Xander Mancini POVIt happens too quickly for my mind to comprehend. One second, Zandra is struggling to stay awake. The next, her eyes flutter closed and she doesn’t open them again.“Zandra?” I rasp. “Zandra, please—”“Get the fuck away from my daughter!”Leonardo Franco shoves me away with so much force it winds me. He pries Zandra from my arms and lifts her, his face etched with pure hatred. There’s no time to plead with him. No time to get one last look at her. Her father spirits Zandra away, her uncles following closely in tow as they climb into their car. They speed off, tires screeching, clipping an officer or two foolish enough to stand in the way.Roman pulls me to my feet. Damien’s pulled our vehicle around. The sides and roof are riddled full of holes. We climb in quickly, the car already in motion before we even have a chance to close the door.My brothers are shouting at me, but I can’t understand the words coming out of their mouths. All I can focus on is the blood stai
“I’m coming out of retirement,” Dad says, “to fix this mess you’ve made. Reports have been coming in. All our allies are either dead at the scene or arrested. We’re vulnerable right now, and you’re in no position to lead.”“But Dad—”“Was he worth it?”His question cuts through me sharper than any knife. It’s accusatory. It’s bitter. And it amplifies the agony I’m in. Mom puts her hands on her hips. “Princess! Don’t be an ass.”Without another word, he leaves with my uncles in tow.Exhaustion bears down on me. Between my injury and my sorrow, I can barely find the will to keep my eyes open. There’s a hole where my heart should be. It’s uncomfortable, cold, and I feel incomplete.Even as Mom and Cassandra rush over to tell me everything’s going to be okay… Even as Aunt Natalia says she’ll put me on painkillers to manage the pain… Even as I lie down and let the world crumble around me… I suddenly realize nothing matters if I can’t have him.Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to drown out my
Xander Mancini POVI have no memory of sliding into the back seat, wedged between Samuel and Damien. I don’t recall the drive back into Rome. The police are everywhere, but they pay us no mind, our taxi camouflage working its usual magic. I have no memory of stepping into my cold, dark apartment, nor do I remember getting into the shower to wash off all the blood and grime.There’s no telling how long I remain under the shower’s spray. I crank up the temperature until the water’s borderline scalding in the hopes it’ll help me feel something. It doesn’t.My brothers are still here by the time I finally find the strength to dry off and dress. They mill about my kitchen, talking quietly amongst themselves. All traces of conversation cease the second I step into view. Leo, Samuel, Roman, and Damien watch me, good little soldiers waiting for orders that won’t come.“Tell us what to do,” Damien says. “What do we do now?”“This is a grand opportunity for us,” Leo replies. “With most of our e
Breaking in is a simple matter of slipping into the building while a delivery man makes a quick drop-off, the door propped open with his foot. Nobody questions me when I walk into the elevator and arrive at his floor. I keep my eyes down, my face hidden from the building’s cameras. Tonight’s the night I finally make Rossi pay.I’ve been watching him long enough to know he keeps a spare key in the fake plant by his door. All I have to do is retrieve it and walk inside. There, I take a seat in his kitchen, gun pointed at the door, ready and waiting just like when he paid me a visit all those months ago. I’d laugh at how the tables have turned, but I frankly don’t have the energy.Rossi doesn’t arrive until roughly an hour later, long after dark. He doesn’t seem at all surprised when he flicks the light on and sees me. The man very casually shrugs off his jacket and toes off his shoes, joining me in the kitchen without any semblance of urgency or fear.“I was wondering if you were going
Zandra Franco POV “At least a month ago,” I mumble in disbelief. “A little over a month, actually. And there was one time…”Cassandra sucks in a sharp breath and presses her phone flush against her ear. “Yeah, Aunt Natalia? You’re going to want to bring a pregnancy test.”I’m not entirely sure how long I spend locked in the bathroom, but the incessant checking up on me is starting to get on my nerves. I know my family cares, but knowing they’ve got their ear pressed up against the door while I’m trying to do my business is… Well, it’s a lot.“Do you need any help?” Aunt Natalia asks me.“No,” I reply, exasperated.On the other side, I can hear an exchange of whispers back and forth.“I just don’t think it’s right,” Cassandra says to Mom.“Hush now. It’s your father’s orders.”“And since when do you do what Dad says?”I have no idea what they’re talking about, but I don’t know if I can bring myself to care. I’ve got bigger problems on my plate right now. And by problems, I mean a preg
It’s an impossible question and I think he knows it. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my brothers, for the empire we’re trying to build. We came from nothing, and now we rule half the city? I obviously take pride in all we’ve accomplished…But it feels hollow. The only person I really want to celebrate my achievements with is the one person who’s no longer here. Things between Zandra and me were never supposed to happen the way they did, but what we found was better than I ever could have hoped.“In an ideal world,” I answer, “I’d have both. But if I had to choose… I’d pick her.”I see no judgment in his eyes, no cause to be defensive. Leo simply nods, opens the door, and steps aside to let someone enter. A woman. One with flowing red hair and startling blue eyes. I’m either seeing a ghost, or I’m looking right at—“Cassandra?” I breathe. “What are you doing here?”“I don’t have a lot of time,” she says quickly. “If Dad finds out I’m here, I might as well just shoot myself.” “What’s
“Come along, dear,” Mom says to Xander, ignoring Dad outright. “Would you care for a pot of tea? Maybe a soda?”“A glass of water would be great.”“Wait a damn minute!” Dad exclaims. Mom waves a hand dismissively. “You can wait, Lion. Calm down a bit before you join us, okay?”In moments like these, I remember how cool my mother can be. Dad may be a hard, cold, badass where the Mafia is concerned, but it takes one hell of a woman to tame him.With a shaky breath, I take Xander’s hand and guide him in. Here goes nothing.In the entire history of awkward family dinners, I’m pretty sure this one takes the cake.Dad has his gun on the dining table in clear view, a threat. Cassandra and Alessandro sit on either side of Xander and me, glancing at each other uncomfortably like they’re both waiting for the shooting to start. Mom serves dinner with a small, reserved smile, doing her best to move things along. Bless her for trying, but it’s really not working.I’m not sure who’s angrier at who
Zandra Franco POVI never wanted a big wedding. Growing up, I wasn’t the type of girl who dreamed about flowing white dresses, enough flowers to open a florist shop or exorbitantly expensive multi-tier cakes. I’m perfectly content with what I have—my family in attendance and my man standing proudly at the altar.We’re in a small chapel, tucked away in one of the city's quieter, more peaceful corners. I’m dressed in the same wedding dress Mom wore when she married Dad, the very same veil on my head. There are no words to describe how honored I am to wear it. I hope one day, I get to pass it on to my own daughter to wear at her wedding, and perhaps even my granddaughter after her. Little things like these, full of sentiment and love, are how traditions are born.Dad and I stand just in front of the main entrance to the chapel. Everyone’s taken their seats, and the music is beginning to swell. I know he had his reservations when I first agreed to marry Andrei, but instead of bitterness,
She nodded to Damon, ready for anything they wanted.Damon worked the engorged head of his cock against her as Daniel sank her fully over him. And then Damon was pushing inside her. Filling the tight little cunt with his massive, cum soaked cock and making her breathe so heavily stars danced in her eyes.The girth of his shaft felt different to Daniel’s, yet just as filling. Stretched over two massive cocks she began to rock her hips, needing to fill them both and move inside her.Damon pulled out and drove back in as Daniel did the opposite, setting a rhythm. Damon claimed her pussy with every stroke and when he pulled out this time her channel clenched around his shaft, eager for the orgasm they teased from her.A low, strangled cry dragged Damon’s attention to her mouth. He devoured her lips and her moans. Took control and she passed it over.She buried her hands in his hair. “Not yet, baby, not yet hold that climax. We’ll tell you when you’ll give it to us.” His ragged order serve
“Here’s your chance to run, Anya.” Damon rested his large hands on her ankles and his gaze on hers. Long wisps of hair played at his temples lending a dark, dangerous vibe to the man she loved.Her heart rate spiked.Run?Daniel growled long and low and the vibrations fed into her soul.“Anya,” he whispered.Her breath caught at the intense look in his eye.Did she dare? Three steps past the threshold they would have her pinned in their arms and making sure she knew she wasn’t getting away. No way she’d make it back to Manila, that was for damn sure.Hot molten stares followed her every move as she uncurled her legs from Damon’s touch and glided to her feet. Her leg felt better, stiff, but not enough to keep her from walking.As predicted, she managed three steps before her fingers entwined with hers. Gentle but firm. Warm lips caught her knuckles pulling a heavy sigh from her lips. From beneath hooded eyes, she watched Daniel sidle up to her and wrap an arm around her middle as Damon
An hour and a pile of papers the size of a small cat later, Damon slipped the key in and stepped aside as Daniel carried her up the back stairs.“You know I could have walked, right?”“Where’s the fun in that,” he scoffed. “Besides, I have to get practice in for when we put a ring on that beautiful hand of yours.”She laughed. “So who’s name did I get to carry?” She knew for a fact she couldn’t marry them both.Damon kissed her forehead as he held the door open for them. Her smile widened and her heart swelled with so much love. Love for both of them and she still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact she had a tiny, innocent baby inside her. She splayed her hand over her stomach.Daniel pressed his lips close to her ear. “You’re going to look gorgeous when you’re plump with our baby.”She smiled. “I guess this is going to be home for a little while yet.”“If that’s okay with you? We can look for a bigger place once you can move around without any leftover pain.”Staying here couldn’
Damon’s dark head tilted, his mouth turning up into a wide grin. “Which is another topic we’ll need to discuss. I’m going to miss the quiet time we had up at the cabin. Just the three of us.” He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed the tips of each of her fingers. “We had planned on fucking you long and hard by the waterfall.”Daniel turned from the window. “Which we did.”Wow. What was it about these two men that left her breathless? She smiled at them both. “I remember.”“Then we’d planned on tying you up to our bed and covering every part of your body in our milk.”“Tits, ass, and pussy. You would have been dripping with our cums.”Her mouth fell open a little. Wow. Her body thrummed with an instant rush of need.“Mr. Castillo. Mr. Santillan. Be glad that part of your ‘plan’ failed or your day would have turned out completely different.” They all turned to the door and the newcomer to the room and Anya wanted to melt into the floor. Red. Her face, neck, and every other part of h
She pushed out of Daniel’s arms and stood then regretted it immediately as she fell forward. Rupert, moved to steady her, looking pointedly at her leg where the fire had left a small burn and her head where blood trickled down from her temple.“You’re men are lucky to have such a determined, loyal woman by their side.”Water welled behind her lashes. “Thank you for being here today. I don’t know how you knew, but I’m glad you arrived when you did. I’m not sure Daniel would have held back much longer.”“John and Rene called. Don’t shed any tears for that old man. He is a horrible person as I am sure your men will tell you if you haven’t already seen it for yourself.”She nodded.The fire of anger and pain that ate at her ebbed. “You’re right.”Daniel and Damon stood to either side, their body heats a balm to her nerves.She wobbled forward as her men supported her on either side. She reached for Rupert’s hand, holding his gaze. She turned to look at Damon and Daniel. “I think I can spe
Water blasted from the tip of her hose and she started watering down the dry grass. Damon did the same beside her while Daniel started digging a huge fire line through the grass. Given the strength of the wind, she didn’t hold out much hope but it was something.Dry grass crunched underfoot and cinders scattered through the weeds, causing small pockets of fire to spread along the empty field. She caught as many as she could but the fire was jumping.They worked together moving as a team trying to save as much of the property as possible. Over the ledge of small hills, a blur of dust kicked up about a mile out.“Oh thank God! Look! The cavalry is here.”John and Rene pulled up in a rolling tumble of dirt, their red rig a beautiful sight. Another one pulled up beside them filled with water from the looks of it.Smoke boiled low across the field like a thick fog and burned her lungs but still, her heart soared and she smiled.“Where’s Damon?” Daniel called out coming in from the field, e
“Who knows, maybe Rupert has a hand in this. Maybe he decided he didn’t like going against the grain after all.”They bounced along the back road, Daniel finding every damn pothole there was in the dirt road and slamming into it. If they made it to the house without breaking an axle it would be a miracle.She couldn’t say she knew any of the men they spoke about personally. The class had kept her busy during the days, and then waiting tables in the afternoon for extra cash only left her with the time she spent with her men. Damon threw an arm out in front of her when Daniel took a dip in the road too fast.“You remember what Ethan and Remy said, Daniel. We heard it too. Rupert is looking for allies, not enemies. Looking to clean up his family name.”“How the hell can you be so sure? Can you trust him?”“Daniel’s right, Anya. We can’t measure a man by his family’s bad deeds. He has to earn his reputation on his own merits. So far, he’s done nothing to us but help when we needed him.”D
Damon reached around and rubbed her clit with soft, gentle strokes as they both stretched her tight channel around their thick girths. She gasped, muscles shaking. The feeling of being stretched beyond anything she had ever felt before consumed all her senses. Her walls clenched, making both men groan. The deeper they sank the tighter the fit until she could feel their every pulse, every throb of need in their cocks.A pinch of pain followed the burn of the pressure as they stretched her hot, greedy pussy.She panted, and every muscle in her body shook. She clawed at Daniel’s shoulders. The pressure. it was too much.The burn. Fire tore through her, so delicious and torturous. A pain she wanted but never thought possible.She splayed her hands over Daniel’s broad chest and his heartbeat hammered against her palms.“Breathe, baby. If it’s too much, tell us and we’ll stop.”She nodded to Daniel’s words. “No,” she gasped. “No.” She pressed back. Slowly. Wanting them to fill her, stretch
Her lips parted and she moaned around his thickness as Daniel buried his dick in her mouth until he tapped the back of her throat.“Breath in, baby, I want to feel that throat on the tip of my cock every time I sink in.”She gagged around him and pushed him deeper, tears watering her eyes.He pulled out giving her time to catch her breath then did it all over again, this time she took him deeper for longer.“You’re fucking perfect, baby,” he whispered, cleaning her face of the few drops of tears that had spilled down her cheeks.Leaning in she gathered his balls in her hands and sucked each of them into her mouth gently while working his length from base to tip.“Fuck, that’s it. Grip his cock harder, work him faster.”Behind her, Damon delivered a series of sharp smacks one after another until her whole body tingled and hummed with a wave of pleasure she’d never known before. She cried out around her mouth full of Daniel’s balls letting them slip from her mouth on a whimper.She coul