Alessandra Russo POV Sociology 1001. My second class of the day. I’d been so nervous about my first day of college I’d skipped breakfast which I now realized had been a terrible mistake. Now my stomach was beginning to grumble, luckily lunchtime was quickly approaching. Entering the massive theatre room classroom with a few hundred seats inside, I made my way to the front of the class. I was going to make the most of this experience and was aiming for the Dean’s list so that meant being front row center for every class. Luckily, most people weren’t so anxious to be in the line of fire. Finding the perfect seat right in the center in front of the podium that that professor would presumably use, I set up my laptop and waited as the rest of the class filled the room. I’d read and taken notes of the first two chapters of the textbook already so was confident I’d have an answer to any question on the contents.The quiet of the room quickly turned to a loud rumble as students chattered amo
Zandro Bernardino POV I watched her as she raced down the hallway as if hell hounds were nipping at her heels. Damn, she had a fine ass. She had the kind of ass that made you want to grab it as you’re… I groaned to myself feeling my dick begin to rise in my pants. I should have made her take a different course, she needed electives, and she could have taken this course with someone else next semester, at worst. But I didn’t want her to. I’d been thinking about her since I woke up the previous morning and she’d been running rampant through my mind ever since. But it could be dangerous to my career.Although, all it had been was a one-night stand before I even knew she was a student of mine. Nothing would happen between us again, regardless of how much my dick wanted it to. She disappeared around the corner. If she’d given me a moment before bolting, I would have told her that she needed to turn in the opposite direction to make it to the main lobby of the building, but she’d figure it
Two months later Zandro Bernardino POV Almost done. Grabbing my coffee cup, I took a long drink of the black coffee inside and then grimaced. God, it was disgusting, but I was burning the midnight oil on campus trying to finish work for the day so I could free up the weekend. Marking the tests was such a tedious chore, especially when there were nearly two hundred to go through. Luckily the card reader did most of the marking, but I still needed to verify the results and input them. Did anyone even pay attention to my classes?The grades on many of the tests were disheartening. This was Intro Sociology; it should be a simple class to do well in. Maybe I was a shitty teacher this term? Who the fuck knew for sure? In previous years the grades hadn’t been this bad. Maybe it was a fluke. I really hoped it was a coincidence otherwise I’d have to figure out what was different; as if I didn’t already know.There were a few students who shone brightly over the others. One in particular had
Alessandra Russo POV I felt like such an asshole. His cheek was already starting to swell up and I could only imagine what his balls were feeling like right now. I’d nailed him with every bit of strength that I had in me. I hope this didn’t affect my grade…. At the last thought, I couldn’t help but giggle. That was such an inconsiderate and asshole thing to think when the poor man before me was in pain due to my paranoia. I’d been trained to sense being watched and take note of my surroundings and I’d been getting some eerie feelings that I just couldn’t shake lately. I didn’t think it was a coincidence, although I knew Zandro wasn’t the one who’d been following me lately. I could call the family, but then what? Either they’d send my brother and his goons here to deal with it or force me to return to Italy. I was enjoying it too much here to risk Papa sending me home. Chances are if there was someone following me then it was one of Papa’s men anyhow.I should have known better than t
Alessandra Russo POV I tossed and turned all night barely getting a moment of sleep, my mind wouldn’t turn off and it was all because of Zandro. It shouldn’t be like this. I shouldn’t be this obsessed after all this time. We should have slid into a normal teacher and student routine by now and I had thought that we had – until last night. Maybe I’d been fooling myself. If anything, the past couple of months seemed to solidify the bond we were both trying to convince ourselves didn’t exist.Throwing the blankets from my body, I slid out of bed and took a quick, cold shower hoping to wake myself up while hoping the shower wouldn’t wake Editha. At least it was the weekend and I didn’t have classes today or I’d have been a walking zombie. Toweling myself off, I got dressed in the bathroom and then went back into the bedroom where my roommate was still loudly snoring. She’d come home shortly after I had, stumbling into the room and knocking over the lamp next to her bed before falling alm
Alessandra Russo POV My heart was thumping rapidly in my chest as I waited for him to respond. Admitting that I had been thinking of him was a gamble. I didn’t want to be rejected, but what else could I do? I had to be true to myself and my feelings. If I didn’t take that chance, then I’d never know. Branching out and trying to make it on my own was all about taking chances and finding out who I was. That wasn’t going to happen if I didn’t go and get what I wanted. God knew my father and brothers went after what they wanted with everything they had in them. That’s why they were all so successful. I was a Russo while that may be bad in many ways, it also meant I had balls. I needed to take chances to achieve my goals and right now my goal was the man sitting across from me. No one had to know, at least not for a while. Not until it was safe. “Alessandra…” “Look. You can’t tell me you didn’t feel what I felt last night. There was a spark left over from when we had that night together
Zandro Bernardino POV Watching her eat, I found I was at odds with myself. She was twenty-one. My student. There were so many things wrong with this situation, but I was having a hard time listening to my brain. It was my dick that was taking the wheel on this situation and to a lesser degree my heart, but I wanted to know her more intimately. Not just the sex, the sex was a given as I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about our night together.But I also wanted to know everything about how she became who she was today. From my current perception of her, she came off as an intelligent, witty, caring, and fucking bombshell of a hot woman. She was perfect in my eyes. With breakfast finished, I began clearing the table.“Okay, so let’s just say we take a chance on us seeing each other romantically. How in your mind would that work?”Finished cleaning up, I leaned back against the kitchen counter and watched as she rose from the chair and came over to me. As she drew closer the smell of
Zandro Bernardino POV Her body was so soft, so perfect. The way her sweet pussy gripped onto my dick milking me of every drop of my cum felt like heaven. She felt like heaven. I hadn’t been lying. There hadn’t been many nights that had gone by that I hadn’t thought of her. She was like a disease that had invaded my body and refused to leave. And God forgive me, but I didn’t want her to. As my dick depleted itself inside of her, I slowly pulled myself from her welcoming moist core. “You drive me crazy woman.”I chuckled as I pulled out completely. Kicking off my jeans, I removed my shirt and tossed it onto the floor with my jeans. Spinning her around, I grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head, the bra coming off quickly after. “Shouldn’t we have gotten naked before we had sex,” she teased.My eyes moved up her body, over her shaved mound, her perky breasts that were just the perfect size to fit in my hands, and then to her face which was flushed as she pant
Cassandra Russo Gallardo POV I 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 quieter, more peaceful corners of the city. 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 Thorton, but inst
Thorton Gallardo POV One Month Later Separately, the Russo and Gallardo Mafias are capable of incredible things. They both rule with iron fists and awe-inspiring efficiency. Where the Russo commands the respect of their peers, my brothers and I are tenaciously ambitious. Combined—we’re a force to be reckoned with. We’re only a month into our merger, but all of Italy works like a well-oiled machine. With the Russos’ connections and my transportation network, we’re virtually unstoppable. I don’t think the criminal underworld has ever seen a more impressive organization. With Leo running the numbers, Samuel enforcing our laws, Roman negotiating our deals, and Damien keeping his ear to the ground for any whispers of dissent, we have the entire city under our thumbs.But right now, the last thing I want to think about is work. Zandra, unfortunately, has other plans. “Remind me to ask Samuel to pay the Southern Administrative District a visit. A couple of businesses haven’t been paying ki
Zandra Russo POV I only have so much time. Before long, my baby bump will begin to show, and then the jig is up. I need to figure out how to break the news to Dad without sending him into full-on cardiac arrest. My decision is final, though, no matter what he or the rest of my family has to say. I’m keeping this baby, and I’m going to protect him or her with every fiber of my being. Do I think Dad might disown me when he learns the truth? Probably not. He’s always been a level-headed guy. I doubt he’d do anything so drastic… But that doesn’t stop me from coming up with a Plan B, C, and D—just in case. I’m just about to pull out my phone to look up some rudimentary information on what mothers should expect when I hear a strange sound coming from outside. The screech of car tires, angry shouting. My heart automatically leaps into my throat and lodges there. Oh, God. Are we under attack? All this excitement and paranoia can’t possibly be good for the baby. My little brother comes hobbli
Thorton Gallardo POV Half of Italy belongs to the Gallardo Mafia. I should be over the moon. I’m anything but. “We’re seeing staggering profits,” Leo tells me from the other side of my desk. One of his detailed spreadsheets is pulled up on his tablet.“We’ve had next to no resistance from the remaining Russo in the area. They’ve all but fled to the north of the city. The raid left them scrambled, but I don’t think now is the time to keep pushing. There’s still a heavy police presence in the area.” “Sure,” I mumble. I’m only half listening, partially because I know Leo’s got everything under control, and partially because I can’t bring myself to care. It’s almost cruel how we have everything we want, yet I have nothing I need. “The taxi business practically runs itself at this point,” Leo goes on. “Since Detective Rossi, uh, passed, there’s been no reason for the police to keep sniffing around. He was the only one who could link us to our criminal interests, and it doesn’t look like
Zandra Russo POV I’m bedridden for what feels like an eternity. Aunt Natalya keeps telling me it’s frankly a miracle I survived. Very few can take a bullet through the chest and live to tell the tale. It’s nothing short of divine intervention. But even if I did have the energy to get out of bed, I wouldn’t. A heavy fog clouds my mind, and it has nothing to do with the pain meds I’m on. I can’t stop thinking about Thorton. I can barely even think of his name without pins and needles stinging my eyes. No matter what I do, no matter how much time has passed, I can’t bring myself to accept he’s dead. The lives we lead are dangerous ones. Death and injury is an accepted workplace hazard. I just didn’t think it would actually happen.“Come on, Zandy,” Alessandra whispers at my bedside. There’s a bowl of chicken noodle soup on her lap. It’s all I’ve been able to stomach lately. Everything else makes me feel barfy. “You should eat something,” Mom adds softly. She’s seated on the other side o
Thorton Gallardo POV If obsession is a disease, then I’m sick and suffering. My waking thoughts bounce back and forth between Zandra and Rossi, trapping me in a never-ending cycle of cause and effect. I can’t stop thinking about her, about how cold and small she was in my arms as the lights faded from her eyes. My chest tightens at the realization that I’ll never get to kiss her again or speak to her again. Rossi has to pay—he has to. Tracking the man down this time is a whole lot easier. He’s paraded around like a damn war hero, showing up for interviews and public award ceremonies. I lie in wait, watching from the back of the crowd, dressed in an unassuming pair of jeans, a black sweatshirt, and a baseball cap. The hood’s drawn over to obscure my face. A whole line of TV cameras is here, along with nosy reporters and a handful of uniformed cops. I can’t just approach him. I may want vengeance, but I’m not suicidal. This place is too public, too many witnesses. I need to bide my tim
Thorton Gallardo POV Pulling up to the Russo’s private residence is practically begging for immediate execution, but I have no other options. I need to see Zandra, need to know she’s okay—even if it kills me. The place is swarming with armed guards, all of them training their weapons on us as the car screeches to a halt in front of the house.The moment I jump out, at least four of them barrel toward me. I came fully prepared for the beating of my life, but what happens next is so much worse.“Stand down!” Manfred Russo shouts at his men. They do so, snapping to attention as he trudges down the front path, his fists clenched so hard his knuckles are white. I see so much of Zandra in him. And that’s why I don’t react when he winds back and punches me in the jaw. I stumble to the ground, my ear ringing and my face throbbing. I deserved it. I deserve all of it. I will accept it. I see no point in fighting back. Even if I wanted to, Manfred Russo is almost three times my age. There’s no
Zandra Russo POV I awake with a start. There’s a blinding, throbbing pain in my chest, just below my left shoulder. I can’t make sense of my surroundings. Everything’s too loud, too bright. Confusion makes the room spin and fear makes my blood run cold. What just happened? How did I get here?“Easy, Zandy,” Aunt Natalya says as she hooks me up to a blood bag. O-positive, according to the sticker slapped on the front. “It was a high caliber round, so the bullet went right through you. You lost a lot of blood, but you’re lucky it missed all your important organs. Four inches lower and it would have pierced your heart.” Aunt Natalya is speaking perfectly clearly, but I don’t understand a word coming out of her mouth. Is it because of the shock? The pain? Probably both. I groan.“What happened?” “Relax, sweetheart,” Dad says. He’s at my bedside, his brows steepled together in grave concern. My uncles are here. So are Mom Amara, Alessandra, and Jovito. It’s a miracle my room is big enoug
Thorton Gallardo POV I don’t need to be an expert in reading body language to know tensions are running high. This is a public meeting—as is the tradition—hosted in a restaurant that’s been completely booked out. The lighting is dim. Armed men are everywhere. They don’t just belong to the Russo, but to the other families I’ve managed to piss off, as well. Why couldn’t we have done this in the back of some dingy room? Because this is a show of good faith, of honor, an unspoken code of conduct. There is nowhere to hide here, no secrets to be kept…which is exactly how I know everyone in this room hates my guts and they’re itching to reach for their guns and show it. Zandra—gorgeous, beautiful, fierce Zandra—sits at the head of the table. Her father and her uncles stand behind her like silent stone sentries. Around the table, the other Mafia heads sit. Some faces are familiar. Others are not. They all have one thing in common, though, and it’s the way they all stare daggers at me and my