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
Mirabella's PovIn my younger days, my mother made it a point to make me feel like a princess. She’d dress me up, doll me up, making sure I felt as content, beautiful, seen, and happy as possible.“You’re a princess, my love, and all princesses always have their wish granted to them. All you have to do when you want something is to wish upon it and it’ll all be yours. You deserve all the best life has to offer,” she’d say.I didn’t believe her.And the tragic events of my life were enough reasons not to believe her.But today, as I stand by the grand door of the St. Peter’s Basilica Rome, with my daughter by the right side of me, and my son by the left side of me, both of them holding my hands and ready to lead me down the aisle where I’ll once again exchange my vows with their father, this time in truth and from the depth of my heart, I now have an understanding of what my mother used to say to me.As my husband comes into view, holding our eight month old babbling daughter to his ch
Genre: Romance, Mafia.Theme: Dark romance.Setting: The book unfolds in Italy and migrates to Russia, and is set to occur in the 21st centuryTone: Dark, wild, and steamyCharacters:-Mariana Denaro: Female lead.Alexandr Radimr Vastlav: Mariana’s husband.Alejandro Raes Vastlav: Mariana’s brother in-law and her love interest.Mariano Denaro: Mariana’s brother.Mr and Mrs. Denaro: Mariana’s parents.Story Extract:“I want you, Mariana.” Alejandro asserts.“I’m Married.” I whisper.“I. Want. You.” He pushes.“I’m Married. . .to your brother.”He tuts, “quite an unfortunate situation for you, wouldn’t you agree?”. . .She’s a liar.He’s smart.She’s a con artist.He’s a psychotic maniac.She’s on a mission of discovery.He’s on a mission of destruction.Mariana Denaro, the first daughter of the powerful Italian mafia family, is a force to be reckoned with. Behind her polished facade and designer gowns, she conceals a sharp mind and a calculating heart.To the world, she's a spoilt bra
Mariana's PovMy life is fucked.There’s a certainty that the devil is clapping and laughing in pride, rejoicing over what I’ve become—a slave to his evilness.It’s laughable how I’m supposed to be in control of my life, yet, I’ve opened myself up to the dirtiness and suffering of humanity, pushing my body to a point of eruption with self destruction.The heel of my boots knock against the tiled floor, the sound bouncing off the walls in echoes. I leisurely stride into the large living room of my parent’s manor with a bottle of scotch in one hand, and in another, between my index and middle finger, a joint.My parents took up half of the estate, building their manor and I sometimes wonder what they do with such a large space when it’s just the two of them. A few helps included.“Where are they?” I ask the maid who comes to usher me in. But instead of giving me an immediate answer, she takes her time, judging my outfit, her disgust laced eyes roaming my barely covered body from head to
Mariana's PovI walk into the pool house only to find it crammed from wall to wall with drunken and overly horny adults. Letting out a somewhat quiet laugh, my eyes desperately scan the entirety of the room inch after inch until they finally land on the one person I hoped to see.“Leah!” I yell out in excitement as I run towards my best friend, engulfing her in a playful hug whilst she laughs, playfully kissing my cheeks and wishing me a happy birthday.Our fingers lace together and she twirls me around three hundred and sixty degrees, letting out a low laugh before affirming, “You look absolutely stunning, birthday girl!”Dramatic much.Laughter bubbles out of me with my head thrown back. “You look absolutely stunning, sister in law,” I tease and she rolls her eyes at me, a shy scoff eliciting in her throat.Minutes after conversing with Leah, I make my way to the middle of the room with a bottle of scotch in hand, screaming my proclamation. “Thank you all for attending my sick party
Mariana’s PovI’m seated alone when all of a sudden, I feel a presence beside me. I look up and my eyes find Mathew staring down at me with his creepy smile.“Penny for your thoughts?” Mathew plops down beside me, breathing out an alcohol reeked breath. I have to physically force my throat to tighten in order not to gag.Out of all my friends, Mathew is the one I mistrust the most. I often find his traits very bizarre and he’s someone who exudes desperation for attention.More like he wants to be noticed by me but for a specific reason.“Hey Matt, having fun?” I question and he hums with his eyes closed shut.We both maintain the very much needed silence for some minutes before he speaks up. “What exactly is your deal, Mariana? You have access to drugs, you’re sometimes covered in blood, you live in this castle with lots of guards. . .” He trails off and my eyebrows furrow at him.A sudden gasp that has me flinching erupts from his throat, “Your father is a drug lord? Tell me! It make
Mariana's PovTime and time again, I’ve heard People say that there’s a fire burning in my soul, a fire threatening to reduce me to nothing but ashes, a fire that might make or mar me—only time will tell.But do I care? No.I have not a care in the world about what that fire does to me because I’m twice as dangerous. People might not see it, sometimes they look at me and think that I’m just another woman whose only concern is to whore around until her entire life is fucked up. Sometimes I’m overlooked because of my gender, especially in our world of crime.But I’m the danger you should avoid. I’m the danger that comes at you without warning. Everything about me screams danger but I made a choice a long time ago to suppress my demons.I suppressed the urge to be evil and all of a sudden, my life crumbled from every corner. And now, I’ve truly become just another woman. A daughter born to the Denaro’s. A daughter born to the most powerful family in Italy who’s been prepared to be marri
Mariana's PovFather smiles as though accepting the challenge. “What the fuck did you just say to me, young lady?”Leah side steps Mariano, exposing herself to the danger coming after her. This girl—her oblivion will be the death of her. “I said,” she gulps, “with all due respect, sir, I’d like to point out that you’re the most uncultured human being I’ve ever come across.”It’s silent for a second, filled with heavy, angry, and fearful breaths. But the look in my father’s eyes is familiar. I know him well enough to know that instead of being angry, he’s impressed by her boldness.But she doesn’t need to know this, so that it doesn’t become a constant habit of hers to talk back to the Godfather of Italy, especially with his subjects around.Father chuckles.That stupid man scoffs, excitement dancing in his eyes.Mariano swallows hard, desperation filling his orbs as he whispers a few things into Leah’s ear but she’s not having it.And my mother’s lips are turned up the slightest bit.
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