Salvatore's POV FLASH BACK I stepped out of my sleek black sedan with a bottle of bourbon in my hand, closing the door behind me with my free hand. I had instructed my men to wait for me at the base, the large house where we usually had our meetings, hidden away from the eagle eyes of society. Leaving my cigarette in between my lips, I pulled my card key out of the breast pocket of my shirt and placed it against the door. The door gave way and I walked in, moving straight to my chair. I dropped the bottle of bourbon on the table before settling in my chair. My men –some sitting, some leaning– all stood up the moment I walked. “Boss” They greeted, bowing their heads. I raised my hand briefly at them, acknowledging their greetings. I took a long drag on my cigarette, the ember glowing bright.“Listen up, boys” I growled, exhaling smoke. “We've got a job to do” “So Don’s girl, Claire will be going to her alma mater tomorrow for the supposed diploma verification process” I made ima
Claire's PovMr. Nice Guy; Luke's eyes brushed my face, searching for an answer. He had done enough, taking me from such a lonely road to the buzz of the city. He made appropriate conversations and entertained me with his sleek humor.However, dropping me off at my destination? No, I wouldn't accept that. Firstly, I was extremely worried my phone was not with me and I could not contact Don, but I was excited I was close to my destination as evening already approached. Secondly, Luke was still a stranger and for my safety, I could not let him drop me off at the new place Don readied for me. "Luke. I'm sorry. But I would just drop off and take a cab"He hissed his teeth but smiled again. "How about your phone and car, how do I reach you when my men are back from the mechanic""That's easy," I said, tapping Cowen from the front seat. I requested his ID card and handed it over to Luke. "Reach out to me on this line""No, Claire. Do you mean you want your men to come pick it up for you?
Salvatore's POV I ran my hands through my hair as the warm water from the shower head poured, cascading down my shoulders. I applied soap once more on my head and massaged my hair thoroughly before washing the lather off. I washed all other parts of my body and in no time, I was out with a towel wrapped around my waist and another was in my left hand wiping my hair dry. Water trickled from the side of my head from underneath my hair, down my torso. My eyes darted to the wall clock. The time read 10:08pm. Jax was taking too long. I had simply asked him to bring me pictures. What could be taking him so long. He was never one to delay at delivering tasks assigned to him. I made a mental note to call him as soon as I was done wearing my pajamas. A knock on my door made me stop in my tracks on my way to my closet. “Identify yourself” I looked at the door, hoping it was Jax. Those pictures were important. “It’s Axel, boss” “What is it, Axel? I wasn't expecting you. I didn't send f
Claire's PovAs I rolled on the bed, the knock on my door increased. With a raspy voice and probably swollen eye too, I sat up on my bed and ushered the person in. Cowen walked in with a bow. He stretched his phone to me."Sorry to disturb your sleep, but Don has been calling for quite a while now" "Did you inform him that I was asleep?" I yawned."I did." I took his phone to see that Don had called him over fifteen times. "The man, Luke also called just now," he let out like I was going to question the strange number on his phone. "He said we can come to get the car and phone now""Oh". I said. " I think we should do that" I stood up from my bed. "I will just take a shower and join you.""How about Don? Wouldn't you call him back?""I will just wait till I get my phone, so we can talk privately," I said. He nodded, walking out of my room as I went into the bathroom for a quick shower.In no time, we were ready. Cowen suggested we shouldn't take one of the cars as it wasn't a far dis
Don's POV The door to my study creaked open, making me whip my head in its direction. Romano walked in with two bottles of The Macallan Valerio Adami 1926, one of my favorite whiskies. He brought alongside with him two whiskey tumblers and placed all four carefully on the table. My eyes darted to my phone in my hand. I was calling Claire on FaceTime but she hadn't picked up yet. I knew she was with her phone and that she had seen the call but I didn't know why she was ignoring my call. We had to talk. Why did she leave her lodge just like that? And for fuck’s sake, at night! I'm not even sure if she went with any bodyguards or not. The call came to an end. Claire still hadn't picked. I was getting furious and frustrated with each passing second. “Boss, do you want your whiskey neat?” Romano asked, uncorking one of the bottles of whiskey which was mine. He poured a good amount of its contents into one of the tumblers. “No. On the rocks” I replied, dialing Claire's line again.
Claire's Pov.Couples fight, don't they? Don and I had been through things like these before and we were going to get over it. We were both stubborn for no reason and no one wanted to give in.He hadn't called this morning. Why was I expecting his call, though? I glanced at my phone and nothing yet too.I walked into the backseat of the car with Cowen busting in the passenger's as usual. The car moved and hit the road. In a few minutes, it's parked at the school parking lot.I walked through the school gates, Cowen following me behind, my bag slung over my shoulder. I had a purpose today - to confirm my Degree Verification (DV) date with the bursary. The email I received the last time still seemed a bit unclear. We were to stay a whole week for the verification, but what are the processes to be done before that time? I had come to ask.As I entered the bursary office, I greeted the familiar face behind the counter. "Hi, Mrs. Johnson. I need to confirm my DV date."Mrs. Johnson's fing
Claire's POV “Thank you, Cowen, I'll take it from here” I said to Cowen as I reached out to get the two large brown paper bags from him. I had just returned from grocery shopping. The time was 08:02pm. After my conversation with Luke, Cowen and I went to the spa and I had forced him to get some manicure and pedicure the same way I had gotten. From the spa, we went to a boutique and I got clothes for the baby, Madam Desideria and myself. I got some jewelry and a Chanelle bag for Elyse, two Boss Hugo shirts for Don which I wasn't planning on giving him anytime soon until we settled the issue between us. I also got a jersey and matching shots for Romano. I noticed he loved wearing them whenever he was in the house. I didn't mind shopping that much whenever I got the chance to. Shopping was my hobby. “I'll carry them to the kitchen” “Trust me, I can handle it from here” I laughed “I insist, Ma'am” He smiled a toothless smile “Besides, you have three shopping bags in your hand alre
Salvatore's PovAll plans were falling into place. The dumb bitch was getting too friendly, easily convinced. I needed to claw her by the wrist of her arm, where escape would be the first thing she thinks of but cannot get. And I was getting teeny close to achieving that.If it took me millions to spend on her to keep my nice guy status, it was a spare change. Offering to take her for coffee was the first step, and then shopping - something she could hardly resist. She bought a lot of things but offered to pay for them, and I refused. She ended up getting things that I knew weren't for her use and paid with her card before I could argue. Don dared ravage my drugs!The billions spent on the drugs I planned to ship could break my net worth and I had lost my guard by not knowing Don would reach for it. He had the victory now mine was next.Oh, what I would do to Claire. The thoughts danced around my head waiting to be done. She would pay for a lot of his sins, her parents and Don's and
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