressing. How could anyone starve and beat up a twelve-year-old boy just because he refused to torture an innocent person?Giovanni told me how he was forced to watch people die in the underground torture room where he was held for a year. In an attempt to break him and mold him into one of them, he was ordered to torture people, effectively stripping him of his innocence. Each time he refused, people were killed, and he was forced to witness their gruesome deaths.I knew he wasn't a good person; G
GIOVANNI I wasn't at all surprised when Adrian's demeanor turned cold immediately that night, upon mentioned of him returning to school.I had read his profile so many times that I knew he didn't have a college degree. I couldn't help but wonder why, especially since his brother was nearing graduation and seemed to be doing well.I knew Adrian wanted to say something to me, but he forced out a smile and said he'd think about it. I was tempted to press for an explanation about why he dropped out of college, especially since financial struggles seemed unlikely given his father's wealth. However, I decided to hold back. If he felt comfortable enough to share his struggles with his family regarding his sexuality, I trusted that he'd eventually open up about why he left college when he was ready.I wanted to be someone he could always turn to. Someone he could trust and rely on. I don't want to be like his family who made him think less of himself.It had been three days since we had tha
ADRIAN I fucking owned a bike now, and it was my dream bike.The last time I had a bike to myself was years ago, back in 7th grade when I was still in middle school.I had come first in my class that year, beating Aston for the first time. For the first time in forever, Dad was so proud of me. He got me a bike as a reward, something he later took away from me when my grades slightly dropped in 8th grade.I wasn't able to get my bike back, and it took me over three years to get over the hurt and pain of losing my first-ever gift from Dad.But now, no one is going to take this new bike away from me. Giovanni told me it was a gift from him to me, and he would never take it back.Harley!My fucking Harley!My heart almost jumped out of my chest when Giovanni took me to the garage this morning and showed me the bike. At first, I thought he was joking when he said it was mine. I only believed it was real when he asked me to sign the receiptFucking hell!I was still on cloud nine about own
GIOVANNI Adrian had disappeared into the building, and it had been over twenty minutes since he went in, but he still hadn't come out.Standing here in the cold, with the scent of animals and fur wafting from the vet hospital, was making me feel sick. I wished I could go in there and drag him out, but I couldn't. Can't get close to those whining pets.I would never understand humans' obsession with animals. I mean, we have enough animals amongst us humans already, why need another one?"Fucking dammit!" I grumbled, leaning slightly against the bike. I needed to do something to distract myself from my surroundings. So I pulled out my phone from my pocket, dialing Dominic.He picked up on the first ring and I wondered if he had been wanting to call me as well."Did you schedule a meeting with Price Russell?" I asked, my hand clenched tightly inside my coat pocket as I exhaled deeply.I fucking need a smoke.One wasn't enough.The line went dead for just two seconds before Dominic grum
ADRIAN Working at Great Fisher had never felt so gloomy. Having already informed my boss of my decision to quit, today being my last day made every task feel surreal. It was strange to go about my duties as if it weren't my final day here. Noah had been acting weird since my shift started. He wouldn't talk to me, and he wouldn't even look me in the eye. He was straight-up avoiding me. I hadn't even told him yet, and I wondered what was making him act like that. My shift flew by in a blur, and before I knew it, it was already time for me to leave. I disappeared into the backroom, packing my bag, when someone walked in, slamming the door shut behind them. It was as if they were trying to announce their presence. "You're really gonna quit?" Noah half-yelled, and I felt my body shudder a little at how annoyed he sounded. So this is what it's all about? "H–how did you know?" I asked, swallowing down a ball of lump as Noah walked over to me. He plugged into the empty beside me o
ADRIAN TWO YEARS LATER It's been two years since that night, and after the fire incident that splashed across the news the next day. A warehouse had been burned down during a raid, resulting from an FBI operation targeting one of the most dangerous gangs in New York City. The raid had killed most of the FBI agents and gang members. I still couldn't believe it was the same warehouse we had all been to that night. Would I have died if Kisra hadn't rescued us? Would Giovanni...? No, I didn't want to think about that possibility. My dad's body was found among the dead FBI agents, but they soon realized he wasn't completely dead and rushed him to the hospital. He's been in a coma ever since. My brother and I had been contemplating visiting him in the hospital but I still didn't feel like going to see him. Benedetto Marino's body, however, was never found. The family assumed he had been burned to ashes, which explained why the police couldn't find his body among the dead bodies
ADRIAN Kyra Israel. Kyra fucking Israel!I fucking knew that name rang a bell the other day I met her. She was one of my dad's special agents. I should have known she was the one; I should have fucking known she wasn't who she pretended to be.Giovanni was mad, furious even. He had been pacing back and forth in the living room, firing off a rapid barrage of curses in Italian. He had refused treatment, not wanting Kisra to come near him. "If she makes a single mistake and walks closer to me," he had snarled, "I'll rip her head off."He said he needed a moment to think, but it had been over an hour since we got home, and he still hadn't been treated. He was still bleeding badly, and I feared he was going to bleed out and die.I should go to him, I thought. I should tell him, while he was still mad, that Kisra might not be exactly who he thought he knew. But she was still the same person, even though she was wearing a different uniform. He still needed her help; he still needed to get
GIOVANNI A gunshot echoed through the air as Father shot Price Russell's hand, shattering the one holding the gun. Price collapsed to his knees, cursing loudly. He attempted to reach for his gun, but Father shot his knees before kicking the weapon out of his reach."I told you never to show your face to me ever again," Father growled, stalking closer as he fired his gun in anger. "I promised I would never let it slide if you laid your hands on any of my sons, but you just had to test me, didn't you?"Price Russell let out a muffled grunt when Father stopped in front of him, pressing his gun to Price's forehead."You sickening bastard!" Price spat."Yes, I am a sickening bastard!" Father retorted, his laughter devoid of humor.This was real? How could it be? Dad hated us, I knew that. But here he was, standing right in front of me. Getting all mad because Price Russell had shot me? But why? Why the hell was he confusing me?"Why are you here, Dad?" I grunted, trying to sit up but fall
I have a funeral service for my grandmother to attend today, so I won't be able to share the rest of the chapters. Hopefully, I'll be able to post the remaining four chapters tomorrow. Thank you. (•.•)✨ The story of the Marino brothers and their sweet boyfriends, along with the crazy parents, is practically coming to an end. I'm feeling a mix of excitement and sadness, and I'm curious to know if you are too.
GIOVANNI My fingers moved swiftly, snapping the binds that had held Marcelo's hands captive for so long. He was finally free. As the ropes fell away, Marcelo's eyes locked onto mine, a flicker of relief and gratitude dancing in their depths. But our moment of triumph was short-lived. The sound of a gun being cocked against my temple cut through the air, and my heart sank. I clenched my jaw, fighting to keep my emotions in check. Fear, anger, and adrenaline all swirled together in a toxic mix, threatening to overwhelm me. I forced myself to remain still, to appear unbothered, even as my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. "What's the meaning of this madness?" I asked, my voice icy and controlled, as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. I couldn't afford to let my true feelings slip, not now, when every word and action counted. "Is this how you treat your business partners?" I demanded, turning to face Volkov, my eyes locking onto his cold, unyielding glare. The gun
GIOVANNI "Giovanni... Shit!" Marcelo grunted, his voice strained, as one of the Bratvas grabbed him, yanking him back down with brutal force. The damned bastard tossed Marcelo to the floor as if he weighed nothing, sending a jolt of anger through me."Fucking stay, brat!" Volkov sneered, his eyes glinting with malice as he met my gaze head-on. He pressed his leg onto Marcelo's shoulder, pinning him to the dirty floor. The sound of Marcelo's pained grunt made my blood boil.Fucking hell! Rage and desperation clawed at my chest. "Fucking let go of him this instant!" I growled, my finger clenched tightly around my gun. My heart pounded in my ears, my mind racing with fear.I fucking froze for a moment, my heart racing with fear. What if this transaction didn't go as planned? What if Volkov caught on before we could get out of here? We had our boys stationed outside, scouting the area, but the Bratvas outnumbered us. Their sheer numbers made my skin crawl, and for a moment, I doubte
MARCELO A blow landed on my face, sending my head jerking to the side. Blood dripped down my cheek and some of it caught in my lips, slipping into my mouth. I tasted the metallic tang of blood on my tongue, and it made my stomach churn.A vicious kick to the wooden seat I was tied to sent me crashing to the floor, my wrists bound together behind my back. The blindfold pressing my eyes shut, plunging me into an inky blackness. I couldn't see anything, not even a sliver of light.A groan tore from my lips as pain exploded through my body. "Hmmph..." I grunted, my voice strained. I tried to crawl forward, but a rough hand grasped my ankles, yanking me back. My bare chest scraped against the concrete floor, the friction igniting a fire of agony. It felt as if thousands of needles were scattered across the floor, each one piercing my skin like a sharp shard of razor.I writhed, desperate to escape the torment, but my restraints held firm. The darkness seemed to closing in around me, s
ADRIAN Tears streamed down my face as I sprinted out of the living room, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere. My mind reeled with the conversation I had just overheard. Dad couldn't be talking about me and my brother. He couldn't be implying that we weren't his biological sons. The thought sent a wave of pain and hurt crashing through me, and I desperately wished the last eighteen hours had never happened. I stumbled out into the hallway, panting and gasping for breath. I pressed my back against the wall, trying to calm my racing heart. Benedetto's voice echoed through the building, his words dripping with venom. "Get out, Price Russell! And don't ever show your face to me or my sons again, or I'll kill you!" My father's response was a hissed "Fuck you!" as he stormed out of the living room. He seemed furious, his face twisted in a scowl. He was so mad that he didn't notice me standing there. Benedetto called out from inside after a few minutes had passed, his vo
ADRIAN The words echoed in my mind like a mantra.This is not my father. The man in front of me, kneeling between Benedetto's legs, was an imposter. I felt a wave of confusion wash over me as I stared at him.My father's face was contorted in shock, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth as he remained frozen in a kneeling position. His eyes were wide with terror, and his skin had paled to a sickly shade.How could this man, this broken, submissive shell of a person, be my father? The man I knew, the man who had raised me, was a tyrant, a monster who had sought to break me and remake me in his own image.He had hated me for being gay, had sought to "fix" me, to mold me into a straight man. But this...this person in front of me was not that man. He was weak, submissive, and terrified.I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed at him, my mind reeling with questions. Who was this imposter? And what had happened to my real father?Words kept getting stuck, and it angered me eve