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Under The Facade
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SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Crazy Thoughts
CAMILLA'S POV.I woke from my sleep because of the opening and squeaking of the door. I immediately recognized the familiar face, Kate. Smiling beamingly, she strolled up to where I lay and held a small box in her hands."I come bearing gifts," she said, setting it on the table beside me. "You didn't get to try these before all hell broke loose, so I made it a mission to bring them to you."I gasped, and my eyes widened at the sight of the lavender macarons from that pastry shop, the ones I wanted to taste before the whole chaos, before the bullet.""Kate, you didn't have to…"She waved me off."Of course, I did. You got shot, for crying out loud. At least I could make sure that you aren't missing out on some heavenly macarons," she said, playfully teasing me, popping the box open and handing me one.I took one into my mouth, and instantly the subtle sweetness of lavender hit my taste buds. Even better than I thought it would taste, I closed my eyes and savored the taste.She watche
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Maybe, maybe Not
CAMILLA'S POV. The door exploded open once more and Dante stepped inside, Jasper draped over one arm and a satchel in the other. My gaze automatically shifted to our baby boy, his small fists clenched onto Dante's shirt. He was bigger each time I saw him, and seeing them both together did something to my heart. “Look who's here,” Kate said, smiling as her eyes fell on Dante. Dante smiled back; his face was as striking as always. With determination in his steps, he walked to Kate to lessen the gap between them. "Hey, Kate. Thanks for everything," he said with emotion, "really, I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't been there when Camilla got shot.” Kate waved him off. "It's nothing. Just glad I could help." Again, she looked over to me; her face softened. "I'll check up on you later, Camilla. Just make sure to rest, okay?" "I will, thanks again, Kate," I said, and watched her leave. The room was quiete
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Unanswered questions
DANTE'S POV I reached the hospital in time to find Camilla perched on the edge of her bed, Jasper clutched upon her lap and was cooing and speaking to Jasper who only replied with an unending giggle. The light of the sunset cascaded through the glass and made the room serene when I knew by the weight standpoint of everything that had taken place, far from it. "Ready to go?" I asked, coming inside. She glanced up at me, her eyes clouded with emotions that I couldn't quite read. There was some relief, perhaps. Yet there was also that resolute glint she always wore whenever she refused to admit she needed any kind of help. "Yeah," she whispered, shifting Jasper in her arms. I strode forward, reaching for Jasper in an effort to lighten her burden. "Let me take him." She handed him over to me almost begrudgingly, like she detested the need for the aid. I didn't remark on it, though. She'd been through enough without
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS The Boss’s Wife
DANTE'S POVIt was one afternoon, and I sat working in my study on the mountain of papers in front of me when the sound of footsteps echoed outside my door. I didn't have to look up and would know just from that sound who it was-Camilla. She would be the only one to walk into my office without knocking, with silent confidence in each and every step.She coughed lightly as she stood at the edge of my desk, arms crossed looking down at me. I looked up from the document in my hand and there she was in a light blue blouse and black slacks, staring at me with that same tense expression I was getting accustomed to."Dante," she started off, firm even in her voice, "do you remember that promise you made after solving the case with the allies regarding Rocco?”I leaned back in my chair, one eyebrow going up. "Promise?""You said," she said, her head canted just a little to the side, "that I could have a position in your company after the wedding. That we would work as partners, and I wouldn't
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS A New Beginning
CAMILLA'S POVDriving to the office, this crazy cocktail of excitement and nerves keeps me looking out of the window, feeling the cool morning air brush my skin as if trying to subdue the storm in my chest.My heart thundered in my chest as we made our way in front of the high building that housed Dante's company. Today was the start of my first real job. No more lounging at home and acting like everything was alright. I'd wanted this, begged for it, and now that I was here, well, it sure felt different.I turned to Dante and just at that moment, the driver parked. "Dante, once we get inside, don't introduce me as your wife."He gave me this look, like I was insane. "What?”I told him, "I don't want them to know that I am your wife," I said with a firm voice but my heart was racing. "It's just gonna make them uncomfortable around me. I want things to be less awkward and able to work around them like everybody else."He smiled and said, "Camila, it would be way better if they knew. T
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Whispers
CAMILLA'S P.O.V.The office was alive with the morning rush that was so customary, phones ringing, fingers on keyboards clucking away and Ella had already handed me a thick file to go over. My first week here had gone surprisingly well, and things were going smoothly and easier than I had anticipated Dante often comes to the office with an excuse to speak to Ella, when he could just call her to his office. Ella caught his act but only played along. And at home, he always says I shouldn't try to handle anything on my own and should always reach out to Ella for anything, and he had put me close to her because he trusted her. Of course he trusted her, they got married in my past life. But something tells me that Ella is just putting on a facade and there's more to her than she let on. But I couldn't react based on instinct and suspicions. But a part of me couldn't help but speculate if people started putting the pieces together. No one knew that I was his wife, and that was going to r
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Into Thin Air
CAMILLA'S POV"Do you think this one's too flashy for a baby?" I held up a tiny blue outfit, raising an eyebrow at Anthony.He looked up from where he was entertaining Jasper with a stuffed giraffe, a soft chuckle escaping him. "For Jasper? No way. That kid could pull off anything."I laughed and tossed the onesie into the cart. "You're probably right. He has more style than most men already."Jasper cooed and reached his little hands towards the giraffe from his stroller, and my heart just melted into this huge puddle right there. This has been the normal, routine thing every weekend, just me, Anthony, and Jasper. Dante was usually too busy with work, and I always enjoyed Anthony's company. He'd become more than just my bodyguard; he was a friend. Jasper is also fond of him too. "Alright, what else is on the list?" Anthony asked, wheeling the stroller along beside me."Diapers. We're running low," I said, pulling out my phone to check the list. "And maybe some baby wipes and formula
SAVING MY MAFIA BOSS Unseen Danger
Camilla's P.O.V.It was another weekend, which of course meant errands needed to be run. Anthony parked the car in front of the grocery store, and I stepped out with Jasper in my arms. His little fists were wrapped around my sweater as he cooed-the cool breeze blowing across his face. I smiled down at him and pecked his forehead, carefully settling him into the stroller."Alright, buddy," I said quietly. "Let's get this over and done with."Anthony stood beside me, his laid-back calm intact as he scanned the area. Always so cool, yet I knew he took in everything; watched, and protected."You got a list?" he asked, sidling in closer to me."Yeah," I replied, pulling out my phone. "Shouldn't take long."The minutes ticked away as I talked to Anthony about nothing in particular as we strolled up and down the aisles, mostly about Jasper, reaching out and grabbing everything that came into his line of vision. Anthony would chuckle and at times pull funny faces at the baby. Then Jasper woul
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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
