Matteo's PovAs I hold her into me, soothing her into calmness, my wife seems to relax further with every passing second.“Did I go too far, baby?” I ask, my mouth resting on the space behind her ear.“No, no, not at all, Matteo.” She exhales a staggered breath as she turns around to face me, her eyes holding mine. “I’m perfect.”“Purple looks good on your skin,” I say on a whisper, leaning down to fuse my lips with hers. She gasps into my mouth and I expel a sigh of relaxation, my hands moving down to massage her ass.I pull her bottom lip between my teeth and give it a small bite. The act draws a moan from Mirabella’s throat; a moan that sends excitement coursing through my bones.Slowly, I begin leaning down, dragging my tongue in slow glides along her neckline. My wife’s hands come to rest on my shoulders fisting my shirt in a tight grip, her chest heaving with quickened breaths.I run my tongue over her cold, tightly perked nipple before closing my lips around the bud. She throws
Matteo's PovI wake up early with a feeling of an unexplainable joy, and when I feel my wife’s warm body molded into mine, her face looking relaxed and at peace as she clings onto me in her sleep, that unexplainable feeling of joy expands more at my heart. I gently brush a strand of hair out of her face, and she stirs, smiling.That beautiful smile."Good morning," she whispers, her voice husky."Buongiorno, bella," I reply, my voice low and husky. I lean in, kissing her softly. She tastes like sleep and sweetness. And like me.I linger on her lips, feeling my heart swell with love. I glance at her belly, rounding out her nightgown. Our little one is growing, and I can't wait to meet them.“How are you feeling this morning, Tesoro mio?” I ask as I bury my face into the crook of her neck, inhaling a deep breath, my arms tightening around her.She hums lovingly, the palm of her hand coming to rest on top of the back of my palm. “I feel so good, Matteo. A little tired, a little sore, but
Matteo's PovWe spend a few more hours at the hospital, breezing in and out of one observation room to another. And in all the hours we spend at the hospital, all my wife does is talk my ears off about how upset she is with me for not disclosing the details of the surprise I have for her.I love the woman, but she can be infuriating and wearisome when she wants to be.After the checkup, I dismiss my men to head back to the estate, seeing how I’d like to enjoy a more private time with my wife without those brooding men hovering over us like some spy birds.I open the passenger’s side for her to get in, bowing my head like her very own private chauffeur. That’s exactly what I am, putting in consideration how many rides I’ve taken her on.Get your mind out of the gutters, Matteo Denaro.When I get into the driver’s side, my mouth part for words, but Mirabella put her hand up, stopping me from speaking even before I get the chance. “If whatever you intend to say has nothing to do with you
Matteo's PovA few days later.Blood has always been a constant factor in my life. From the earliest years of my life that I can remember, up until now, it has never been unknown to me.Shedding and spilling blood whenever I see fit has become a part of me, and I've learned to welcome it with open arms.And I don’t just welcome it unwillingly, I am so willing to do whatever it takes to spill as much blood as I can. It’s an act which I enjoy so much so I don’t feel at ease when I haven’t indulged.My hands are bloody, my eyes tightly narrowed, bottom lip caught between my teeth as I stare at my wife’s father in contemplation.The old man is on the floor, several parts of his body bleeding out, his throat eliciting pained and sorrowful whimpers, and his eyes rolling to the back of his head—an indication that he’s slowly drifting into the depths of darkness. Death.“Fuck,” I whisper frustratedly, my gaze shifting from the old man to Alessio who also has a regretful expression etched on hi
Mirabella's PovMonths later.I'm huddled in the kitchen with my husband, whispering and giggling like conspirators. We're planning a surprise party for our twins, Mariano and Mariana.A party to celebrate their sixth birthday.It’s been months since my children turned six, but I was skeptical about throwing a party for them for several reasons.First, my son doesn’t exactly like being surrounded by lots of people. He in-fact only enjoys the company of his sister and I do not wish to trigger him by forcing him out of his natural habitat.Secondly, our worst enemy, my father, was roaming free and devising several means to harm my family. I didn’t want to have us all in one place where he could easily hurt us.Now, he’s dead; hence, we’re throwing an intimate party for the kids."Okay, so we've got the cake, the decorations, and the games," I say, ticking off each item on my list. "What about the guest list?"Matteo replies, "Just family and close friends. We want to keep it intimate."
Matteo's PovI sit beside my son, holding him close as he trembles in my arms. The party chaos fades into the distance, leaving only the two of us in this quiet room.Minutes tick by, and I search for the right words to say. But what can I say to ease his pain? To make him feel safe again?I look down at him, his eyes still closed, his small chest rising and falling with each breath. My heart swells with love and compassion."Mariano, mio figlio," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "My son, I'm here for you. I'm always here for you."He doesn’t speak. The silence stretches out, but I don't fill it. I let him know that I'm present, that I'm not going anywhere.Slowly, his trembling subsides, and he opens his eyes. They're red-rimmed, but they lock onto mine, searching for reassurance."I'm sorry, Papa," he whispers, his voice cracking.I pull him closer, my heart breaking. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Mariano. You're perfect just the way you are.""Papa. . .but I don't know what
Mirabella's PovMonths later.I stand by the glass window, a beautiful smile etched to my face as I watch my husband and children interact in such a soul touching manner.After the events at the twins' birthday months ago, Matteo and I made a decision to move to Rome for a little while in order for us to give our full focus to our growing children.The house he purchased for us here in Rome is elegant, modern, small, and intimate. We decided to go for something smaller because we wanted a place that allows us to be closer to our kids, not a house that keeps us so far apart from one another.Matteo is chasing the children around the garden and they’re both laughing out their lungs as they tease him.My heart warms with a smile, my hands cradling my now huge bump.As though he notices my eyes on him, he stops chasing the kids and looks up at me. He waves at me, his face beaming with a smile. I chuckle and blow kisses at him.He grabs his chest, acting like someone shot with a love arrow
Matteo's PovI can recount the number of times when my wife was so happy the child in her surfaces. And the happiness and joy she feels today is worthy to be taken note of.She’s all flustered, her chest heaving, her face wide with a huge grin, and her eyes locked on the shiny ring around her finger.As I drive us back to our home, I feel a sense of fulfillment, of joy, knowing that I’m the reason my woman can’t stop herself from expressing her profound joy.“I still can’t believe this. . .oh my gosh!” She shrieks, slapping her hands over her thighs. I snort a laugh, shaking my head at her cuteness. She's like a kid on Christmas morning, her eyes sparkling with excitement.“You’re gonna wear it out if you keep staring at it, baby,” I say in an attempt to gain her undivided attention."Matteo, just look at it! Isn't it stunning?" She asks for the umpteenth time, waving her hand in front of me.I chuckle and take her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's beautiful, amore. Almost as be
Alejandro’s PovThis anxiety—I’ve never felt anything like it before. My nerves are all over the place, my skin trembling. I kiss Mariana again for the millionth time in a handful of hours.She smiles at me. The smile is distant, almost like it doesn’t reach her eyes. I smile back and pull her closer, holding her as tight as I can, fearful that this might be the last chance I get at holding her this close to me.And no, this has nothing to do with her winning the fight or dying in that cage because as long as I breathe, Mariana will walk out of that cage alive and well.But I’m afraid of the responsibilities that come with the position she’ll occupy. I’m afraid that she might forget our love and become intoxicated with power.All of this might just happen in a few hours.“The way you’re holding me, Alejandro, one might think I’m about to die from a terminal disease.”She says.Is she trying to make a joke? Does this seem like a joke to her?I open my mouth to speak but a knock on the
Mariana’s Pov“I will fight in her place. . .”The world around me goes completely silent the moment Alejandro blurts those words. When I planned to use him as my human shield in chaotic times like this, I didn’t expect to fall for him so ridiculously hard that I’m unable to imagine him getting hurt for my sake.Love is a strange and terrifying thing. I never imagined feeling it this deeply, this intensely. Not for Alejandro. Not for a man who was supposed to be my shield, my weapon. And now, the very thought of him stepping into that cage for me… it’s unbearable.The second reason?It’s pride. It’s survival. These men already think I’m weak. They see me as nothing but a woman—Radimr’s wife and mother of his son. If Alejandro steps into that cage in my stead, I will be proving them right, I will become that which they think I am.Weak.Unworthy.And then, everything I’ve clawed my way toward will crumble before my eyes. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen. So, no. Aleja
Mariana’s PovOne word.Fuckers.No, let’s make it two words.Misogynistic fuckers.They’ve kept me in here for hours, scrutinizing me, digging into my soul in their fruitless attempt at finding the truth of what truly happened to my husband.Alejandro too is seated here as a high ranking made man and a member of this family. Surprisingly, my father, mother and brother are here too. Not inside the parliament room, but they’re right outside the door, waiting for when the chaos escalates so they can stand in for me.It warms my heart.“Let’s go through it again,” one of the elders says, “what did you say happen to your husband? Tell us that story again, in detail.”“I. . .” I open my mouth to speak but Alejandro’s thick, aggravated voice resounds, cutting me short. “I believe she has told that story more times than we all can count.”“Yes, we know that,” another elder says, his russian accent thick. “But we need to hear it again.”“Why?” Alejandro asks, “why are you poking a woman wh
Alejandro’s PovDon’t sleep tonight.I’ve thought about those words in every way possible, imagined every possible scenario that’ll make Mariana ask me to stay awake tonight, and yet, I’ve found none.Or maybe I haven’t thought about it as deeply as I should.I wanted to hold her, to ask her more, but the presence of her husband made that impossible. And now, hours have ticked by, and I’m still unable to get my answers.Wait—is tonight the night? Is her plan unfolding tonight?Truth is, I don’t even know what her plan is, but I strongly suspect it has everything to do with ending Radimr. So, if she’s asked me to stay awake tonight, it might mean she needs me close.I pull open my room’s door and step out into the hallway. The manor is too quiet. Everyone is asleep, and those who aren’t are standing guard outside of the house.My stomach twists with a warning that chaos is brewing tonight, but I push it aside and start walking. I make a turn towards the stairs and start moving up the s
Mariana’s PovTime flies when happiness fills your days.It’s been two months since I gave birth to my Angel. Two months since my heart swelled with love so pure and overwhelming, I thought I might drown in it.I love my son.I love him for coming into my life and unraveling a part of me I never knew existed. For being my light in the darkness.But most of all, I love him for arriving exactly when I needed him—as though sent by the universe itself to give me a way out.Because today, after weeks of persuasion, my husband has finally done what I’ve been waiting for. He has presented my son to the elders of his family, naming him as his successor should anything happen to him.It’s tradition, a ritual of power. To the outside world, it’s a declaration of legacy. To me, it’s the final piece of the puzzle.I know Angel is too young to be entangled in this messy, bloody business, but I had to secure his place in this world before setting my plans into motion.Plans that have been months in
Alejandro’s PovThis is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. For the first time, it feels like I have a complete family—no, I know I have a complete family.In the last three months, the universe has granted me a gift I never expected: uninterrupted time with the woman I love and the child she carries. Our son. Every morning, I wake up beside her, wrapped in the warmth of her presence. I feel my son’s first kick as the sun rises, and his tiny, eager movements as the night falls. I’ve stayed awake with them, laughed with them, cried with them, fallen sick with them, and loved them. I’ve been a father and a lover in every way that matters.Why? Because Radimr’s travels somehow stretched from days into weeks, and weeks into months.“Something else has come up, and I’ll need to stay another week. . .” That’s been his excuse for three months.On the phone, Mariana plays the part of the concerned wife. She sighs and murmurs her disappointment, as though his absence truly pains her. But
Mariana’s PovWhen my eyes open, I’m met with the most beautiful sight I’ve seen in days. Alejandro, sleeping peacefully, his lashes fluttering, arms still wrapped around me.Wow!How did we fall asleep?I lean in and smack a kiss on his lips, causing him to stir a bit, groaning, his arms tightening firmer around me. I kiss him again, this time longer.It doesn’t take seconds before his mouth parts, his lips fusing with mine. I moan just as a groan vibrates throughout his body.His eyes flutter open, just a tiny slit, the lazy gaze holding mine. It’s like realization dawns on him and he retrieves his lips from mine in a swift motion. “Mariana. . .” He whispers groggily.“Make love to me,” I declare.His brows pull into a furrow, lips formed into a pout. “I. . .” He starts and I cut him off.“Please,” I hush, my lips ghosting over his.His resolve falters. And he’s staring at me with adoration as well as restraint.Then there’s the feral desire burning in his eyes. In mine too. The ris
Mariana’s PovTime seems to slow down when things aren’t really going your way.Maybe I pushed too hard, too far the other night. Far enough that Alejandro has been completely ignoring me for days now. Far enough that Radimr has become ware of me, always staring at me with suspicious eyes. Far enough that the maids in this house seem to avoid me as often as they can.To simply put, I’ve been living an isolated life for the past seven days.Just me, and my heavy fucking stomach. It’s dreadful just as much as it is comforting.I’m pulled out of the daze when a towering figure stands in front of me and wraps his hand around me. “Don’t look so sad, I’m just going to be away for just a few weeks, my love,” Radimr whispers as he hugs me. I thin my lips into a smile. “I’ll miss you.”His smile is radiant when he replies, “I’ll miss you too. Please don’t over work yourself. . .or get to upset while I’m gone. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my son.” Stupid fucker.I scoff. “I’m a big g
Mariana’s Pov“Look at that,” Alejandro says, his voice low, the smirk on his lips sharp enough to cut. “How easy it is to lure you out here and break your heart into a million pieces.”The words land like a blow. He doesn’t even try to soften them. And I know exactly what he means. When he came into my room, kneeling by my bed, whispering the words I had been desperate to hear for months, he knew. He knew I was awake, knew I’d hear every word and cling to the hope they offered.It wasn’t an accident. He said them to draw me here. To break me just as much as I’ve broken him.Petty bastard.But it’s not the cruelty of his intention that stings the most—it’s how he chose to do it. By humiliating me in front of someone else. Bringing her into a room that should have been our sanctuary, our safe haven.My lips tremble as I force out the question. “What is that supposed to mean?”Alejandro steps forward, his movements slow and deliberate, his smirk twisting with mockery. “What are you doin