There was a certain note to her tone. Fernando ate more of his pasta and looked at Maria Victoria. They hadn’t known each other long enough for him to have missed any important anniversaries or birthdays. He hadn’t made any promises. He’d fucked her hard this morning, giving her multiple orgasms, so he didn’t see anything that could be wrong.“What did you do today?” he asked.“Nothing.” She had this big fake smile on her lips. “While my husband was out torturing and killing a man or a woman, I can’t clarify which one it was, I was sitting home all day. Oh, I did clean. Yes, I did. Dusted and cleaned, and rearranged the kitchen. If I’m the one cooking, I’ll organize it the way I like it, but other than that, I twiddled my thumbs after I got your message and had to wait until it was time to cook you some dinner. I did nothing, all day.”“You cleaned.”She slammed her hand down on the table. “Fernando, I don’t know what women you’re used to, but I’m not used to being cooped up all day.”
A couple of days later, Fernando was in the main sitting room in the morning, waiting for Maria Victoria to wake up. That very morning, as he enjoyed his morning coffee, he had a delivery made, and it was in the main room.He kept trying to tell himself he didn’t give a fuck about Maria Victoria’s feelings. It didn’t matter if she enjoyed living with him or not, or even being married to him. He was never going to accept no as an answer. His debt to Dante was paid, and Maria Victoria was the price of that. She had to get used to it.Leaving her this morning, to take care of this, was hard. Now, as he sat and enjoyed his coffee, his impatience was growing. When he heard the door of the bedroom opening and her footsteps as she came out of the room, he checked the mirror to watch as she entered. She wore the silk robe he’d purchased for her.Her full brown hair was mounded on top of her head in a small clip, and he knew she’d already taken a trip to the bathroom. Maria Victoria’s routine
Two Months LaterFernando was sitting in his office, going over the latest figures that had been sent to him when the door opened. One of his men, Theodore, was on the other side.“A Mrs. Ysabella Sebastian is here,” Theodore said. “She would like to see you.”He sat back in his chair, tempted to say no, but he didn’t see a point in disturbing the peace that had settled over his life the past two months.“Let her in,” he said, putting the paperwork aside.It was unusual for a capo’s wife to come and visit another capo. Ysabella should be going to see Maria Victoria, but he wouldn’t have that. Dante had been in constant contact with him for the past couple of months. In fact, one week ago, Fernando shared the rather unexpected news.After nearly three months of marriage, Maria Victoria was expecting a baby. He had a feeling she was pregnant not long ago when she started to become overwhelmingly sick. At first, Fernando didn’t want to concern her, but then he came home with a pregnancy
My dearest Maria Victoria,If you are reading this, I know the worst has happened and against my wishes, I’m no longer with you. I have a feeling it’s going to be some time after I’ve passed that you will read this, as I know how stubborn you’ve become, especially when it comes to your father. I’ve told you many times that I don’t want you to have hate in your heart for Dante. Trust me, I know circumstances didn’t work out the way I wanted them to. I loved your father with every fiber of my being. He was my world, and when I realized the truth, I knew my heart would never be the same. I was never going to be the same.Even as Fernando read, Maria Victoria could hear her mother in those words.I’m sick. I’m not going to get better. We know the doctors are telling the truth, and I’m not willing to wait for a miracle, to know that I’m going to be around to see you flourish. I know you. I’ve told Dante to leave you alone for a year after my death. If you find someone, fall in love, and le
A Few Months Later“You don’t have to do this,” Fernando said.Maria Victoria looked up at the house where her father lived. She knew she didn’t have to do this, which is why it had taken her a couple of months to get to this point. “I know, but I have to.”Her mother had gone to Dante for a reason. She’d made that letter with the hope of her father delivering it. She knew she didn’t have to do any of it.“It will be fine.”“Do you want me to come in?”She did but she also knew she had to do this alone. Leaning across the car, she pressed her lips against his. “I’ll be right back.”She got out of the car and took several steps toward the house. She knew Fernando would have called Dante to warn him they were coming. She hoped in that warning, Ysabella Sebastian had been told to leave, or at least to not be seen. She wanted to see her father in the hope of mending bridges, but the last person she wanted to see was his wife.Maria Victoria stood at his door and then lifted her hand to kn
My name is Leonardo Sebastian Franco, son of Fernando Giordano Franco. Only the strongest survive. I am strong. I am powerful. Now, I want to survive together with my Mafia Family.I have twins (a boy and a girl) and another girl ensued with Luna Belle Fernandez.Alessandra Franco POVRome, ItalyOf all the things on my to-do list today, getting myself kidnapped was not one of them.I count five of them. Maybe six, but I can’t be sure. Three guards watch over me today because this was supposed to be a routine cash pickup. My men are quickly incapacitated. Before I even have the chance to blink or draw the gun hidden in my jacket’s inner pocket, someone throws a bag of thickly woven black cloth over my head and disarms me.I can’t see a thing. The bag smells sour with sweat. My hands are forcefully bound behind me with what I can only assume are thick zip ties. I scream bloody murder, kicking and thrashing with all my might as someone grabs me by the arms, lifts me off the pavement, and
Alexander Mancini POVRome, ItalyThe moment I get the words out, Zandra immediately uncrosses her legs and tries to kick me in the groin. I’m prepared for it, could see the thought boiling behind those pretty blue eyes of hers. With one hand, I’m able to grab her by the knee and force her down.“Easy, princess,” I say lightly. “This doesn’t have to be hard. All you have to do is be a good little girl and—”She slams her head forward, nailing me with a perfectly placed head butt. Thankfully, the difference between our angles means she can’t put all her strength behind the move. Still, I’m forced to take a step back, growling as I check my nose. Thankfully, I’m not bleeding. A good thing, too, because I’d hate to ruin my favorite suit.“Touch me again and I’ll bite your fucking hands off!” she hisses, her plump upper lip curling into a sneer.I guess it’s true what they say—redheads are fiery. Over the past few months, I’ve had my brothers watch her from afar. I’ve only seen her throu
Alexander Mancini POVI enter my office and lock the door behind me, treading across the carpeted floor toward my desk. My workspace is nothing to write home about. A couple of fake plants, old and tacky wallpaper, and a lazy ceiling fan rotating round and round. And it’s exactly how I want it. The decor screams ‘humble company owner.’ Nobody would blink twice at me or suspect me of wrongdoing. Everything is modest and understated.I do not need flashy jewelry, overpriced sports cars, or imported Cuban cigars. What I want is to fly under the radar, to be underestimated. That’s how I’ll ensure Alexander Mancini’s success. Nobody will see us coming, and when they do— it will be too late. I retrieve the burner phone hidden in the top drawer of my desk, the device still in the packaging. It was a major pain in the ass trying to track down Leonardo Franco’s number—it’s not like a mafia leader advertises that sort of thing—but after weeks of diligent work, I managed to track down a guy who