Dante The voices of my men carried faintly through the house as I made my way down the stairs. The weight of the Glock in my hand felt familiar, grounding me as I checked the magazine. Fully loaded.I slid the weapon into the waistband of my jeans, adjusting it until the cool metal rested against my skin. When I entered the sitting room, every conversation stopped. The air grew heavy, and all eyes shifted toward me. My men were already on edge, like they could sense the tension I carried with me like a storm cloud. “Luca,” I said as I took my seat, the chair creaking under my weight. “Status.” Luca, the crew’s tech wizard, moved quickly, setting his laptop in front of me. The screen flickered to life, displaying a live feed.Nonna lay on a narrow bed in a small, dark room. She looked peaceful, her chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. For a moment, my grip on the armrest loosened. Then the rage within me spiked all over again. She didn’t belong there. Locked away like a
GabriellaI will always hate him.That was my first thought as I woke up, there was a dull ache in between my thighs that reminded me of what he had done. Again.But there was no tears this time, all I had was rage. A seething rage that threatened to consume me as I swung out of bed. Every move shot a sharp pain up my thigh. I thought I could endure this life, thought I could find a way to survive in this world without losing myself. But I was wrongThe room was dark and a brief glance at the wall clock told me what I needed to know. I had overslept and it was almost night. I took a step towards the bathroom and that was when my eyes landed on the vanity. There was a bouquet of roses that I know must be from him. The vivid petals in a beautiful crystal vase mocked me. Next to it was a diamond necklace, a glittering chain of false apologies.I felt a little relieved that he had not carried out his earlier threat. That he had not passed me around to his men like some broken toy, but t
DanteI checked the Glock for the third time tonight, the cold metal felt heavy against my palm. The vitallos estate loomed in the distance, it felt eerie, like it was watching.Rico sat in the driver's seat, the faint glow of the dashboard casting sharp lines on his face. In the back of the van, Luca and four of my men sat quietly, their silence almost deafening in the confined space. “Just a few more minutes, boss. You good?” Luca's voice crackled through the earpiece. I glanced at my watch—11:58. It was almost time. “I’m good. Just keep your eyes sharp, Luca” I responded.A grunt from the back of the van—Antonio, probably. “This feels off,” he muttered.The others in the back with him laughed, dismissing him.“Everything feels off to you,” Rico said without looking back, his hands tightening on the steering wheel.“Maybe because it usually is,” Antonio shot back.“Quiet,” I snapped, silencing them. “Focus.”A security switch was happening at the estate, just as we planned. Our
DanteThe room was empty. Completely empty.No Nonna. No signs of her. The only item left behind was a chair tipped on its side and the faint smell of smoke lingering in the air. Behind me, Gio’s voice wavered. “Boss…what now?”I didn’t answer. My jaw clenched, my mind racing as I stared at the emptiness before me. Something was off. I could feel it before I even heard Luca’s panicked voice crackle through the comms.“B-Boss, we’re taking fire!”I swung into action immediately. “Move!” I barked to my men and we bolted from the room. Smoke was already seeping in from beneath the main door. My stomach sank. They’d trapped us.Aldo was pacing, wide-eyed, breathing hard. The big guy didn’t handle tight spaces well. “Boss,” he muttered, his hands trembling. “I can’t—”“Messa a fuoco!” I snapped, gripping his shoulder. “Focus. We get through this, or we don’t get out.”I pulled out my gun. “Stay behind me,” I ordered. Three quick shots to the lock, and then I kicked the door open. Smoke b
The high-pitched ringing in his ears drowned out everything else.His vision swam, a murky blur of smoke and shadows. His fingers trembled as he reached up to wipe the blood from his forehead, but even that small movement sent a wave of nausea crashing over him. What the hell had just happened? The memories came in jagged flashes—Rico behind the wheel, his knuckles white on the steering column. The sudden lurch of the vehicle as they lost control. The sickening crunch of metal against concrete. Then nothing. Coughing, he tried to move, but the seatbelt bit into his chest wickedly. He gritted his teeth, blinking rapidly as the smoke thickened, curling around him. Instinct took over.He fumbled with the buckle, finally freeing himself. He tried the door, shoving with all the strength he had left, but it wouldn’t budge. Through the haze, he noticed movement. He heard feet crunching against broken glass and debris. Strangers. Dante’s pulse spiked. He strained to focus, but his vis
“Fuck! Fuck!” Matteo said repeatedly as he slammed the chair against the wall with a force that shattered it into splinters. He was standing in the middle of the room, his heart pounding and his head filled with anger and hurt.Marco’s betrayal cut deep today. The Vitallo had used him, turning him into a pawn to reach Dante. Matteo had believed he was in control, but now he saw he had been manipulated all along.He sank onto the floor, staring at the broken chair pieces. “Fuck!” he muttered under his breath. Every piece of wood on the ground reminded him of how his trust had been shattered. In that moment, he felt as if his whole life was splintered like the chair.Outside, the sound of a car approaching made him sit up. He went to the window and pulled the curtain aside just a little, careful not to be seen. In the parking lot, he could make out Dante’s figure alongside two others.Rico, who always tried to be strong, looked barely able to stand, while Gio and Leo carried their ow
Dante adjusted his suit jacket as he stepped out of the vehicle, inhaling deeply in a futile attempt to steady himself. The night was thick with the scent of rain on pavement, but the air felt heavy—oppressive. Rafael Gambino had set up this meeting, calling it a negotiation over his grandmother’s release and the so-called deal. But Dante knew better. This wasn’t a discussion; it was a power play. The club loomed before him, pulsating with deep bass, the neon glow painting shadows along the brick walls. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and sweat, the scent of expensive liquor mixing with cheap perfume. The bar was bathed in shifting colored lights, illuminating crystal glasses filled with dark amber liquid. Strippers moved languidly, their bodies twisting around poles, their laughter dissolving into the music. Dante barely noticed any of it. His throat was dry, but he wasn’t here for a drink. His mind was locked on one thing—Nonna. He forced his shoulders to stay relaxed as
She hadn't known about them.Not about the men her daughter had become entangled with. Not about the choices that had led them here. All she knew was that she had been searching—searching for a daughter who had vanished into the shadows of a world she never understood. The family business had crashed not long after their mother left but through it all she had loved the boys. Took them in and shown them the love that had been lacking all their lives. Everyday she had told Matteo about their mother since he had been too young to remember her.Not long after moving in with Nonna, Dante had left for New York. He needed something more, something solid to hold onto and it wasn’t long before he met Rafael. The Gambinos had always been powerful. Dangerous. A name that made men lower their voices and watch their backs. Rafael’s father ran the family back then, with his older brother next in line. But Rafael wanted his own legacy. So did Dante. They had been just two young men, desperate
The ceiling lights cast a soft glow on the polished marble floor, complementing the long, elegant corridor that stretched ahead. Jasmine and polished wood scented the air — a beguilingly muggy degree of elegance. The soft pat of their steps echoed, and the sharp knuckles of Sofia's heels shattered all their sounds like swords.“You never would have guessed you’d end up here. Sofia's voice reverberated back through the corridor, sharp and keening as a banshee's wail. Her comments carried a clear tone of mockery, and her eyes sparkled with a blatant joy that she always felt no need to conceal. Next to Gabriella, Hannah tensed, her fingers gripping Gabriella’s hand in silent encouragement. She sensed the tension emanating from her friend — the calm, accepting strength Gabriella had consistently displayed — but this moment felt distinct. Fragile. On the verge of collapse. "That's enough, Sofia," Hannah remarked tersely, her tone quiet yet resolute. Sofia simply laughed — a harsh, joyles
Weeks went by before Gabriella's weak body started to heal from the sickness that had seized her with unyielding force after her ordeal. She had previously been a lively presence, but now, she sensed that she was hardly living. The illness had exhausted her, stripping away the essence of who she used to be. There were times—shadowy, intolerable times—when she beseeched God, imploring Him to free her from this agony. She had pleaded for her life to cease, incapable of bearing the suffocating burden of her existence any longer. However, destiny had different intentions, and in spite of her urgent requests, she realized she was holding on to life, one delicate day at a time. When Gabriella was eventually permitted to return to the upper floors of the mansion, she was beyond caring. Her spirit was shattered to such an extent that she no longer felt affected by the murmurs that trailed her, the glances that seared her skin, or the burden of her husband's treachery. Dante, the person she
Somewhere in New York.The chamber was chilly. Not the sort of chill that could be remedied with a blanket or a heater — it ran deeper than that. It was the sort of cold that seeped into your bones and caused your skin to tingle, regardless of how many layers you had on. The air felt dense, imbued with a silence that weighed on the walls. It had a slight scent of aged perfume mixed with something more intense — perhaps fear. Bianca stood before the mirror, her fingers gliding mindlessly across the swollen area on her cheek. Despite the thick makeup, it still hurt — a dull, pulsating ache that throbbed with each heartbeat. The foundation was heavy and skillfully applied, yet the bruise’s intense purple still risked showing through. She flinched as her fingers glided over the sensitive skin. It wasn't her most serious injury, yet it somehow felt that way. She should have just stayed. The idea struck her once more, piercing and relentless, as it always did. Years had passed since she
The door clicked shut, and the sound made Gabriella freeze. She stood still, listening closely as the lock turned with a harsh, scraping noise. That sound told her one thing — she was trapped. Outside the room, she heard Dante’s voice, calm but firm. There was no kindness in his tone, only authority."No one goes in or out until I say so. Not even for food."His words hit her like a blow. Through the thin wooden door, she heard the quiet movement of the guards standing outside. They didn’t question him. They simply obeyed.She remained in place, listening intently until she caught the sound of Dante’s footsteps ascending the stairs to the more affluent, upper levels of the house. The stillness that ensued felt denser than the atmosphere surrounding her.Only then did she realize she had been holding her breath.Gabriella eventually scanned the space where she had been confined. It was tiny and barren, lacking anything comforting or inviting. The walls were empty, and the sole piece of
Gabriella“This is your new room now.”Dante’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. It was icy, piercing, and utterly conclusive, enveloping my heart with the heaviness of his words like steel shackles. He towered above me, his towering figure creating a shadow so immense it seemed to engulf me entirely. And at that instant, I understood — truly understood — that any remaining hope I possessed was quickly and irretrievably fading like sand slipping through my hands.My body was in pain. My back ached with agony, and the intense, glaring light streaming in through the windows caused my head to pound. However, none of it measured up to the pain in my heartThe ache of knowing that everything was falling apart. The memories of last night hit me all at once, crashing into me like a storm I wasn’t prepared for. The whispers. The accusations. The fear. It was too much, too fast — and then before I could even catch my breath, the door burst open. It slammed against the wall so hard
Matteo."Now get out. And pray you haven’t ruined everything." The door slammed shut behind her, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. I stood there for a moment, fists clenched at my sides, as the walls seemed to close in — the weight of my own frustration pressing against me. Sofia. Reckless, impulsive, foolish Sofia. I’d known from the start she’d be a liability, but I needed her. At least for now. But if she kept pushing like this… well, even my patience had its limits. And Sofia was standing right on the edge of them. I began pacing, each step tapping out my irritation on the hardwood floor. Everything had been going according to plan — perfectly, even — until she decided to take matters into her own hands. I should have seen it coming. She was ambitious, but ambition without control was dangerous. And right now, the last thing I needed was danger from my own allies. I sank onto the couch — still warm from where she’d been sitting — and let out a slow breath,
Sofia.I had not expected the girl to deliver such a great job. I couldn’t believe it had worked. I couldn’t believe all it had taken to turn Dante against her was one reckless night of partying. Just one night — and everything shifted. I chuckled quietly, recalling the expression on Gabriella’s face as she understood there was no way to regain Dante’s approval. The ruin, the embarrassment. She had completed it. What now? Dante belonged to me. The idea sparked a wave of excitement within me. The thought of becoming the upcoming mistress of the mansion, along with its riches and influence, thrilled me to the core. I could already picture it — the lavish gatherings, the power, the pure opulence of everything. Before long, everything would be mine. With a pleased grin, I glided down the corridor toward Matteo’s room, my heels tapping gently on the glossy marble. The atmosphere was heavy with excitement. I opened the door without knocking, eager to revel in my triumph. Yet as soon as
Dante.Everything went still the moment she collapsed. The clang of chains hitting the metal pole resonated into stillness, a stark and conclusive tone that lingered in the atmosphere. Even her screams appeared to be overshadowed by the darkness, and for a brief moment, it felt as if the entire universe had stopped.The silence was unbearable. Maybe—just maybe—I shouldn’t have killed the poor bastard. But the thrill was there, undeniable and electric, pumping through my veins the way it had earlier. That sharp rush, that surge of power, was like a drug.But it was the anger that stayed. It simmered in my blood as I uncuffed her wrists, the marks on her skin standing out like bruised flowers. I cradled her like a child, her body limp and fragile against me. And then I stood over her, towering and silent, just watching her sleep. The room was filled with the scent of sweat, fear and blood. He had died for her—Elio—and she didn’t even know it.In the mafia, women don’t betray their husba
Gabriella"No." I whispered, panic clawing up my throat.Dante's grip on my hair got tighter. "Watch."I fought desperately against the bindings, the metal digging into my flesh; however, I was helpless. Enzo swiftly crossed the room, his gun shining in his hand.Elio's chest heaved and sank in quick, uneven gasps. His gaze fixed on me—imploring, urgent.A profound silence extended between us. And then the pop of the gunshot shattered it.Elio's body convulsed, blood pouring across his chest. A cry escaped my mouth as he crashed down, his head turning to the side."Please don't... no, no, no..." I cried, shaking my head.Dante's grip loosened, causing me to tumble onto the table. My vision dimmed as I watched Elio's body lie still, the light of life dwindling from his eyes.I could not catch my breath."You ought to be grateful to me, my dear," Dante whispered, sweeping my hair from my damp, sweaty face. "He was destined to die." He continued. "At least now... he passed away watching