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Dinner Date
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Relief
CAMILLA'S POV.Dante's message still swam in my head the following morning, as I was feeding Jasper. The mere thought of seeing Dante again tied my stomach up in knots. And as I sat there with Jasper's small fists wrapped around my fingers as he suckled, I couldn't help but turn my mind to what this might mean for us, what he was going to say.I laid Jasper down to nap, my mind already running. Dante wanted to meet me at a café across town. I knew what it was going to be about and I'd prepared myself as much as I could, but even as I locked the door behind me my chest was tightening into a nervous vice.I was late. I rounded the bend, and there Dante was, already seated at a window table, commanding attention when he wasn't even trying. Casually attired in a black leather jacket, his angular jawline tensed as he checked his phone for the time. He looked no different than he ever had, except that I felt like I was seeing something new tonight: a gravity in his eyes. At least I hadn't
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Family Meeting
*CAMILLA'S POV.*I stood in front of the mirror. My reflection stared back at me. I no longer recognized that woman in the glass, so far from who I used to be. The modest dress, soft curls framing my face, an innocent smile; all this was a costume. But necessary. I needed to play that part tonight. And that meant being a compliant little girl in front of Tom and his family, perhaps even more so in front of my own father."Cam, we have to go," my father yelled from the hallway.I took a deep breath, ready for what was inevitable. Tonight wasn't just a dinner, but a performance, and I should darn well make sure I played my part to perfection.I went down the stairs, and he looked back with that cold look of his. But he said nothing, and that expectation hung between us there, an unseen anchor. I followed him wordlessly out to the car, my heart racing at the thought of having to face Tom, my stomach somersaulting with every thought of him.The ride to the Lockwood mansion was dead silent
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Betrayed
CAMILLA'S POVIt was exactly how it felt: garish, ice-cold, and full of pomposity. Tom had his arm over me, some sort of prized possession he just had to show the world. I glued a fake smile on my lips as we went into the ballroom and the moment heads turned. Every inch of that room screamed money and power, something Tom desired most yet was the only thing I abhorred."Remember," he whispered into my ear, his fingers digging into my waist, "speak only when spoken to. We would not want you saying something foolish."I nodded, trying to let the expression on my face be meek. Inside, a war was going on, with the clutch that felt controlling, and the way he told me to do this and that, it was all so intolerable. All the same, I knew I needed to play along, for the time being at least.In a flash, Tom's colleagues came towards us, a Murmuration of pinstriped men hooting with laughter at jokes that weren't funny. Lapping this up, lapping up praise and adoration."And this must be your love
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Planning
CAMILLA'S POVIt was as if, with every passing day, the ringing of time in my head showed me how the time was running out, and Dante's betrayal also got me broken, but I would not let it get to me. I had to get Jasper and myself out before the wedding or else I'd never be able to if I didn't take any action. The wedding which loomed over my head tightened the noose that strangled any glimmer of happiness. There was only one thing Tom and my father didn't know; they didn't know that I had an exit, and I was going to take it.It all started right when he gave me that unlimited business card when he was still playing a sweet father. Quite vividly, I recall that it instructed me to purchase whatever I needed for both me and Jasper. But the moment that card came into my hands, deep somewhere inside, I knew it was more than buying dresses and expensive stuff, it was my life support.I had sworn that when I came into profit, it would be for myself alone and not for the delight of Father and
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Freedom
CAMILLA'S POV“Make sure you don't do anything foolish, we can't afford any Mistakes."Those words still echoed in my head as I slid through the darkness, Jasper clutched tight against my chest. I was running, my heart racing in a marathon, but I dared not give in to fear. It was now or never. This was my only chance, and I had to be fast. With every step we made an echo reverberated within the silence heavy with musty earth and tension. We were almost there. Almost free.With every glance back, I half-expected the silhouette of Father or Tom to pop out from nowhere and sneak his way up to us. But nothing stirred in that tunnel. My heart was racing with every second spent; at the end of this hidden path lay freedom, freedom in its purest form for Jasper and me. My fingers clutched his small hand. I just couldn't bear to lose him to that abominable place, to Father, to Tom.We emerged onto the edge of the tunnel; the moonlight broke through the treetops. My breath caught in my throat,
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Dilemma
DANTE’S POVThe phone slammed onto the wall, still vibrating from the noise it had just made, still echoing in my office. My fists were fisted and I could feel rage building underneath my skin. Every second counted when I had to deal with this betrayal."Dante, we are going to catch the rat, we are working on it," Alex said, matter of fact, and tugged me to spin me around. I shrugged him off.”Working on it? We're bleeding, Alex!" I snarled at him. My heart was racing against my temple. "They're stealing from us, leaking information, destroying everything I built. And Camilla's out there, trapped. What am I supposed to do first? Clean up this mess or save my family?"Alex didn't bat an eye; his face was rock steady. He was used to me losing it, used to the rage that I couldn't always keep inside. "We're close. I've got the team monitoring every communication. The traitor's going to slip up, and we'll be ready."I wanted to trust him, but trust was not that easily earned, not in this w
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Straw of Hope
Camilla's POVIt was an iron chain, each thread bonded me closer to a future in which I had no desire to be. Every time I looked in the mirror, I could hardly recognize the girl standing back. My eyes, once bright and alive, shone dull with nothing but dread. My lips colored crimson red wobbled with words which, with rendition, I couldn't say.Now, this was to be the day that I married a man I despised, a man who treated me no better than as a pawn to make himself look good.My hand ran over the silky fabric of the thing, soft to the touch of my fingers, yet it could have been anything, so ordinary. What was to be a day of love and joy had become an endless nightmare from which I couldn't awaken. I couldn't run away. My father made certain of that. He left explicit instructions for his men to see that my arrival at the Lockwood estate was to be as smooth as it could possibly be, no mistakes, no excuses."Miss Camilla, it's time," Hannah whispered from the door.I didn't run. My feet s
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Safe House
CAMILLA'S POV.This little safe house sat at the corner of the town, at a location no one would ever think it would be. I was still out of breath, owing to all that had just happened: screeching tires, shots fired, the near escape. I said nothing but sat trying to put myself together, with each breath feeling like a jagged cut.He guided me inside, his hand clamped tight over mine. I hadn't let him go since he'd dragged me out of that car. Down the hall, he took me into a room at the end. My heart raced once more, this time for a whole different reason."Jasper's in here," Dante murmured, turning the handle.I swallowed the lump as the knot of nerves twisted within my stomach. My legs quivered, shaking, as I stepped inside.And there, in the crib, my baby boy was fast asleep, serene as ever. With every breath he took, his little chest arched up and then descended. The weight of it all pricked the corners of my eyes with tears: he was safe; Dante had saved him.I ran to him, taking J
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SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 95: UNPLEASANT WEDDING GUEST
CAMILLA'S POVBefore us was the stretched Italian countryside-endless rolling hills of vineyards bathed in shades of gold by the afternoon sun. If anything, the villa where the wedding was held wasn't less than magnificent, a true melting pot of old-world charm and modern-day elegance. Marble columns framed the entrance, while a string quartet floated its music across the open courtyard.I really should have been utterly mesmerized by the view, but Dante's tense attitude was impossible to overlook."Relax," I whispered, tugging at the hem of my silk dress as I leaned in toward him. "Why are you so tense over a wedding?"Dante's jaw clenched, his sharp features lit for a moment by a flash of annoyance. "This isn't just some random wedding.""What do you mean?" I pressed, my curiosity getting the better of me as far as letting him stew in silence went.He said nothing for a second or two, his dark eyes scouring the crowd ahead of us. "This is Rocco Cafaro's domain." he finally said; his
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 94: MIND GAMES.
TOM'S POV.I had been confined to a wheelchair for weeks, because of these symptoms. Whereas earlier I used to tower above all others because of my unbridled force, now I sat in this damned chair, legs useless weights, arms losing strength day by day. Irony indeed was bitter. People feared my dominance; now they pitied me. I hated it. Hated them.My fists knotted, my nails digging into my palms. The pain anchored me in the now. It wasn't some random event that had happened. My body hadn't betrayed me of its own volition. There'd been a puppet master yanking on strings, and I knew full well who was on the other side of them.That afternoon, My assistant wheeled me into my office, her soft footfalls barely audible over the dull roar in my head. Now she treated me as if I were glass, her voice perpetually soft, and guarded, as if some wrong word might shatter me."Anything else for you, Mr. Lockwood?" she asked, honey dripping with pity from her tone. She jerked at the blanket on my lap
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 93: TOXIC ENCOUNTERS
TOM'S POVIt had started as no more than a whispered unease, a faint haze across my sight that cleaned itself a second later, and I'd been sure I'd just imagined it. But as days slid by, that haze grew darker, creeping into my mind, weaving itself into my body like a parasite.I sat in my office, staring down at the contract I'd spent the last hour trying to read; words on the page blurring and swimming before me until they finally dissolved into nonsense. Frustration prickled along my spine, and I closed my eyes, pressing my fingers into my temples. "Mr Lockwood?" I jerked my head up, to find my assistant, standing in the doorway with a look of concern."What?" I growled, sharper than I meant to, but I didn't care. There was just something wrong, off-the-charts disturbingly wrong-and I wasn't in the mood for questions.She stepped back, her hand releasing the door as she took a second to recompose herself. "You asked for the quarterly reports by this afternoon. I wanted to check to
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 92: FAMILY'S PEACE
Camilla's POVSoft light from the chandelier bathed the sitting room in a warmth that casts a gold sheen over plush furniture and polished hardwood floors. Jasper sat center of it all, his tiny fingers digging into the edge of the coffee table for balance as his eyes locked onto Dante and me with that determined glint I was starting to recognize as pure Draven spirit. My heart swelled as I looked at him-my beautiful boy.“Come on, Jasper," I cooed, holding my hands out to him. "You can do it, baby. Just one step."Dante knelt beside me and set his gaze in the middle of our son. "Just one, little man," he said softly, filled with excitement and warmth. "One step, and your mom and I will give you the biggest cheer of your life.”Jasper wobbled, holding onto the edge of the table with chubby hands and a fierce grasp that spoke volumes to someone who was determined not to fall. His great big grey eyes, mirrors of his father's, stared at us with such concentration and excitement. He wanted
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 91: CRACKS IN ALLIANCE
ELLA'S POVI slammed my glass down, the echo slicing through the silence of my apartment. Red wine splashed onto my fingers, but I didn't bother wiping it off. All that lined my vision was Tom's face, his smug expression, as if he held the upper hand—as if I was the one failing. As if I was the problem.How dare he.My phone buzzed on the coffee table, lighting up Tom's name. A single word text: "Meet me. Now!"I rolled my eyes and took another gulp of wine, reaching for my coat, the cabernet tasted bitter like the failure. If Tom wanted to talk, he better come prepared. Because I wasn't letting him brush off his failures on me.I found him waiting in the shaded corner booth of his favorite club, fingers drumming impatiently on the table. The sound of my footsteps made his head snap up. Dark eyes locked onto mine with that far-too-familiar spark of control he seemed to think he had over everybody. But tonight, I wasn't here to play nice."Ella," he greeted without preamble, the tensio
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 90. BREAKING POINT
CAMILLA'S POVI stood at the window of the study room, watching as city lights blurred against the dark skyline, my mind calm, and precise. Tonight, Tom thought he finally outmaneuvered Dante, thought they'd caught him in a move that would bring Draven LTD to its knees. But I knew Tom better than he thought, knew exactly how he operates, thanks to my past life. His plan wasn't original, as he'd like to believe.It was en route and right on schedule, but this time it had a few subtle changes, and adjustments to make it look completely legitimate. The standard cargo with ironclad paperwork would be all the authorities could find, leaving Tom's tip hanging in the wind.A knock on the door pulled me from my reverie. "Come in," I called, and Dante stepped inside, his normal preppy, clean-cut but a little haggard, with tension tugging at the edges of his features."Camilla," he said, and there was a hint of relief tangling his voice. "It's almost midnight. What are you still doing here?""O
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 89: Double Dealing
ELLA'S POVIt wasn't really Tom's usual meeting place, but then tonight was different; the urgency was electric in the air and tingling my palms. I looked down at my phone glowing bright amongst the shadows and smirked. In three weeks' time Dante would regret the day he ever smiled in my direction, looked at me as though I did not exist, but focused on her instead, Camilla.First, I heard the echo of his footsteps draw near, and there he was: Tom, smooth as ever, stepped into the room with that glint in his eye-like a predator."Calling it close, aren't we?" he said to me, one eyebrow cocked, as he approached me."You gonna wanna hear this," I said, my voice low, words dripping with the kind of malice I knew he'd like. "It's bigger than the last info. Dante's got a whole lineup of imports coming in, and… they're not exactly legal, he's sneaking them in."A satisfied grin stretched across Tom's face. "Go on."I leaned forward, my excitement barely contained within my tone, and extended
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 88. FIRE UNDERNEATH
88. FIRE UNDERNEATH CAMILLA'S POVIt had just gone past six in the evening, and office lights at Draven LTD headquarters were still bright. I had gone off hours ago at C-Care and came to meet Dante. But Dante and I dropped deep into an unplanned brainstorming session. The new expansion plans for Draven were both thrilling and intense, and tonight, in this quiet after-hours calm, there was a rhythm 990. My cell phone buzzed, no doubt a reminder that the world was still spinning outside this room. I ignored it, choosing instead to focus on Dante."How about a launch event in March?" I suggested, tracing the plans across the table with my finger as a feeling of excitement rushed over me.Dante gave me a reflective glance, his eyes shining with that familiar intensity. "It's risky but bold. March it is."I couldn't help but smile at the triumph of it all-being here, working with him as partners feels surreal yet natural."I think this partnership suits us," I said, a thread of warmth lac
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS 87. REAL MONSTERS
TOM'S POV.The rain was reduced to a light drizzle by the time Ella slipped into the passenger seat of my car, as poised and polished as ever. She said nothing immediately, just buckled her seatbelt and waited, like she was used to men taking the lead.I coughed into my hand and threw a sideways glance at her. "Are you always this silent?"Trace of a smirk playing on her lips, wordless dare. "You were the one who called me, Tom. So tell me-what's on your mind?”The most flickering light of amusement was standing in her eyes, but I was buying none. Ella was clever, dangerously so, and I knew she would never walk into a room or even a car without having something of a scheme already in motion; that's just the reason I knew I should know what she was really aiming for.I leaned back, my tone casual, but pointed. "I'm just curious. You say you're loyal to Dante, yet here you are scheming behind his back. Why?"She laughed softly, but devoid of even a hint of mirth in it. "Loyalty? Tom, yo
