Sera“Close the fucking curtains, Olivia.” My tongue stuck to the top of my mouth, dry as sandpaper. Light poured into the room and set my head throbbing like someone was beating me to death with a hammer.Olivia snorted with mirth as she ripped open another set of curtains, this time directing the unforgiving light of day right over my eyes. I winced, shielding myself from the sun.“Don’t worry,” she sang as she moved about the room. “I brought you the cure. My nonna loved her brandy, you see. But she had to be well for Mass every morning.”Something clinked against the bedside table, and I peeked through my fingers to find Olivia measuring some sticky, smelly liquid into a silver spoon.“Get that away from me.” My nose wrinkled at the stench. A rich, herbal scent hit me and settled deep in my gut.“Open up,” she chided, reaching down to pinch my thigh as I clenched my jaw.“You bitch!”She shoved the spoon into my mouth, and I jerked off the bed, swinging out an arm. I missed her co
Sera“No,” Delaney pleaded, trying to tug her wrist free from my grasp.We faced the closed door of Killian’s office. Male voices came from the other side, muffled and unintelligible.“We must,” I said.“No,” she said again. “I’ll go back to my room. I’ll be good. I swear. Just don’t make me go back to the basement.”“You deserve answers. He can’t keep you like this. Be brave, Delaney. For your father.”Her bottom lip trembled, but she lifted her chin at the mention of her father, and I saw a devoted daughter in her watery gaze. I saw myself. At least, the version of myself that used to exist.She nodded, and that was all the permission I needed.I shoved the door to Killian’s office open so hard it bounced off the wall. Eight men dressed in fine Italian suits stood around the room. Killian’s back was to me from his spot in front of the fireplace. He didn’t turn to look at the disturbance, but every other head in the room whipped toward me. Delaney hovered over the threshold, her brav
KillianThe men in my office were all lower bosses of families that had enterprises between Philly, Boston, and New York. None of them had the kind of sway or business I’d acquired over the years, but they had enough power in their own territories that allying with them against the De Luca family would make an actual difference. The real work would be in the aftermath. The destruction of one of the most powerful families on the eastern seaboard would have a ripple effect, and we all knew it.Turf wars were common after a power struggle. Bosses would fight for the freed-up resources left behind in the wake, and I couldn’t let that happen. Chaos was bad for business.While they all stood to gain something from taking out Giuseppe, several of the men were still hesitant to work with me.Like they had the option.I had Sera to thank for the sudden shift in the dispositions of the outliers standing in the room when I returned to my office. The murmured whispering done while I was trying to
Sera“Gorgeous,” Giuliana Ricci said as she lifted her chin and stared down the length of her sharp nose at me. She still blocked my way, perched at the top of the staircase. I stood two steps below, feeling small and caged. Killian resembled her in many ways. Her wide mouth and high cheekbones were striking, even in her old age. But it was her eyes that were most like his. Pale blue fanned by black lashes. They made her look young but soulless.There was no warmth in her expression as she stepped toward me with a cat-like grin that set my teeth on edge. “You look like your mother, darling. I never thought I’d see the new Bianchi princess in person. How lucky for me, and unlucky for you.”“Lovely to meet you,” I croaked, unease rippling over my skin. Something about her wasn’t right. There was nothing behind her ice-cold eyes. May as well patronize her.She drew in her breath behind her cigarette and blew it out in a puff of thick, minty smoke. “My son was supposed to kill you alrea
Killian“Stupid bitch.”My mother’s voice was the only sound in the foyer when I rushed out of my office and looked up just in time to see her shove Sera from the top of the stairs.Sera’s arms shot out, but she didn’t manage to grab anything. Her body sailed through the air in slow motion, like a kite riding the breeze but quickly losing the current and heading to the ground in a rush.Instinctively, I dove with my arms out, reaching for her, praying I could cushion the fall. My knees bit into the cold, hard floor, cracking the mosaic marble. I gritted my teeth against the silent scream of pain radiating through my legs. Sera’s head landed on my shoulder, my arms beneath her back, holding her off the unforgiving floor.Pulling her to my chest, I looked up at my mother, who stood at top of the stairs with a fucking smug look on her face.A choked sob escaped Sera that cut me so deeply I found it hard to think rationally for a moment. I turned her in my arms to face me, still holding o
SeraKillian released my neck before shoving me away, a dark, furious look behind his eyes.“You have no authority over me, Serafina. Your death will be my choice, not yours.”I balled my hands into fists. The veil of shock from my run-in with his mother and my fall lifted, and I could finally see and feel clearly.“You’re an asshole,” I hissed.“Glad to see the fire is back,” he snapped, towering over me.“I’ll do everything in my power to get out from under you, Killian, even if it kills me.”“Oh, please,” he taunted, taking a step toward me. “I would love to see you try. You’re nothing but collateral, Sera. A loose end. If you want to test me, you’ll only find out how little I care about you.”“I think that’s a lie,” I replied, my eyes dropping to his throat, then his chest before I met his gaze again. “You care a lot about whatever game you’re playing with me. Giving me freedom then taking it away!”“You act like you want freedom so badly, but you ruin every opportunity to prove y
SeraKillian towered over me, his fingertips brushing over my skin as he tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. Naked from the waist down, I felt exposed, but his eyes were on mine as he stepped forward and took my face in his hands.“I’ll behave.” My voice was a raspy whisper.“I find that unlikely.” His nose brushed against mine before he kissed me.All the ugliness of the world melted away. My mind became consumed by him and his touch upon my skin. But I needed to keep my head on straight if I were ever going make it out of this situation alive. I could have a little fun, though. Right? Balance.“I want freedom, at least in the house.”“No.”I pulled away slightly, looking up into his eyes as I spoke. “I want to be able to walk around, to go outside. I want to drink my coffee in the morning on the back terrace and read books in the library.” I grazed my fingertips over his arm, where his skin was exposed below his cuffed sleeves. I traced tendons and muscles that rippled beneath the
KillianSera’s scent suffused each breath I took, dragging my thoughts back to her instead of the business at hand. I frowned, looking over the message that had just been sent over from the port. Dropping it on my desk, I looked over at Mikey and Tommaso. “Francesco sent this?”“He did.” Mikey stood up a bit straighter with my attention on him.“The data in this report is concerning.” I licked my lips and tasted Sera.Leaning back in my chair, I laced my fingers behind my head. Giuseppe had made enemies at every turn but some bosses were still in his pockets, one of which was planning to raid one of the shipping containers I had at the port waiting to be loaded onto a barge. I needed to make sure my decisions were solid and well thought out.“Who is it?” Tommaso asked, looking more than concerned as he glanced from me to Mikey. “Who the fuck is allying with this kid?”“Probably the Rizzos,” I said. “The Rizzo boss is only twenty-five and let his father’s dynasty crumble when he took o