Claire's povMy eyes opened and the first person my gaze met was Romano, with his usual stoic face. I raised my head from the bed I was lying on, looking around to see, I was in the hospital. My mind recollected the last incident in a flash and I looked at my thighs. It was clean and free from blood and neither were there any bruises. I turned to see that it was just me and Romano in the room. "Where is Don?" I asked, my voice very faint."He is doing okay" Romano responded. "How are you too? Do you feel any pain?" He asked."No, I feel good. I need to see Don" I hurriedly left the bed, but he held me back. "The doctor asked you to take a good rest. Don is treating his bullet wound. He would be here soon" he insisted."But he…" I remembered how Damien shot the attacker and how he carried me even with his injured arm. "I need to see my husband, are you sure he is okay?""Claire.." Don's voice pared into the room. I saw his hand wrapped with a bandage, but he walked in like nothing h
Don’s POV The last two days had been nothing confectionary to deal with. I was happy about the news of my wife being pregnant, but I hated that there were pressing matters that needed to be attended to and would not allow the expression of joy in the house.At the hospital yesterday, Romano had given me some terrible news which had been on my nerves. I had initially thought of planning a pregnancy reveal party for Claire after we left the hospital, but Romano's revelation put that thought to death.Now we were home, the tension raised even more than usual.I drummed my fingers on the table as I waited impatiently for everyone in the house to gather in the living room. There was a serious issue I had to address and although Claire and I had just returned from the hospital yesterday and needed enough rest, the issue at hand just couldn't wait. I had to iron it out ASAP. My remaining bodyguards, now a few men compared to the ones I had before but were now dead and gone, courtesy of Sa
Claire's POV It all began as soft taps on the door but now the knocking was persistent. I knew who it was but I didn’t want to see him or talk to him. Don had been knocking on the door of my room for two days now since we moved to the safe house but since he had made me annoyed, my pettiness got the better of me. A part of me wanted to see him, wanted to sniff him, wanted to touch him but the greater part of me chose to stay angry at him. He had to learn a lesson, I guess. “C’mon Claire, open up. It’s been two days since you locked me out, two days and you’ve not picked up any of my calls, two days and you’ve not returned any of my texts. What else would you have me do?” “Get on your knees and grovel till they bleed water and blood. Beg me until I say stop” I muttered under my breath, chuckling. I’m sure he didn’t hear that. Would he have done so if he did? Well, I didn’t know. “Open up already, Claire. Please” I heard him plead from the other side but I still wasn’t moved. It wa
Claire's Pov________We walked into the living room, a hint of excitement in our steps. The family was stunned to see Don and I hold hands. Everyone has been on their separate lanes since Don aggressively spoke about the mole.In short, our movement into the safe house had been nothing but a quiet and angry house. Madam Desideria was the first to notice us, before Elyse. "Oh, my. I always want to see you both like this" she gasped, covering her mouth with her palm.Elyse's smile widened as she clung to Madam Desideria's arm. "I told you they wouldn't stay that long without talking to each other."I liked that the mole case had not broken our trust in each other. Even while we looked out for one another, we still trusted that nobody could rat out our safety to criminals. It could be a mistake - we had all said. We loved each other too much to betray one another."Did Claire save us from your wrath?" Elyse asked Don who scoffed."Settle down, everyone," he said, facing Romano who was
Claire’s POV I smacked my lips as I applied my favorite lipgloss, Fenty. Madam Desideria, Elyse and I had a lot to do today. After dinner last night, we three had sat down to do some planning on how we were going to spend the next day. From going to the spa to having roadside lunch to shopping at the mall, we were going to do all these with Don’s black card. I had argued that he allowed us three ladies to use our money, but Don had vehemently refused. He argued that it would be ungenerous of him to allow us to use our money when we could easily spend his. I knew better than to argue so I just agreed. He wasn’t home by the way. Romano too. They had work to attend to. Speaking of dinner, last night was so heartwarming. I felt the love, joy, and peace of the family. After teasing Don, we sat at the table, discussing so many things and we cracked lots of jokes, I choked lightly a couple of times. I also noticed the way Romano looked at Elyse, the sparkle in his eyes whenever his eyes
Claire's POV With a quizzical look on my face, I stood in awe, Don’s card still in my hand as I watched this stranger swipe his card. His card was accepted by the machine and all our items were paid for. I watched him take out his card from the machine and alongside the others, he slipped it into his pocket before shoving his hands down his pockets. I had questions. Tons of them. Who was he? Why did he pay for our items? Did he know us? Was his paying for our items something we should be bothered about? Was he working for someone? Who sent him? These questions had to be answered because I was really confused at this point. “Ohmm..th—thank you…. Stranger” I said, finding my voice. He simply jiggled his brows slightly and shrugged, hands still in his pockets. I thought he was at least going to tell me his name but that didn’t look like it was going to happen anytime soon. He was so unbothered like he had not just done something…. mesmerizing. Maybe I should introduce myself. Maybe
Salvatore’s POV I stared into nothing as I puffed out smoke from both my nostrils and mouth. I was on an empty street –more like, lonely sitting beside my car, a Hennessey Venom F5, scattered around me were a good number of fierce-looking men. My bodyguards were all dressed in black, just like me. We gleaned under the street lights. In front and behind the Hennessey Venom F5, were my BMW X5 and my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Money, whether in note or coin, I had all of it. In rolls and stacks. Cars, mansions, girls, you name them. I had them at my beck and call. Fame and power. I had tasted those too. Who was I kidding? I’m Salvatore fuckin’ Sebastian, Godfather of Silver Fox. I controlled whoever and did whatever. I loved the world I had built and I wasn’t planning on letting it go anytime soon.There was only one thing that posed a threat to this world of mine: Don DaDa, the filthy bastard of Danger Blaze, a rival to Silver Fox. I hated him to the core. He was a piece of shit and I was
Claire's PovIt's been an hour. Madam Desideria was not back from the library. Don and Romano were yet to be home which was a recourse to the situation. Don had called that I ate dinner without him and while I sat at the dining table with Elyse waiting for Madam Desi, I couldn't help but be worried.Was it because she hardly left home? She had been one to exist in a spot, so this was a surprise. She loved the library, no doubt, but she had most of her books delivered at home. Maybe I was just being paranoid. She was a grown woman, enough to decide on her will. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Elyse interrupted my thoughts. "About Madam Desideria" she finished."Yes. She is quite late." I murmured, staring at the food on the table which was turning cold. "I have my suspicions."Elyse leaned closer to the table. " Do you think Madam Desi is seeing someone?" Elyse winked and I laughed. "No, seriously. She seems to sneak around lately. I suspect she is dating a man"My mouth corne
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