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Chapter Eighteen
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SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Nineteen
Hope. I dozed off, and when I woke up, i looked at the clock by my bed and saw that an hour had elapsed. I felt refreshed and drew away the covers, wanting to get up and move around. The constant rest was starting to make me restless. Though i was dressed in soft pajamas, I nevertheless reached for the silk dressing robe lying at the foot of my bed. Tying it around my body, i walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, where i found Patrice. I smiled at the other woman and assured her i was feeling well when she prompted me. Patrice nodded approvingly, and as if sensing my need to be alone, excused herself. I took the opportunity to explore the spacious penthouse. I walked from room to room, acquainting myself with my home. Only it didn’t feel like home. I could see Damian in the style and makeup of the decorations and furnishings, but I couldn’t see anything that made me feel as though I had made any mark on the apartment. For some reason, that discomfited me. I felt like
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Twenty
Damian I watched her go and cursed under my breath. I dragged a hand through my hair before i sat down and reopened the laptop. A quick check of the browsing history showed she had done nothing more than research memory loss and a few articles about my company. Another check of my files indicated none of my business documents had been accessed. I cursed again. I had reacted badly, so harshly , but seeing her using my computer had immediately put me on guard. I propped my elbows on the desk and held my head in my hands. My meeting with the detective in charge of the investigation into Hope’s abduction had been an exercise in frustration. They had little to no information to go on, and the one person who could supply it couldn’t remember. There were no new developments regarding where she had been for the past month. Hope hadn’t been rescued as the news had led viewers to believe; rather, she had been abandoned by her kidnappers, and an anonymous caller had alerted the police on he
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Twenty One
Hope. I stood in the closet of the bedroom Damian had given me, staring blindly at the row of clothing hanging in front of me. I wiped the tears with the back of my hand and concentrated on what to wear. I rummaged through the many outfits, but none of them felt like me. With an unhappy frown i turned to the row of shelves that lined the right side of my closet and saw a stack of faded jeans next to several neatly folded T-shirts. I reached for the jeans, knowing that this was what i felt most comfortable in. But when I unfolded the first pair, i saw that they weren’t maternity pants. They were not going to fit. A quick search of the rest yielded the same results. I turned back around and flipped through outfit after outfit on the hangers and saw that they, too, were not suitable clothing for a woman in the more advanced stages of pregnancy. Why did i have nothing to wear? I glanced down at the bulge of my stomach. While i wasn’t huge, the waistlines of the clothing in my closet
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Twenty Two
Hope. The next morning, I dressed in one of the chic outfits that had been delivered straight to our house by a local boutique. Damian had insisted i see an obstetrician before we departed for the Hamptons, and so, accompanied by him and flanked by several members of his security team, we entered the medical building where the doctor’s offices were housed. I felt conspicuous and faintly embarrassed, but i also glowed under Damian’s constant attention and his apparent concern for my well being. To my surprise, there was no waiting once Damian announced our arrival to the receptionist. His security detail remained in the lobby, and I smiled at the image of the big, burly men standing amidst a dozen small patients mostly children and women. Damian and i were ushered to an exam room by a young nurse who assured us that the doctor would attend to us shortly. When the nurse retreated, Damian lifted me and settled me on the exam table. Instead of sitting in the chair to the side, he sto
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Twenty Three
Hope “We are here,” Damian said. I nodded, and Damian stepped from the limousine. He reached in and helped me out, and i blinked as the bright sunshine hit my eyes. The wind blew, and i shivered against the slight chill. Damian wrapped an arm around me and hurried me towards the waiting plane. The inside was warm and looked extremely comfortable. As he guided me toward a seat, he said, “There is a bed in the back. Once we have taken off, you can go lie down.” “That sounds lovely,” i said with a smile as he settled into the seat next to me. I turned and looked out the window and then glanced toward the front of the plane as i saw several of Damian’s security detail file into the cabin. “Damian, why do you have so many security people?” He stiffened besides me. “I am a very wealthy man. There are those who might seek to harm me...or those important to me.” “Oh. Is the danger very high?” i asked as i turned her gaze on him. “It is the job of my men to ensure there is no danger.
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Twenty Four
Hope. “You are welcome to stay, Rosie. I do hope you will eat dinner with us tonight,” Damian said politely as i mounted the stairs. I really had no idea where i was going, but upstairs seemed as good a place as any, and it would put me solidly away from the source of my irritation. I was nearly to the top when Damian overtook me. “You should have waited for me,” he reproached. “I don’t like you navigating the stairs by yourself. What if you were to fall? In the future, someone will escort you up or down.” My mouth fell open. “You are not serious!” He frowned, clearly not liking my tone of disbelief. “I’m very serious when it comes to your well being Hope.” I blew out my breath in frustration as Damian escorted me from the landing of the stairs down the hall to a spacious bedroom. Clearly this was the master suite. I set aside the protests forming on my tongue and stared at Damian in question. “Is this to be my room?” I asked irritated. “It is our room.” Heat rose in my che
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Twenty Five
Hope. Remembering that the doctor would be up in a few moments, and not wanting to give him any excuse to send me straight to bed, i hastened to the bathroom, where I splashed cool water on my face in an effort to rid myself of the flush that still suffused my cheeks. I dragged a hand through my curls and frowned at my reflection in the mirror. My hair didn’t look right. A brief image flashed across my mind. It was me, laughing, but with shorter hair. Hair that curled riotously around my head in an unruly cap. Even with such a brief glance into my memories, i knew i preferred my hair short. So why had i let it grow long? I shook my head and vowed to get it trimmed as soon as i was able to. I heard a knock at my door, and i rushed out of the bathroom. Damian walked in, with an older man following closely behind him. Alba entered after them and smiled at me from across the room. “Hope, this is Dr. Karounis. He is a leading physician in Athens, and he has graciously agreed to see to
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter Twenty six
Hope. Somehow, between the visit with the physician and a very long, relaxing bath, i had managed to forget all about Rosie's presence at the house. When Damian walked into our bedroom to escort me down the stairs, I smiled welcomingly. He stopped in front of me and studied me for a moment. Then he brushed his lips across mine and folded my hand in his. “You look beautiful. Your color is much better, and you look rested.” “The good doctor has proclaimed me fit as a fiddle. So there is no cause for concern.” “That is good,my love. Your health is important to me.” He tucked my arm underneath his, and we headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs. As we neared the bottom, i looked up and saw Rosie standing in the entrance to the formal dining room. I stiffened. The woman was immaculately turned out in a designer dress that molded to every single one of her curves. I looked down self consciously at my own very casual slacks and maternity blouse. I felt a sudden desire to race bac
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SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 131
The doorman said. I don’t think it was the same one that had been here when I’d skulked out on Saturday morning…thank God. “Good afternoon,” I told him. “I was hoping that you could call up to Mr. Romo Romalatti’s penthouse and let him know that Alana is here to see him.” “Yes Miss, I can do that. Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back with you.” I took a seat on one of the plush, off-white couches in the lobby. They were arranged around pretty glass tables with expensive looking vases full of flowers. I sat there and watched all the designer clothing clad people bustle back and forth while I waited. Suspiciously, I wondered how many of them were linked to the mob. “Miss?” The doorman brought me back to reality. “Yes?” “Mr. Romalatti asked me to send you up. He said that he’s in a meeting in the conference room next door but you should make yourself comfortable in the suite.” “Okay, thank you so much.” The doorman put me in an elevator that he said
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 130
He was a passive-aggressive son of a bitch. Shooting someone in the eyes meant, “I’m watching you,” in our world. I honestly had no idea who it could be that wanted to send me a message so desperately that they would kill my best friend to do it. “Sit down, Sammie.” Tony told me. I took a seat at the table with the others and Tony said, “Does anyone know of any beefs against us?” Everyone looked around the table and when no one said anything I asked, “Why are the Gambino’s absent?” “Carmine is still put off by the fact I won’t consider that fat fuck christopher for boss. He sent word that he couldn’t make it, made up some stupid fucking excuse so I couldn’t accuse him of disrespect, but we all know why he’s not here,” Tony said. Tony’s voice was getting raspier and he seemed like he had a lot harder time breathing every time I saw him. He was dying of throat cancer….but only he and I knew that. The Christopher he spoke so disdainfully of was the son of Carmine Gambino. Carmine ha
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 129
129. I wanted to punch him for calling me sweetheart. What was with all of these suddenly over-familiar men? I picked up the photo and underneath it was another…it was one of Sammie and I walking arm in arm into the Glass Towers. It was stamped with Friday night’s date. The elevator Nate and I were riding in stopped and the doors slid open on my floor. I felt like my heels were glued down and I couldn’t move. To my horror, Nate had to take me by the arm and lead me out of the elevator. I think I was in some kind of mini-shock state. I found myself standing in the hallway, still gaping at the photos in my hand. Feeling sick to my stomach, I picked up the next photo and the last one was the best. It was a photo of me in Friday night’s clothes and a flagrant case of bed-head, getting into the back seat of Sammie’s limousine. The photo was clearly stamped with Saturday morning’s date. “What—Where---Why are you having Sammie followed?” I finally spit out.
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 128
128. After about an hour of that, I made myself a pot of coffee…it was going to be a long day. It had been three days since Alana had walked out. I had made a grave mistake by allowing myself the pleasure of making love to her when she was too drunk to have the capacity to consent. I truly hadn’t meant for that to happen. I tried to tell myself that I was beyond the point of rational thought as well, but truthfully I wasn’t drunk, at least not from the alcohol. I was intoxicated by her. I’d been researching her and watching her for so long…every fantasy I’d had for the past year had been wrapped up in Alana. I had just completely lost my mind the moment I was actually allowed to touch her. The fact that she was allowing me to, and even encouraging it had really sent me over the edge. It was wrong though…I was wrong. I knew from the time I’d spent watching her that she wasn’t a big drinker, and she definitely didn’t sleep around. I should have had more respec
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 127
127. Sammie had stood there looking at me after I’d pulled back. I remember that he had this really sexy grin on his face and instead of being angry, I was turned on. I had smiled back….I think and then I’d put my hands around his neck again and pulled myself back up to continue the kiss. I slid my tongue back into his mouth and that time he sucked on it. It was erotic. His hands were all over me and as I washed my body and slid my palms along my sides and across my breasts I shuddered at the memory. We started stripping each other at that point, a little at a time while we kissed. I could feel his erection pressed up against my hip and I remember that when I moaned he had whispered in my ear so close that I felt his hot breath: “Just you wait, Bella. I’m going to make sure that it’s the best you ever had.” The sound of his voice and the feel of his breath against my ear sent me into another frenzy. In the shower, my hand drifte
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 126
126. “We would act as a couple so that no one wondered about my meetings with a reporter, and we could avoid the fear of getting caught if we tried to sneak around and communicate secretly. You could also be a part of “family” events and get to see and know the people that we’ll be “talking” about first hand. This won’t be a week-long process, Bella. This organization was hundreds of years in the making. It’ll take years to break it open.” I was glad I had finished my meal already…I would have choked on it. Years? This guy was nuts if he thought I would agree to be his fake fiancé for years. I stood up and picked up my purse. Sammie stood up as well. For a second, remembering where I was and who I was with, a dagger of fear stabbed me in my chest. He must have seen it on my face because he stepped to the side, clearing my path to the door. He wasn’t going to force me to do this. I was ashamed of myself for putting myself in a position where t
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 125
125. “With clothes on,” she said. I laughed and said, “Yes, I’m going right now to get dressed, then I’ll order breakfast.” She only nodded, but she hadn’t let go of the doorknob. I half expected her to be gone when I got back, but to my delight and relief, she wasn’t. I found her sitting on the sofa looking out the window. I sat down in the chair across from her and smiled. She shot me a look that should by all rights have set me on fire. “Was this all some big pick-up game to you?” she asked. “A pick-up game? No, Bella. We both had too much to drink. I’m not normally a heavy drinker and last night I was looking for some liquid courage. Once you report what I have to tell you, life as I know it is going to implode. I wouldn’t have had the audacity to expect that a woman like you would ever want to be with a man like me.” She raised an eyebrow, obviously not convinced. I wish she could see inside of my head because I meant every word. I know what I am. I’ve known sinc
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 124
124. I woke up in a strange place, in a strange bed, next to an extremely hot – and gloriously naked – strange man. …What happened last night? My mouth tasted like cotton and I had an icky sweet taste in my mouth that literally made me want to vomit. My stomach felt bloated, my head was pounding and I couldn’t hold my trembling hands still if I tried. There was light streaming in from the giant windows that surrounded the bed and it was doing nothing but making my head pound worse and darkening my already foul mood. I sat up slowly, not wanting to wake the strange bedfellow next to me. I tried to shake out my hair, but it was a tangled mess. The motion of sitting up had made me nauseated and once again I had the feeling that I was going to throw up. I looked around me, wondering where the bathroom was. I was humiliated enough just waking up here, the last thing I wanted to do was hurl all over hot guy. I needed to get the hell out of here. I slipped out of the bed and st
SOLD TO THE MAFIA LORD Chapter 123
123. Even not knowing exactly what Shane had planned for her, Mia was still relieved to see him when he entered the basement two days after Wallace had taken her from the street. Her first thought was he looked like hell. His normally robust tanned skin was pale, and his face looked gaunt, though he couldn’t have lost much weight in the four days since she’d seen him, even with a gunshot wound. Her gaze darted to the sling encasing his left arm, where she could see the bulky bandage covering most of the left side of his chest and clavicle underneath the thin fabric of his T-shirt. It was insane, but she had to physically bite her tongue to keep from asking how he felt and fretting over him being out of the hospital already. The reality of her position and situation made it easier to rein in the concern. She lay on the cold concrete, naked as the day she was born, with her hands cuffed to her ankles, which were spread by a metal bar. It was an obscene, undignified pose, b
