Mirabella's PovThe last few minutes was me getting ready to commence surgery. I scrubbed, put on my gloves, sterilized the surgical tools I’ll be needing, checked Matteo’s blood pressure and Airway to be certain that I’m on the green side.Pretty decent, and it’s time to go big or go home.I clean Matteo up and disinfect the areas around his wound. “Hey,” I lean down and speak in a hushed tone and he grunts in response. “You’ve held your ground so far but I need you to do this with me. In no time, we’ll get that little shit out of you, okay? Just breathe and stay awake; you stay in control of the pace at which you breathe, hmm? You can do that, can you not?” I ask and he slightly nods his head and muffles a ‘yes’.Good.“I need O Negative blood available; we need to commence blood transfusion. He’s obviously lost a lot,” I say to no one in particular but Pablo speedily leaves the room to go grab as many blood bags as he can.“Matteo, make sure to stay awake, talk to me if you have to
Mirabella's PovThirty six hours; that’s how long it has been since I performed a successful surgery on Matteo. Successful because he woke up a few hours later and was responsive to touch and everything in between. However, he went back to sleep after that and hasn’t woken up until now.It doesn’t bother me. He’s as stable as can be and his blood work came back clean.I’ve been by his side the last twenty four hours, unable to shut my eyes or take my hands off him. I know he’s stable but there’s an intense feeling to hold on to him just to be sure.“Matteo?” I call out his name in a questioning manner when he let out a groan in his sleep. He whimpers as a tear rolls down the side of his face. I clean it off with my thumb. Matteo’s grip on my hand tightens and I wince as I get off my seat, leaning down so that my face is inches away from his.“Are you okay?” I pat his hair and his body somewhat convulses as he mumbles a few words under his breath.“No, no, no. What did I do? Bianca!” H
Mirabella's Pov I jerk awake with a wince. Slowly but steadily, my eyes begin adjusting to the environment and I find myself completely naked, hands bound to the headboard of a bed. I pull on the cuffs but It's tightly secured against the headboard. I pull harder and harder until the cuffs scrape my skin, causing me to cry out in pain. "You're pathetic," a voice mocks from the shadows and I halt my movement, waiting for someone to appear. A minute turns into two then into three but there's still no movement; anticipation almost causes my blood pressure to reach its all time high. “So fucking pathetic.” The light in the room is turned on revealing my father and sister; naked. Jesus. "Annabella, what are you doing?" My heart begins pounding so hard that I hear its rhythm. I choke at the sight before me. Why am I naked? In the same room where my sister and father are naked? My mind turns into a madhouse. "Oh my. . .did you?" I look down at my bare body and back to my father and si
Mirabella's PovAnnabella gets up from the side of the bed and massages her temple. "What is it about you, huh? Tell me, Mirabella! How do you get them to choose you? How do you get all the good people by your corner? How are you still alive? After everything you've been through, how are you still standing!" My sister begins fidgeting with her fingers which are obviously trembling.But not in fear, in anger.My tears are spewing uncontrollably in realization that my sister is envious of me. This same me that has always envied her growing up, the irony of life."I'm sorry, Anna, I'll make it right, sorella, I promise. I'll get us out and far away from here if you could just help me escape. Please Annabella, just do this with me."A hearty laughter wracks through her and she throws herself on the cushion. "You're such a fool, Mirabella," she trails off into her dark demeanor. "Do you really think you're in father's custody? I’ll make one thing clear, sister, you're my hostage and you're
Mirabella's PovTwo weeks.I claw at my face, smash my head into the hard surface of the wall, and punch my fist into the same wall over and over again. A new kind of sorrow engulfs me and the urgent need to mourn my mother all over again surfaces.In all the two weeks I’ve been locked up in this room and tortured mentally, I punished myself day after day and night after night, because I couldn’t do anything else to help myself. I mourned myself like a dead person while I’m still very much alive; And my sister and father watched me in amusement as I broke myself inch after inch.Today is another dreadful day, a day to be faced by another well thought out mental and emotional torture.I’m sitting on the cold floor, with my knees bent upward and my head in between my thighs. My arms wrap around my legs to help hold them together as I cry myself to shit. The injury inflicted on me by Annabella might have stopped stinging so much, but my heart is still broken into unrecoverable pieces.Th
Matteo's PovWhen you find yourself drowning in your own mistakes, when the gut wrenching nightmares don’t leave you alone, when all you’ve done is struggle to remain mentally sane, the weight of your trauma at some point swallows you up until you loose touch with everything.That was what happened two weeks ago when I woke up from a terrible nightmare and sent my wife packing. I woke up from the same nightmare that has always plagued me, only this time, it wasn’t just Bianca that I’d killed. I ripped Mirabella’s heart out of her in my dream and when I finally woke up, I found that I’d already done some damage to her physically.I panicked and had to tell myself the truth, the truth that I was a danger to her.I sent her away only to protect her from my monsters and I regret it.Her fragrance still lingers in the part of the mansion where she stayed, I still think about how she touched herself in my office while calling out my name, how I buried my face into her beautiful, heavenly cu
Mirabella's PovIf someone had told me that three days was enough time for this level of improvement I’d have literally strangled them, but it’s true. I’m glowing, my skin has come alive and my scars are almost non-existent because Matteo made sure to make available the best dermatologist and nutritionist just so they can help get me up and going.Get my skin healthy and everything in between.I’m so grateful for him, because throughout today, I’ve been in a good place. For the first time, I don’t actually regret being married to him but I fear for him. It’s been three days since he left here in anger and he hasn’t shown up nor has he called to say that he’s okay.Although there’s been a few rumors around the estate today that he attacked the consigliere’s mansion, still, I doubt the authenticity of that information.Matteo cannot put his position on the line at least not for me.It’s almost nine p.m and since I can no longer sit around, waiting for someone who might not want to come
Matteo's Pov I’m kneeling between Mirabella’s thighs as I drink up her naked body. The naked body that has me imagining animalistic things, the naked body that has me about to make a mistake I’m sure will regret in no distant time. But for this perfect body, I’m willing to make mistakes for the rest of my life. Her wetness is glistening and making her little rosy pussy shine incredibly. Fuck. Like I said, it gets better and better. Her feel on my fingers was amazing and her taste was immaculate. She was right when she said her pussy feels like a portal, because I’m definitely being sucked in and I’ve just been in her with my fingers. “Matteo?” She calls out to me in a questioning manner as she attempts taking off her blindfold but I can’t let her do that. She has me fumbling already and if I’m to look into those dangerous orbs of hers whilst I fuck her, I know I’ll be finished. They’ll be no going back. “Leave it!” I command. I lean down, holding my weight off with my elbows. My
Mariana’s Pov“Why did you bring me here?”My voice is accusing as I ask the question, my eyes tight, void of emotions. Alejandro’s Adam's apple bobs, an indication that a thick lump just slid down his throat.Then he smiles. He doesn’t know it, but the smile seems forced. “I’ve told you a million times, Mariana,” he says, his tone firm, robotic, “I want us to live freely for at least one week.”And that’s how I know he’s lying.Alejandro might be dangerous, but he has a casual persona. The type of man to wear a matching set of sweat shirt and pants in a room full of formally dressed men. The type of man to pull a trigger with a smile on his face. But his sudden seriousness when I ask my question is enough to sell him out. He’s suddenly defensive, and when one becomes defensive, something is amiss.“Cut the crap,” I murmur, my voice inaudible.“What was that?” Alejandro’s voice is low, sharp. It cuts through the air like a blade. His eyes are on mine, waiting, daring me to answer.I
Alejandro’s PovEating is done, and the basket is discarded to the side, leaving enough space for Mariana and I to share in each other’s warmth.We’re lying beside each other, finger interlocked, our gazes faced towards the sky. We revel in the silence, feel the depth of our connection without actually speaking.And it surprises me how Mariana is so receptive to this newness, to this softness.The intensity of her beauty, the authority in her words, and even her gracefulness will have anyone who doesn’t truly know her believing that she’s such a tough woman who has no emotions.Lies.She’s just as soft hearted, and she craves gentility.The night is still, the sound of the waves the only thing breaking the quiet. I’m staring up at the sky again, but I can’t help it—my mind keeps drifting back to her.What does she feel about me? What does she feel now that we have our finger locked, and our eyes faced towards the same direction?I roll onto my side, propping myself up on my elbow so I
Alejandro’s PovDay one on the Island.I jerk awake to heat, my muscles straining. Mariana’s body is perfectly molded into mine, her mass of dark, silky hair falling over my chest.A feeling of satisfaction fills my heart and I kiss the back of her head.She groans, and shifts back, wanting to disappear into me. But she wakes something else. Her ass locks around my growing bulge and a strained grunt escapes in my throat.“Shit, baby,” my voice comes out gruff, “you need to move a little.”I go to gently push her legs when she suddenly arches her back into me, causing my hand to land between her thighs. She moans.Fuck me.I move my hand, my fingertips grazing the skin of her inner thigh. She stirs, a small cry eliciting in her throat. I can’t tell if she’s fully awake, but her breathing is too uneven for someone who is still asleep. My hand squeezes her thigh, waiting for her to stop me. She doesn’t. I take that as a sign to continue. The hand buried between her thighs travels furth
Mariana’s PovWe’ve had quite the journey, moving from flying, to riding in the back of a truck, and now, we’re boarding a boat.I have no complaints.This somewhat reminds me of my days of active duty, the days when I was going on dangerous missions. The feeling is exhilarating.“You can’t keep ignoring me, my lady,” Alejandro’s whiny voice resounds beside me. And it warms my heart. Still, I sidestep him and make my way into the boat.I sit in the plush leather seat, feeling the warmth of the sun-kissed leather envelop me. The boat's engines roar to life, and we set out, gliding across the turquoise waters, leaving the world behind.I inhale and exhale a breath, calming my heart.My hair whips back, the strands dancing in the ocean breeze. I laugh, feeling carefree, alive. The wind carries the sweet scent of saltwater and the faint hint of Alejandro's cologne. I throw my head back and breathe a relieved sigh. The blue of the ocean catches my eyes. The shininess of it, the glow cast
Alejandro’s PovResistance. That’s all I see in her eyes. She’s fighting her pleasure—a war between her flesh and her mind. And I’ll tell you for sure that the flesh will always win.My face buries deeper, my tongue swirling around her bud. Her skin tightens, but she holds back her voice.“Let go, baby. . .Let go. . .” I urge, my tongue pushing into her entrance, curling. She doesn’t budge. I push a finger into her, and another, and another, and another. I curl all three fingers and she lets out a cry.“There you go,” I praise, “there you fucking go. . .”And then I’m fucking her recklessly with my fingers and my tongue. She cries harder, her body jerking. Her sweet, melodious voice draws a moan out of me. And suddenly, it’s no longer a fight of pleasure.She’s full on fighting me.I see how much my words affect her, but I know it’s not just about the words. It’s the confirmation. She always has been curious to know if I hold a grudge against her over what transpired between our pare
Mariana's Pov“It was you?” I ask, unsure, “the soldier who stole from the family?”“Bingo,” he smiles broadly, “we’re going to have a blast, baby.”I lean back into my seat and allow my brain fall into silence and calmness for a moment. Just a few minutes. And then laughter erupts in my throat.My chest quakes with the frequency of my laugh, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes.“You’re a fucking genius aren’t you?” I ask, cackling, “all that calmness you exude, all that patience and endurance. . .you had it all figured out.”Alejandro’s eyes are on me, observing, careful. The movement of his arm is slow, deliberate as he puts his gun down.“You’re not mad at me?” He asks.I tip my head to the side, my teeth diving my bottom lip, nibbling sensually. Alejandro throws his hips in the air, a small grunt resounding low in his throat.“Is there a reason to be angry?” I ask and wait.He hesitates for a moment before tucking his gun away. And that’s when I strike. He doesn’t see me com
Mariana's Pov“It was you who put him in that state after all. How did you do it, Maria, huh? Was it the cookies you couldn't stop serving him? Or your special teas? How the fuck did you, right under our noses, succeed in reducing Don Vladimr Zakone Vaslav to a vegetable?”My brows twitch and a muscle feathers in my jaw. I throw my back against the backrest and heave out a sigh, my eyes locking with his.“I’m still waiting, Mariana,” Alejandro presses. He tries to sound serious, but I notice the slight upturn of the corner of his mouth and the look of awe in his eyes.He’s not angry.Good.Perhaps he is but is exceptionally good at concealing it: the logical part of my mind warns.My brows twitch. “Mind your business, Alejandro,” I mutter, my tone bored.His chuckle rumbles. “Your business is my business, amore mio,” he replies, “especially when my name was mentioned. “And that mad son of yours, his punishment will be doubled for ever putting hands on Alejandro. . .” I didn’t think a
Mariana's Pov“My love should be enough for the both of us, Mariana.”His words shake me to the core. And what shakes me more is the emotion swirling in those orbs of his. Why won’t he get angry at me?Why won’t he scream at me? Do something that shows me how much I drive him to the point of anger?“You’re a fool,” I mutter, a hand raking through my hair. “Come get my bags, soldier!” I command. A smile coats his lips as he approaches. He picks up my bags as though they weigh nothing and then he turns around, intending to exit the room.The door creaks open and Radimr walks in, his eyes on me, tender. He flashes me a smile and I mirror his smile.Huffing out an angry breath, Alejandro storms out of the room. But he doesn’t leave—he stands by the door, his eyes peeking through the small space.He watches as his brother’s arms envelope me in a hug, he watches how I reciprocate that hug with so much enthusiasm. His eyes cloud over with rage. And then Radimr’s mouth crashes on mine, rava
Mariana's PovI puff out a breath and squeeze the last of my clothes into the small travel bag I intend to go on my travels with.A little backtracking here: earlier today while Alejandro, my husband, and myself sat in my office deciding how to track down the soldier who dared to steal from the family and run off, Alejandro had volunteered to track him through the countries the fucker has been in and out of in the last few days.And at that moment, my stupid little heart thought it was an opportunity. An opportunity to experience those seven days Alejandro promised me without dealing with my husband’s suspecting eyes.What did I do? I made a declaration that I regretted right when the words left my mouth.“I’ll go with you,” I blurted, surprising both brothers.“What?” My husband had asked, eyes wide.“You know how good I am with words, baby,” I responded as I slid my hand into his. “Sending Alejandro alone for something like this might turn out to be a mistake. He lacks in communicat