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Strength in Numbers
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Tying the Knots
DANTE'S POV.Today was the day Luca got discharged, and though his road to complete recovery was slow, he was getting there. He held himself tall, but the weight of the last couple of weeks hung in his eyes. I helped him into the car while Camilla climbed into the car from the other side“You're ready for this?" I asked her once we were in the car headed to court.She nodded, eyes steady yet, far away. "As ready as I'll ever be."Luca chuckled lightly from the backseat. "Marriage isn't that frightening according to how you two are making it seem. You'll get used to it soon enough.”I forced a smile. He had no idea. This wasn't a marriage, not in the sense he thought it was. It was just a means of benefit for the both of us. But he doesn't need to know all that. Today was about sealing our public image. Was about securing the Draven name.We trodded our way back to the courthouse, and as we emerged into it, I felt Camilla falter just a bit. I leaned into her and whispered low, so only
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Brewing Storm
Ella's POVI stood at the edge of the room, champagne flute in hand, staring at them. Dante and Camilla. The perfect picture everybody was abuzz about. It was almost impossible not to look at them, she snuggled in closer to him, her eyes gleaming as she whispered something in his ear. He smiled and a wave of anger boiled up inside me.How does this happen? How can he choose her over me?Camilla caught my gaze across the room, and to my utter disgust, she smiled, a knowing taunting smile, as though she knew the anger moving through my veins. And to rub salt into the wound, she waved, a small condescending wave that had my hands tightening around the glass until my knuckles went white.I stood there, silently seething, as Dante wrapped his arm around her waist, tugging her close as they turned to greet yet another guest. She leaned into him, her head coming to rest on his shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. And the worst part? Dante didn't even flinch. He allowed i
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Unfinished Business
Tom's POVThe cigar in my hand burned steadily, curling up wisps of smoke in front of my face as the anger inside me simmered. I stared out at the sprawling skyline outside the window of my father's office, thinking of one thing and one thing only—Camilla Walker. Or rather, Camilla Draven now?Married. She actually had the bloody nerve to get married. After everything, after jilting me, after leaving me at the altar like some kind of fool. And now, she had the audacity to think she could get away with this. My hand tightened on the cigar until I snapped it in half. A fitting symbol of what I wanted to do with her entire life."Calm down, Tom," my father rumbled from behind me. He was standing beside John Walker, Camilla's pathetic excuse for a father, who looked every bit as shocked as I'd been when our spy had brought us the news: Camilla's child was Dante Dravens’ son."Calm down?" I snarled, flashing them both a glare. "How in the bloody hell do you want me to stay calm after find
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS A New Ally
Camilla's POVI walked absent-mindedly amidst the jostling sea of people in the mall. Jasper's stroller moved along beside me, well-balanced with hardly any resistance at all.After the wedding event. There was this nagging belief that wouldn't leave my head that something was building, some kind of omen that at any instance would be threatening to tear my life into shreds.When I entered the boutique, I remember the clicking sound of my heels on that shiny floor echoing in my head. It was thick with clothes racks alive with new fabric scents entwined into a faint smell of expensive perfume. My mind needed something to get it off, so I moved toward the dress that caught my eye.But as I swung round, my foot fell on the foot of somebody behind. The loud grunt was followed by a firm grip on my arm before an apology could leave my lips."Watch it, lady!" a man snarled in his voice. I looked up to see a tall burly man glaring down at me, his face twisted in annoyance."I'm so sorry, didn'
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Blast from the past
Camilla's POV"You're really saying I should try the lavender macarons?" I raised an eyebrow at Kate as she settled us into our corner table, in one highly active pastry shop. The place hummed with activity, thick with scents of warm pastry and rich coffee. I wrapped my fingers around my steaming cup, the warmth curling around my hands like a soft blanket."Definitely! You will love them, I promise!" Kate beamed with sparkling eyes."Alright, alright, I'll try. You owe me if they taste like soap.""Deal!" She leaned back in her seat to survey the rainbow of baked goods behind the glass case. "What else are you in the mood for?""Honestly? Just good company and maybe a couple of those amazing pistachio pastries." I grinned and took a look around the busy shop for what felt like the first time in weeks, letting myself relax. It sounded normal, the chatter of friends catching up, the laughter coming from groups of people, clinking plates and cups, everything was so soothing.Then I saw a
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Fighting Fate
CAMILLA'S POV. Annie's head shook, stepping back with a defensive posture "You don't know me. You have no right to-""I do know you! I know what you did for me once. You've helped me, you don't remember me, but I do. You're a good person, Annie! You deserve to live! You have to leave this shop right now, it's not safe for you here.” Annie's mouth had opened to retort, her eyes rounding even further with puzzlement. A flash of fear crossed her face, "You're not making any sense at all."“I know it sounds crazy,” I said, and my eyes tried to plead with her, "you'll regret it if you don't listen. Something bad is going to happen here, and you might get hurt. Please, just get out while you still can.”"Camilla," Kate's voice cut through again, insistent. "Drop it, This is insane.""No!" I returned, my head jerking back and forth between Kate and Annie. "Not yet! Not until she understands."I turned back to Annie, more desperate this time. "Annie, please, you've got to believe me. You
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Waiting room
Dante's POVMy mind was gone with that phone call. I could barely make out the words; gunshots, Camilla, hospital. The rest was a total blur. My brain wouldn't hold one thought of her lying somewhere bleeding and injured. No, that wasn't Camilla. She was hard, untouchable, that's how I had been lying to myself. But now, the image of her lying in the hospital bed, fighting for her life flooded my head as I drove to the hospital. I burst through the entrance of the hospital and felt my heart beating to the rhythm of a drum in my chest. The fluorescent lights above did little for the unease running wild in my veins. A nurse at the front desk looked up in alarm as I approached."Camilla Draven. Where is she?" I spoke in a sharp tone, barely containing the desperation and urgency in me.The nurse's eyes opened in an instant, and her fingers flew upon the keyboard in that same instant. "She was brought in a while ago. She's in surgery right now, sir. You'll have to wait in the…”“Where is
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Coincidence
Dante's POV Just when I needed to hear it, the doctor cut through the fog in my brain. "She's okay. The surgery went well. She'll be waking up soon." A wave of tension came crashing at me, and for a moment, I was fighting to breathe. "Thank you," I croaked, my voice all raw from fatigue and emotion. His head nodded, half in exhaustion. "She's being taken up to the ICU now. You'll be able to see her shortly." I didn't need to hear anything else. The second it was insinuated that I might be allowed in, I watched as they moved her, her pale face made my heart drop. I went right to her room, taking a closer look at her. A bandage over her side was a jarring reminder of what transpired, of how close I came to losing her. I shoved the chair up beside her bed and let myself down into it heavily. My fingers brushed over her hand; the rising heat of her skin
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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
