Salvatore's PovI had left the hospital after seeing Claire and Davidson curdled up and I had gone home immediately, telling his nanny I would see Davidson another time. I walked out of the kitchen, to the living room and Claire walked in just in time."Where are you coming from?" I asked trying to hide the fact that it gave me a different satisfaction to know that she cared for my son.Claire looked up at me like she was surprised by my question. "I went to the hospital," she replied, her voice weak.I raised an eyebrow, expecting her to lie. But instead, she told the truth. I was taken aback, but I didn't press the issue."What did you go there for?""Bed rest," she said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wasn't feeling so good and I didn't want it to affect my stripping classes""That's enough." I stopped her from speaking further. "I made you some food," I said, walking into the kitchen. "You need to eat something."Claire shook her head, feeling groggy. "I'm not hungry," she said.
Claire's POV “Stunning” Sasha breathed, stepping back to admire his handiwork. “You could stop traffic in that outfit, Claire. No, scratch that—you will stop it. You own this room, you own that stage. And that's on period!”Stripping day was here. After all the classes I had had, it was time to make some money for Salvatore. Classes had been hard but I was getting the hang of it and I was sure this would be better than the last time.I looked at myself in the mirror, taking in my image from head to toe. Long platinum hair cascaded over my shoulders, a flawless wig—one of Sasha’s favorites. He always said it framed my face just right. My fake lashes were thick and dramatic, and my eyes? They were smoky enough to kill. My lips had been doused in vermillion red, smudge-proof lipstick. All day, Salvatore hadn't spoken to me at home. I was extremely glad I had more rest to prepare for stripping tonight.When it was night, Salvatore had called me from his room, ordering that I pack my bel
Salvatore's PovIn the study room, I twirled on the rolling chair, my fingers on my jaw and my head hanging backward as I closed my eyes, Claire crossing my mind.After yesternight's event. I wasn't going to let any man touch her. The lustful eyes of men and the comments from the men who sat with me were not what I could handle. They wanted Claire, just as much as I wanted her.The door to the study room opened as Claire walked in. She wore a flared gown - anything looked good on her. My eyes dwindled as I watched her walk across the room. I had initially agreed to let her work as a stripper, but now I was having second thoughts. The idea of another man seeing her, touching her, was unbearable."Hey, come closer for a minute."She walked into my office, a look of curiosity on her face.I gestured for her to take a seat in the leather chair opposite my desk. "I've been thinking... I don't want you working as a stripper anymore."Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Why not?"My jaw cle
Claire's POV My heels clicked against the cemented floor of the curb as I walked down the street, rubbing my hands on my arms repeatedly, trying to cause some friction to provide warmth.It was a bit cold outside and I didn't do well with the cold. I didn't feel like driving and I also didn't want to take a cab so I just kept on walking. I turned to my right, now swinging my little black purse in my right hand as I went. I was headed to an exclusive club. My husband had asked to see me there. It's been ages since I last saw him. Saw him? Since I last killed him. Since Salvatore made me kill him. Sigh. It was surprising when I got a text last night with a location and time, saying “Come pretty” and it ended with Don as the sender. I was shocked to my marrows so I rang the number that had sent me the text as many times as I could just to be sure it was really Don, but whoever was at the other end didn't pick up, getting me a little scared. He instead texted back that there was no nee
Claire's PovI couldn't keep up the charade any longer. The pressure of the lie was crushing me, and I knew I had to do something to avoid attention. I started wearing baggy clothes, hoping to hide the truth.But Salvatore was no fool. He noticed the change in my attire and also my countenance and raised an eyebrow. "Is everything okay?" he asked.I forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."Salvatore's eyes narrowed. "We should go to the hospital, just to make sure."I shook my head, fear building up. "No, no, I'm fine. Really."I knew I had to distract him, and fast. I reached out and touched his arm, my hand trailing up to his shoulder. Salvatore's eyes flickered with surprise, but then his gaze locked onto mine, and I could see the desire in his eyes.I leaned in closer, my lips brushing against his ear. "Let's not talk about hospitals right now," I whispered."What did you drink?" He chuckled, still in shock but could not ignore the fact that my advances turned him on.Just as his arms we
Claire's POVThe soft tap on my door made me turn my head. I had just gotten out of the bathroom and I was drying my hair with my towel. I was still in my birthday suit. “Who's there?” I asked, my hand hanging mid hair with my towel in it “It's me, Ma'am. Samara” Came the reply. Samara was one of Salvatore's maids. “What do you want, Samara?” I asked, as I resumed wiping my hair with my towel“I came to call you for breakfast, Ma'am. Sir Salvatore says you should please come downstairs. Breakfast is ready” “What was made for breakfast?” “Collard greens, fried chicken, mashed pota—” She was saying but I cut her short“Nevermind, Samara. I'll just see the food when I come downstairs” “Alright Ma'am” “Let Sir Salvatore know that I'll be downstairs in a jiffy. I just got outta the bathroom” “Okay, Ma'am, no problem” I heard her footsteps down the stairs as she went After blowing drying my hair, I threw on some underwears before slipping into a short, free dress which didn't give
Claire's PovIn all honesty, these were the best days I had ever had since the death of Don and staying with Salvatore. He had even noticed that I had been happy recently.Although I wasn't exactly comfortable I had a plan and I was working towards it."Come in," Salvatore said as I entered his office.He smiled as he looked at me. "You're glowing. Something about operations that makes you smile""Not exactly," I muttered. "I've learned that I do not have a choice. Like you always say, Don is gone and this is a new life."I looked ahead of him , trying to look confident and serious as Salvatore handed me a folder with our next target's information. I had only been working with Salvatore's men for a short time, but I had already gained his trust. He had liked me this way and said several times he saw a lot of potential in me."Alright, Claire, you're second in command on this one," Salvatore said, "We're going after a guy who owes me a lot of money. He's been dodging me for weeks, but
Claire's POVI closed the door of the living room behind me as I stepped in. The first person I met was Megan who was having her nails painted by a maid while she recorded some Snapchat videos of herself. Salvatore was at the other end going through his phone. He was the one I came for. “You sent for me, Salvatore” “Yes, I did. Sit” He tapped the space beside him. I hesitated for some minutes wondering what it was he wanted to tell me, before I sat. We sat in uncomfortable silence while he brought out a small book from inside the pocket of his pants, tearing a page off it. He took a pen out of his breast pocket and scribbled something on the paper before handing it over to me. ‘9:00 pmCenter Al–Fresco Any dinner dress of your choiceFor a beast like him, he had a beautiful handwriting. “You're taking me out?” “Mm-hmm,” He hummed a reply as he returned to pressing his phone, so nonchalantly as if he had not just given me a shocker.My eyes darted to the note, then to him. “Yo
Claire's POV"I'm so excited for the baby shower," Elyse said, looking up at me with a smile. "We need to start planning the details. What's your theme? Have you thought about games and food?"Elyse and I were resting on the couch in the penthouse, enjoying a lazy afternoon together. We'd just finished lunch, and Elyse couldn't get over her excitement about the baby shower I was planning.I laughed. "Slow down, Elyse. I've barely had time to think about it. But I do know I want something simple and intimate. Maybe just close friends and family."I was almost due…oh, I could feel this baby coming and I was excited at the thought of going into labor and birthing Don's son.Elyse nodded. "That sounds perfect. And I've already started thinking about baby names. I have a few favorites for a boy."I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What are they?"Elyse grinned "Well, I think 'Atticus' is a great name. Or maybe 'Ethan'?"I chuckled. "Those are both nice names. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. W
Claire's POV The ringing doorbell interrupted my movie, causing me to wonder how it was, but I felt too lazy to stand up. Maybe it was my pregnancy after all. The doorbell rang again almost immediately but I didn't see any sign of anyone else coming to answer it. I took that as my cue to answer it. But just as I was about to stand up, Elyse appeared in the living room. “I'll answer it, don't worry” Elyse said I turned to the door when Elyse opened it, and I was greeted by the sight of Romano standing there, with a warm smile on his face. He looked just as handsome as I remembered, with his tousled hair and charming eyes. “Heyyyy” he drawled, stepping forward to wrap her in a hug. I could see the delight on her face as she embraced him. It was a sweet moment, one that made my heart swell and miss Don . I suddenly wished he were here. Damn you, Salvatore! I cursed inwardly. “Heyyy” She replied back “It's so good to see you” Elyse said, pulling back from the hug but keeping her han
Romano’s POV I walked into the room of one of my underground houses set aside as a ward for Don’s healing and recovery. It all came as a flashback, rushing into my memories. How I had been tracking Don for hours, following the clues. I knew Salvatore's men were closing in on him, and I had to act fast if I was going to save his life.From a distance, I had seen Don sprinting towards the river, Salvatore's men drew their guns, aiming at Don who had just jumped into the river. I had to act fast, but I didn't have a choice till they weren't watching and I had stopped shooting. A few minutes after they had gone, I sprinted towards the water's edge, scanning the river for any sign of Don. That's when I saw him, his body in the water as he tried to swim away from the riverbank.But he was hurt, badly. I could see the blood spreading through the water, and I knew I had to get to him, fast. I dove into the river and I swam towards Don. As I reached him, I wrapped my arm around his chest, h
Elyse's POV Just as I settled into the couch for a movie on Netflix with a tube of Pringles and a glass of lemon squash, my phone beeped and a notification came in. It was a message from Romano. My heart skipped three beats. I abandoned my movie for his text. ‘I can't wait to see you in the dress. Sign and collect ASAP. And no, I'm not spilling the location’ Wait, what? This could only mean one thing. Romano was taking me out. He was asking me out on a date. A proper, restaurant date. We hadn't done this before, although we had a lot of chemistry. I liked Romano a lot and he liked me right back, so there was no way I was going to say no or stand him up. The doorbell rang immediately and I answered it. A face–capped man with a package, clipboard and pen stood, waiting for me. I wrote my signature hastily, got the package and dashed back inside.I didn't even bother exiting Netflix, I just grabbed my phone and sprinted up the stairs. I got into the shower right as I got into my roo
Claire's POV Today was the day of baby Nolan's baptism, and I couldn't wait to celebrate this special moment with our little family.I noticed the bodyguards stationed outside our door. A reminder that I still needed to be protected from that monster, Salvatore.The chapel was beautiful, it had been a long time. It had never felt that far. It was so good to be home. Madam Desideria, Elyse, and I took our seats, surrounded by our securities The ceremony was lovely, with baby Nolan looking adorable in his tiny white outfit.As the priest poured the holy water over Nolan's head, I felt a lump form in my throat. And although Don might not admit or it might not seem like it, this baby had brought so much joy into our lives, and I was grateful to be a part of his journey.As we stepped forward, Madam Desideria, Elyse, and I walked over to the front steps of the cathedral, where we knelt on the stone floor."Let us pray," Madam Desideria said, in her soothing voice.We bowed our heads, and
Claire's POV I watched as Elyse and Romano said their goodbyes. He gave her a long peck on her right cheek as they hugged. “Alright guys, let's get going now” I signalled to them. The sun was getting brighter and I wanted us to get to the penthouse before late afternoon. I looked at the wall on the clock. The time read 09:10 am. “Take care, Elyse, I'll miss you” Romano smiled at her “I'll miss you too” She smiled back Our bags were hauled by some bodyguards to the trunks of the two vehicles taking us. When they were done, we said our final goodbyes to Romano, waving and smiling. We boarded the vehicles and soon, we were speeding down the road. It was going to be a long ride so I decided to keep myself busy. I plugged in my earphones and selected a movie –Disney’s Mufasa– to watch. Baby Nolan on the other hand was enjoying Cocomelon which was playing on the mini television in the car. I wasn't sure exactly how long we took but we were at the underground penthouse already. We ali
Claire's POV "Let's take a moment to remember…" I held back more tears, even when my face was red and swollen. "…a mentor, a brave man, a brother, ...a husband" I couldn't control it anymore.Romano came to my side, rubbing me by the side as he comforted me. Elyse sat at a side, her expression numb, she said no word nor did I hear a sob, but her face watered.I wanted to tell her again that I was sorry. That this was entirely my fault. How would I be able to live through this guilt? Staying in the same house knowing that I pulled the trigger and even made no effort to find his body for a proper burial."Don was everything…to me, ..to us" I continue, in between my sobs. "I love you, Don." I kissed the flowers, as I placed them on the little pavement around our former house, where Don and I spent most of our memories.Since there was no corpse to mourn, I thought it was only proper to pay tribute to his property. This wasn't a mode to move on. Never, could I move on from this. But ra
Claire's POV Tears streamed down our cheeks as I returned to hug my late husband’s sister. If only she knew how her brother died. I sighed. We remained in the embrace for God knows how long. After a while, Elyse slowly pulled away, first wiping her tears before she wiped mine. “That's okay, Claire, that's okay. Enough with the tears” She wiped under my eyes “What matters right now is that you're back, hale and hearty” “I know, right “ I replied, my eyes still teary “I'm so glad to be home, Elyse. You don't know how much I've missed you guys” I broke down into fresh tears. My outburst lasted for quite a while and Elyse did nothing but be patient with me, while rubbing my back and saying soothing words to me. I calmed down after a while, only shaking with silent sobs. “Come right in. Sorry we left you at the door” Elyse ushered me into the house “It's fine. You all were surprised to see me” I replied as I sat on a couch. I looked around the house, taking in everything. I had miss
Claire's Pov"Hey, Bambina" the soft voice of Don, like a wind had brought it and taken it away too. "Bambina, you look so good…spreading out your fucking legs like that" The voice suddenly changed into Salvatore's voice and I sprang up from the bed, waking up from a terrible nightmare.The switch from my sweet Don to Salvatore the monster had startled me. It was like Salvatore kept interrupting every moment I wanted to have with Don, even in my dreams.I rolled on the bed, cuddling the pillow to my chest as I resumed crying. I had cried all through the night and had begun again this morning. The feeling of being in New York is all of Don's memories and I thought I was ready, but I was not.I went on my knees beside the bed, in prayer mode. "I am sorry Don, please forgive me." I sobbed. "You were my literal existence and I took that life from you. I hate myself right now. I am so sorry, Don" I cried."I love you, my husband. I do"After more confessions, like Don's spirit was beside m