[Juliette's POV] “You can’t make me stay!” I cried out in vexation. “I will go to the office tomorrow!” After the ice application, we were back in the dining room for a quick supper. Ralph glared at me. “Half of your face is already swollen, goddamn it! Do you want Jewel to take the other half? What the hell’s wrong with you?” I jolted closer to him, my hands on the table gripping with indignation. “I DON’T WANT YOU NEAR HER!” Tha Mafia King blinked. His face jerked away to stare ahead. A slight tint crept up his cheekbones. “You said that given her response earlier, she’s sure to drop by the office tomorrow. So the more I should be there, shouldn’t I?” I pointed at the crimson handprint on my right cheek. “To return the courtesy!” He swallowed then lowered his gaze and muttered firmly, “You’re no match for her, Juliette. All the women of the Virtus family were taught a trick or two of the martial arts since they were four. That—” He pointed at my raw cheek. “Is evidence.”
[Juliette’s POV]As our tongues battled passionately, my hands slid down from his neck and across his broad shoulders, feeling the contours of those fierce muscles, kneading its firmness. And a groan of pleasure vibrated from his throat. So I moved lower, down the front, to his nipples. I brushed my thumbs across both and his body shuddered a little. He broke apart and whispered huskily, “Fuck, kitten.” I smiled at him and said, “Now I’m going to verify how sweet you taste.” He swallowed anxiously and laid back as I replaced my right thumb with my mouth and teased that tiny bud. His hand came up to the back of my head to guide me on how he wanted to be kissed and touched by my lips, and I followed and learned, and then applied that perfect timing and amount of pressure to his abs. Soon, his moans filled the cocoon of air around us, which was heating up with our bodies. I lifted my face from the side of his hips and looked at him. “I forgot to ask you, Ralph. Does this mean I’
[Juliette’s POV]“Juliette,” Ralph breathed. “Don’t,” I interjected, then pulled myself up to look at him. He was no longer smiling. His fierce gaze was back. We stared into each other's eyes for another long while, searching for answers that were only for the hypothetical, until he sat up and gently cupped my face with his strong, large palms. Bringing his face close to mine, he whispered firmly, “Being a Mafia taught me something–life is not fiction. If it was, then I wanted nothing more than to go away with you.” He wiped a tear that had spilled from the corner of my eye and took my lips for a brief kiss. When he pulled back, I murmured with a sad smile, “But life’s not a novel….” He shook his head at me. “We’ve got other lives to take care of. You got yours….” He swallowed and exhaled, “And I’ve got mine.” He lowered his gaze to my fingers resting on his lap and slotted his through mine before adding, “We didn’t start out as Mafia, Juliette.” “‘Virtus’... refers to ‘valour’
[Juliette’s POV]Ralph coughed and brusquely replied, “Yes.” “What about the elbow? Seems like it works best when the person’s standing behind me.” I swung my elbow to my back, to show him what I meant, and earned a chuckle. “Yes, you’re right. But aim for anything lower than the chest.”I tried shoving my right elbow at an imaginary person behind me. “So the waist. The stomach.” Ralph nodded. “Those areas are wide open for a person holding you from behind.” It sounded simple. Yet I wasn’t quite confident about it. Would I react in time? He probably read it on my face, for he said, “Here, let me show you.” He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to a tree. Pressing my back against the trunk, he asked, “Where does the wrist joint hit?” I moved my freed wrist up and placed the wrist joint at his chin. In the blink of an eye, he swung both my hands up and pinned my wrist joints above my head, on the tree. “Ow! Ralph! What are you doing?” His face came closer. “Training.” I stared a
[Juliette’s POV] I stared at Ralph as he added with an earnest look in his hazel eyes, “They should have a life where they didn’t have to use violence.” I got what he meant, and I completely agreed with him. With a large, pleased grin, I turned back to the front and snuggled against his strong chest, and said in a dreamy voice, “Then let’s have two football teams of kids. They’ll all be Tommy’s siblings.” The Mafia King chuckled. “You sure?” “Yes!” I chirped. “We’ll have enough to end the feud. Our families will be united as one.” He hugged me close and kissed the top of my head as the horse throttled peacefully along. “What do we call them?” “We’ll need a system for their names.” “We’ll go by alphabetical order,” he suggested. “Adam Lux-Virtus.” I shifted aside to look up at him again. “Lux Virtus?” He smiled at me. “Didn’t you say it’s a union?” I turned back to the front, beaming to myself. “I wasn’t expecting that. I mean, Tommy is the next head of the clan.” “L
[Juliette’s POV] Three hours and a lunch later, Ralph and I left the diner with enough cash to take another cab to our next destination. And I was back to hugging the Mafia King in the backseat of the car. “I’m surprised, you’re not disgusted.” I frowned a little. “By what?” “I smell nasty after working in the kitchen.” I shrugged at the grinning handsome beast. “It’s the smell of hard work, why would I be disgusted by it? What?” “You surprised me yet again.” He leaned in to kiss me and pulled away. “I may come across as entitled and privileged, but I value diligence and honesty above everything else.” His thick brows knitted. “Sounds like there’s something between the lines.” “You’re just gonna show me the good stuff, aren’t you?” He gazed at me meaningfully, then turned from me to look ahead as he sighed. “That’s one of the successes Ben and I managed to achieve over the course of five years.” “How many of these successes are there?” I whispered with concern.
[Ralph’s POV]I awoke at the first ray of morning and she was slumbering peacefully beside me, snuggled against me, as though I was her shield. Her cocoon of security. My insides swelled with something. I leaned down and pressed my lips on the side of her head. I guessed I might have worn her out, for she didn’t stir a bit. A soft chuckle and a gentle caress of her soft cheek later, I slid out of her and off the bed. I wanted to put on my clothes but they now smelled really terrible, and I’m actually a clean freak. So I sent a text to Constance and asked for some fresh clothes. Five minutes later, there was a gentle rapping on the door. I opened it and the Virtus member was there grinning at me, fresh clothes, neatly pressed, were stacked nicely between his hands. “Sorry to bother you this early, Constance.” I took over the clothes. “Nonsense, Don. It’s always our pleasure.” He placed his hand on my shoulder and smiled a fatherly smile. “If it weren’t for you, I would never be
[Juliette's POV] I spun around. Sandy Virtus was there. Right before my eyes. I was shocked to see him. He looked more wiry and vampirish than three months ago—his cheeks were as fleshless as his forehead, his bulging eyes were bloodshot and perpetually pleading. His existence was reduced to skin and bones. The sight of him makes my stomach lurch with disgust and fear. But I held my chin high. “Mr. Virtus. I’m surprised to see you here—.” He closed the gap between us in one hasty step and said in a ghastly, shaky whisper, “Ms. Juliette… I need your help.” Keeping him in sight, my feet cautiously shuffled back. “I don’t have the help you need—.” Bony fingers suddenly gripped my wrist strongly, and Sandy cried out in sheer desperation, "LISTEN TO ME. I found it—evidence. That Ralph stole your fortune." My heart skipped a beat. No. It can't be. He's lying. Didn't he say that Ralph never leaves a trace? Sandy gripped harder. "And now he’s coming after ours!" Hand on his ch
[Chatri’s POV]The EMERGENCY sign was still lit up. Chatri couldn’t tear his gaze away from it, making sure the light doesn’t go out Across him, seated on the row of plastic chairs, nestled safely between his wife and his mother, his precious fourteen-year-old daughter was praying hard for her saviour too. It was near his heart. Guilt burned the back of her eyes. Ralph-kun… I blamed you for destroying the peace that we’ve paid with our blood and sweat to get. Yet, you did not leave me alone. You fought by my side. You kept your word. With your life. Is this the root of your men’s loyalty? Three hours ago, when they got to the van, her daughter was a crying mess, her almost naked body would have been in full display if it weren’t for that bloodied jacket. Ralph Virtus was sprawled at the van’s entrance, hanging on by a thread. Chatri had to get in the chopper. Footsteps snapped him back to the silent hallway. The ex-mob leader turned to them and Ralph-kun’s right-hand man was mo
[Juliette’s POV]“My father has brought us to the next level—there’s no doubt about it. But as you can see, the charts do not lie. Lux Corp will not survive the casino’s first quarter if we sit back and do nothing.”I gazed firmly around the room. These so-called shareholders of Lux Corp. I need to break their resistance and knock some sense back into them. The oldest one of the group cleared his throat and muttered in a haughty slow pace, “So what you’re saying is: remove Harold Lux as Chairman and put you in charge.” Another guy quickly added, “We don’t do this sort of thing.” Then, the third man snorted in derision. “I’m actually surprised that you gathered all of us here today without the Chairman. If he gets wind of this—.” “He won’t if none of us talk about it,” I snapped, frustration in my throat. What’s with the surprised looks and frowns of disapproval? Aren’t they as much of a businessman as Papa? Can’t they see the signs? The fucking obvious signs! Suddenly, Papa’s de
[Sarah’s POV]She can’t believe it. The unbeatable, ever invincible Don Ralph—the monster in the devil skin; a heartless murderer with the killer sense of an Olympic shooter; king of the world’s most ferocious mafia groups—is completely useless against an infant that’s less than an hour’s old. If it weren’t for Sarah’s fierce insistence and fearsome glare, he wouldn’t even hold his own child. ‘What if I break his neck?’ whispered the poor man, his eyes unable to stray from the tiny creature in his frozen arms. ‘Stop it,’ snapped the caretaker. ‘Sway gently, and you’ll be fine.’ She glanced at the bed and Juliette, who was sleeping soundly, and then back at the man, who would probably feel as though he’s on top of the world right now. Is he going to cry? ‘So what’s his name?’ asked Sarah, swiftly diverting those tears from crystalising. Without looking up, he muttered, ‘Milo.’ Then, he glanced at his sleeping wife and a proud smile appeared. ‘Milo Virtus. The first of the many.’
[Juliette’s POV]‘I am not selling anything.’ Papa’s eyes were filled with so much distaste, I felt ashamed for calling myself his heir. ‘I’m surprised that I have to remind you of the rules now. You wanted a vacation, and I gave you one. Now, you can’t even remember the simplest thing.’ My mouth opened, my explanation ready like a debate team, but I clamped my lips tight. He doesn’t want to hear anything right now. Right now, he only wants to vent. We’re losing money fast since twenty of our suppliers had suddenly asked for a price review.‘I do remember them, Papa,’ I murmured sourly. ‘Then why are you even suggesting that we sell off our least money-making businesses?’ he demanded angrily. Because that could stop more money from going out! My mind was screaming like a child being blamed for something that she didn’t do. Isn’t it common sense? When things get rough, tighten your pockets! Or is this yet another test? But I’m so done with all the tests! With the baby about to co
[Harold’s POV]SLAM!The sixty-ish fist slammed on the antique desk with the strength of a forty-year-old boxer. Even in his experience, there’s a limit to how much he can take. How did this happen? How did it slip by him unnoticed? The casino. He’d lost track. Damn his old man’s genes. They’re so useless, they made him useless as well. ‘You had no problems with the price for decades. Now, out of the blue you want—not one percent, not two—but a three percent hike?’ His knuckles were paling, bearing all the rage which only kept spiking. The calm voice at the other end of the phone irked Harold further. ‘My apologies, Mr. Lux. But you know how this works—we can’t hold down the price for any longer,’ replied the thirteenth supplier. ‘It’s been three decades since our last review. We hope you understand.’ Everyone wants his understanding. What about theirs? He’s cash strapped! Whose fault is it? If he didn’t build the casino for these bloodsuckers, he wouldn’t be stuck! If they weren’t
[Juliette’s POV]And then it crashed onto me. Like a boulder. I observed those golden swirls in his eyes burning with hurt and that hurt clenched my chest. Utensils down and my mouth wiped, I reached across the table and covered his hand with mine. ‘Growing up, I imagine the Virtuses as cold-blooded monsters,’ I began. Those brown irises dilated with fury, and I slipped my fingers through that large hand and rubbed my skin against his to calm the fire. ‘Because of all the stories I’ve been fed—we’ve all been fed.’ To his tensed jaw, I muttered softly, ‘I must speak for everyone, Ralph.’ ‘You’re not telling me that your father was fed the same story. He came to me with the aim of stealing my family’s land, Juliette.’ ‘I’m not saying—.’ ‘Stop defending him!’ Ralph jerked his hand out of my grasp, fuming. But his eyes never left me, which was a good sign. So immediately, I leaned forward and pleaded, ‘I’m not defending him.’ ‘Then what the fuck are you doing?’ ‘I’m trying to te
[Juliette’s POV]I smiled at the man gently resting his hand on my belly, so careful, so timidly, I almost couldn’t recognise him. Is this Ralph Virtus, the Mafia King? The one whom everyone calls The Devil? The handsome beast with the wits of a chess master. Those cold, fierce eyes were filled with so much fear that I wanted to hug him and squeeze those bad thoughts out of him. Those same golden brown eyes now widened in amazement as they swung up to me. ‘It moved.’ I chuckled and covered his hand with mine. ‘Of course it does, silly.’ He gazed at my stomach, his pupils dilating some more. ‘It’s kicking.’ He looked up, worried. ‘Does it hurt?’ I shook my head. ‘My chest just feels tight when it happens.’ Then, his ears were on my belly, listening intently. As amusing as it was watching his face change colour every second, I can’t help but worry that the next second something will happen to destroy this peaceful moment. As though he read my thoughts, his attention was back on
[Ralph’s POV]‘D…Did you just—I knew it.’ Her eyes were shaking with such low confidence, I almost couldn’t recognise them. ‘You find me annoying now….’ Her hands slid off my chest in defeat. Is this what a baby does to a woman? ‘I did not say that.’ As soon as I heard my voice, I froze again. Shit—that was cold. Quick—correct it. ‘I mean—I don’t mean what I said.’ I tried to grab her hand but missed it. ‘Juliette….’ Her shoulders were shaking too. ‘Jesus… you’re not crying now, are you?’ What? No. That came out wrong again. What the fuck is wrong with me? She spun around in full rage. With tears gushing down her steamed face, she jabbed a finger at my shoulder. ‘YES! I’m crying like a clingy pathetic woman! And whose fault is it? Who put this thing inside me?!’ She pointed at her round belly protruding proudly through her skirt. “WHO?!”I laughed. It was unplanned. Before I knew it, I was already holding my waist to steady myself. My shoulders were shaking, my chest was rumbli
[Ralph’s POV]I blinked at the Hong Kong mob leader and his voice returned. ‘... do you think?’ What were we discussing? Something that reminded me of Juliette and the baby. Of my fears. Of the baby dying inside Juliette’s stomach… or Juliette dying with the baby—yes. We were talking about that old fox and his shady business. My finger stopped tapping. ‘I’m closing all of it down.’ ‘No offence, nong Ralph.’ The Thai leader burst through. ‘My elders love khun Lux. It won’t be easy to shut them down.’ Chinh was frowning too. ‘You close down one, another will pop up. Who’ll say no to money?’‘Money and power,’ mumbled Andrei. ‘I’ve told you before. Harold Lux is well-connected. I can’t have the boys going against me. There are many who’ll have my head and you said that you’ll handle it. So all I have to do is focus on protecting my family from the ollies.’ ‘And this doesn’t change that,’ I repeated firmly. ‘I failed to see how,’ muttered the cool and collected Isamu. ‘Harold-san gi