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Taken by the Mafia King In the Garden of Eden
KillianI carried Sera all the way to the kitchen after wrapping her in a comforter from the nearest guest room. Caterina, Olivia, and Joyce rushed in like ER nurses to clean and bandage her up. I wanted to call Dr. Enstrom, but Sera insisted it wasn’t necessary.The tension in the room was palpable, sour and negative, and the moment I set Sera down at the table. Caterina tried to push me away, but Sera caught my arm with her uninjured one and whimpered, “Don’t leave me.”“Never,” I told her fiercely, refusing to leave her side as the women patched her up. Her throat and right cheek had thin lines that would disappear without scarring in time. The cut in her upper right arm, however, was deeper and needed stitches. It would heal as well but take longer to disappear.My heart refused to return to a normal pace. I was shaken up, though I would never admit it, but I would make my anger known. Sera and Tommaso somehow collaborated to make a move. My best friend distracted me from the issu
Taken by the Mafia King Never Again
SeraI was slightly alarmed that my state of shock faded within the next hour. Had I really gone through so many traumatic experiences that I was barely fazed anymore?But the pain of my injuries didn’t get better. They smarted and stung, and it hurt to talk. And eat. All I wanted to do was enjoy Pepper’s chicken noodle soup, but every swallow sent a sharp ache down my nerves. I quickly gave up and took Olivia’s offer to head up to the “apartment” Killian used to live in when he was younger. Mom and Penny were already in the process of transferring my belongings up there. It went unspoken that I wasn’t going to return to either of my former bedrooms for a while.“Do you want one of us to help you shower?” Olivia asked. “We can wrap up your scratches again, no problem.”I did want to shower. Mattia’s blood was crusted in my hair. Even though my friends had cleaned me up, there were still flecks of red drying on my face, neck, arms, and legs. And I desperately wanted to change my clothe
Taken by the Mafia King He Can Make it Better
SeraI was probably scarred in more ways than one from the Mattia ordeal, and maybe I was still running on adrenaline that impaired my decision-making, but I knew I was still sane and doing what I meant to do.My core was starting to throb faintly, and making love to Killian was the best way I could think of to relieve my stress. It was better than attempting to sleep. I was still too amped up to even try.Killian shook his head despite the flash of intrigue in his eyes. What man actually wanted to deny his woman sex? “You’re too injured, amore. You need sleep.”I felt a surge of desperation, tears stinging my eyes as I admitted the fear already eating away at me. “I need you to touch me because he tried to touch me.”Rage passed over Killian’s face like a shadow. When it was gone, there was only compassion, something I realized I’d rarely seen on him before. I knew it was in him, but this was one of the few times he was vulnerable enough to show it.He scooted closer until we were pr
Taken by the Mafia King Waking Up Whole
SeraI slept fitfully. The pain medications eventually wore off, and my injuries kept hurting. I didn’t sleep on my left side often, but that was the best way to keep my body from hurting. Adjusting to that was awkward. Mild nightmares didn’t help, either.But each time I woke, Killian was there. Whether he was jolted awake or already awake, he was there to hush and comfort me that the living nightmare was over, that I was safe. And that lulled me back into peaceful oblivion.Eventually, my body decided I’d had enough sleep, and I blinked awake, mostly rested, to find Killian with his back to me. I heard his phone keyboard tapping.I smiled and nestled my face against his upper back. “You’re fine being the little spoon?”Killian chuckled softly. “No one must know,” he said with mock seriousness. “How are you feeling?”“As good as I can be,” I admitted, wanting to rest my arm over him, but that wasn’t doable. “I’m just glad I got sleep at all, so that’s all that matters.”Killian rolle
Taken by the Mafia King Secrets Discovered
SeraMemories of a friend I once knew as a child rushed back.“That’s Paige Bruno,” I gasped, swiping the photo before Tommaso could hide it.Or what was left of her, I thought with a devastated heart. In the Polaroid, she was sitting on the ground, covered in dirt, and even with the flash on, it was hard to tell what color her hair was. Her pretty red hair, always in some sort of braid, gleaming in the sun as we chased each other through the yard. She was hardly recognizable.My fear sharpened into anger. I glared at Tommaso. “What the hell is going on? Why do you have this? Where is she? Who took this picture and when?”For such a broad-shouldered, confident, often cheery guy, Tommaso had a sudden knack for shrinking. He was eyeing the photo in my hand, and I knew he was calculating his chances of swiping it back. He had balls, thinking it would be easy to steal from someone who couldn’t move their right arm.“I’ve already seen it,” I snapped before he could get any words out, clutc
Taken by the Mafia King Permission Granted
KillianI had been downstairs working on the tunnels with the new guys when Sera called my name. All of the new recruits had done well with the shipment the night before, so they got another mission: boarding up old tunnels. None of them looked thrilled to be going from a covert, illegal operation to doing basic construction.“When you’re in this business,” I’d told them, “you’re a jack of all trades. You have to be able to fire a handgun just as much as you have to know how to use a glue gun.”When Sera called my name, I heard the fear in her voice. No one else could have picked up on it. I didn’t want her to have to come down here. Leaving the guys to stare after me, I flew up the stairs, where she was waiting with Tommaso behind her. They both looked totally wired.“Tommaso needs to go to Egypt. Now.”My heart did a weird dip. I refrained from glaring at Tommaso and demanding, You told her? Like it was some secret Sera could never know about. Then I realized Sera’s knowledge about
Taken by the Mafia King Another Secret
SeraA few days had gone by since Mattia’s break-in, and everything had been blissfully uneventful. My knife wounds were healing nicely, and I had been assured they would leave no trace of a scar behind.I told Killian it would have been badass to have a face scar similar to the one on his neck. He had the exact same thought, which I found hilarious and endearing. “It’s just proof we’re meant to be together,” I told him proudly.Killian nodded. “If thinking a line of raised tissue on your pretty cheek is what proves our love, then sure.”The tunnels were sealed, and with new cameras set up, Adrian’s system was surely better than anything an outside security company could come up with.Romance was blooming between him and Penny, slowly but surely. She still wasn’t completely over the loss of her husband, Mikey. Olivia and Patrick were officially a couple—but would never admit it in words—and Olivia was as giddy as a schoolgirl over him. It made my heart swell with joy to see my friends
Taken by the Mafia King A Good Day
Killian“Today’s the day, Alphonsi.”Scott’s derisive snort was crystal clear, even over the phone. “Hello to you too, Ricci. What are you so disturbingly chipper about?”I was feeling disturbingly chipper. For the first time in what felt like ever, everything was perfect. I finally felt like I had control over my own life. My household was safe, I was going to marry the love of my life next June, I’d further solidified myself as the mafia king of Philly by eliminating my biggest enemies, and by the end of the day, I would have finally, finally, tied up the final loose knots.“The day you get your share.”Scott’s voice turned polite and honey smooth. “Well, it is indeed a lovely day. I have been thinking of buying a yacht lately. Maybe I’ll head to the pier.”I gave him a rundown of all the work my guys and I had been working on since December. Juggling the assets my syndicate absorbed was more than just a balancing act, but it was finally a well-run circus now. Money and land were di
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Taken by the Mafia King Epilogue
PaigeI stood in the vestibule outside of the chapel, clutching my flowers, my heart hammering in my chest. Organ music belted through the doors, and I was just waiting for my cue.We all were. My two bridesmaids, in simple maroon dresses, stood ahead of me. Like she could feel my eyes, Lauren turned back and winked. I smiled. The dress looked spectacular on her, and I’d promised up and down that Tom would invite enough handsome men for her to go home with a date. This, of course, had been complicated by Tom choosing Killian and Stan as his two groomsmen. While I liked the older man, and he kept Lauren laughing, I didn’t exactly see the two of them as a couple.Mom stepped up next to me with a smile. Her mother-of-the-bride dress, a deep burgundy gown with gold accents, caught the light and sent it dancing. “Are you excited?”I inhaled sharply. “I kind of can’t stop thinking about the seating chart for the reception. Who have I become?”She laughed. “Your father.”Tears beaded in my e
Taken by the Mafia King Old Time's Sake
KillianI sat behind my desk and looked out over my men. Tommaso took his usual seat. Adrian hovered in the corner like he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself yet, just like he had at the beginning. Patrick was still laughing about spilling his wine. Just like old times. I stood and started pouring everyone drinks.“So,” I said, “do you have an update on the warehouses, Adrian?”He started toward my desk, then paused. An odd moment passed. It wasn’t really my desk anymore. I’d left the hunk of wood behind because I had no need for it on the island, and he’d loaded it down with computers in my absence. Despite that, I’d never seen anyone sit behind it but my father besides me.I offered Adrian a drink. “Sit.”He nodded. “Didn’t want to step on your toes. The situation is pretty simple, all told, but I can tell there’s a certain amount of grace I’m supposed to be handling this foreman with, and I don’t—”Tommaso joined me at the bar to pour. “Do you remember that foreman in the so
Taken by the Mafia King Big News
PaigeI tucked my arm through Tom’s and straightened my long, floral romper. He kissed me on the cheek, then knocked on the door. Joyce swung it open.“Hello!” She welcomed us both in with hugs. “Mr. and Mrs. Ricci are in the drawing room. Please, come in.”We let ourselves be bustled through the door, the wine we’d brought carried off to the kitchen, and our coats taken to some closet somewhere in the mansion. Adrian used it as a base of operations when Killian and Sera weren’t home, so I’d been here a few times since the wedding, but I’d never felt comfortable here. Finally, we were led to the closed doors of the drawing room, and Tom opened them with a smile.Inside, we found not only “Mr. and Mrs. Ricci,” but also Olivia and Patrick, Adrian and Penny—who still wouldn’t even talk about their dance at the wedding—and Sera’s mother and brother, as well as Lauren. Sera leapt up to greet us, and Killian followed a few paces behind. I threw myself into the hug just as much as Sera did—I
Taken by the Mafia King Checking Up
SeraI folded a T-shirt and put it into Killian’s suitcase. “Are you sure we need to leave so soon?”He chuckled and took the T-shirt back out, then replaced it with a suit shirt. “Very, unfortunately. Adrian is in the middle of a difficult situation with one of the warehouses, and he needs a steady hand to guide him through.”My stomach churned at the thought of leaving the villa. We’d only been here for a couple of months, and we’d promised everyone we’d return, but dammit, I wasn’t ready yet. Lazing around the villa and having sex whenever the mood took us was way too fun to stop after only a few months.“But we’ll be back soon, right?” I asked like I didn’t already know.“Cara mia.” Killian took my hands. “What is happening in that head of yours?”I sighed. “I don’t know. The thought of leaving just make me kind of sick. We just got away from all that. I don’t want to be scared again.”He studied me for a long moment. “You do look a little pale. How sick is this making you exactly
Taken by the Mafia King Humdrum Excitement
PaigeI squeezed Tom’s hand in the car on the way to the airport.“Sad to be leaving?” he asked.I smiled. “Always. It’s so magical here.”He laughed. “Not just saying that because we’ve spent most of the vacation in bed?”I ran my free hand up his leg. “No, we have weekends for that at home.”“Fair enough.” He kissed the back of my hand. “I do like going on these little vacations, though. It’s a nice escape for a few days.”I nodded. I really was going to miss Paris, but I wouldn’t have wanted to stay much longer anyway. Lauren had been texting me updates about the shelter, especially the new one as women settled in. I kept thinking about how much I was missing, how much they needed me there. And I knew Tom was feeling the same. Apparently, Lyle had his sights set on someone new, and Tom was itching to pull the trigger. Anybody else would probably think we were freaks, desperate to leave a luxury vacation to get back to our grueling jobs. But those people didn’t realize just how much
Taken by the Mafia King Perfect Fit
TommasoWhen I told Paige I’d set everything up for another two days in Paris, she’d immediately insisted we spend a day shopping. I put up a cursory front of complaints, but in truth, I was perfectly happy following her from store to store and carrying her bags. Even better, she loved it when I made jokes about some of the worst, frilliest, most French things we came across. She laughed and joined in. For years, I’d heard men complaining about shopping with their girlfriends—fiancées—saying it was the most boring thing in the world, but even if we weren’t laughing up a storm as we paid our way through the most expensive boutiques in Paris, I still would’ve been having a ball. The sun was shining, she kept looking at the ring I’d put on her finger with a soft wonderment I’d never seen in her eyes anymore, and my face hurt from smiling. Paige and I could’ve made a hell of an afternoon out of reading the phone book.“Stop!” she said.I froze, my free hand twitching toward the gun I’d hi
Taken by the Mafia King Beginning of Forever
PaigeI didn’t know how long Tom and I lay there, listening to the fireworks and seeing the very top of their arcs through the sliver of windows accessible from the floor. I pillowed my head on his chest and enjoyed the steady beat of his heart. Engaged. The last time I was here, I’d been on the cusp of recovery, just starting to make strides toward the person I was today. Now, I wasn’t done—I didn’t know if there was a done for traumatized people or people in general—but I was so much better, stronger, happier than I had been.The last time Tom and I were in Paris, I’d thrown myself at him and chickened out. As much as I could stay at a private view of the Eiffel Tower, I wanted to show him just how much had changed. Just how much I meant the “yes” that had fallen so easily from my lips. I rolled on top of him.“What do you say we take this back to that hotel room you picked out?”Tom grinned and pulled me down for a kiss. I pressed myself against him, feeling every line of his body.
Taken by the Mafia King The Only Ones
PaigeI sat across from Tom in an empty, stunning restaurant in the middle of the Eiffel Tower with my head spinning like the three sips of wine I’d had with the appetizer were enough to make me drunk. He’d really rented out the Eiffel Tower. And not one floor, the whole thing. We’d ridden an empty elevator, the two-Michelin-star chef kept coming out to tell us why he’d selected particular dishes based on the information Tom had given him about our preferences, and I couldn’t hear anything but the soft classical music over the speakers. It felt like a dream.Tom took my hand. “So?”“So what?” I asked.“Was the surprise worth it?” He grinned.I looked over his suit, a forest green that brought out his eyes, worn without a tie. His dark curls tumbled into his face. I’d never seen him look so perfectly put together and so casual. He looked…well, he looked exactly like the man I’d fallen in love with. Nothing like the one who’d scared me so badly all those months ago in Cairo.“I get the
Taken by the Mafia King Peace Time
TommasoDespite how much I wanted Paige to keep that little black dress on, we had a few hours before the Tower officially emptied out for our use. I talked her into putting on something a little more walkable and keeping the lingerie on. As if to punish me for my restraint, she picked a pair of tiny, wide-legged shorts that showed the tops of the garters attached to her stockings every time she moved and a fitted blouse. I changed and somehow convinced myself to leave the hotel room instead of stripping everything off her and spending the hours in bed.She took my hand as we stepped into the lobby. “I should’ve known. When you plan a surprise, it’s never just one thing. Where are we off to first?”“So nosy.” I smiled.“You’re right, I’ll stop asking.” She slid the room key out of her pocket and fiddled with it for a second, then dropped it. With a small smile, she bent at the waist to pick it up, exposing those garter straps again.I grabbed her waist and hurried her the final few st
