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
SeraI fell back asleep after Killian left my room. It wasn’t surprising, considering I’d woken up that morning with a hellish hangover after getting only a few hours of sleep the night before. Then there was the fact that I’d spent my morning fighting with Killian, being pushed down the stairs by his mother, and then fucking him.So, when I got out of bed hours later, it was nearly dark. My body groaned in protest as I dragged myself to the bathroom and showered. Dark bruises dotted my back and the side of my face. I inspected them in the mirror, and I knew if I compared the spaces between the bruises, they would match the marble stairs I’d fallen down.I’d cheated death a few times over the last several weeks, but then, I was living with death incarnate.I dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater. A knock sounded on my door just as I finished putting on my socks.“Come in,” I sang, expecting Olivia with a dinner tray, but Mikey stood nervously in my doorway. My eyes widened as I tri
KillianShots rang out through the night as Tommaso and I pulled into the lot. A bullet went right through the windshield of my car, shattering the glass.“Fuck!” Tommaso shielded his face from the falling tempered glass. We both got out of the car, ducking behind the door with our pistols ready in our hands.“What the fuck is going on?” I rasped into my earpiece as bullets rained down, putting an infuriating amount of holes in my Mercedes G-Class. No one answered the line that was meant to be kept open at all times. “Fuck! Tommaso, get the fuck down!”Tommaso grunted painfully, and I glanced under the car to see him crouched on his knees, firing from under the door at a trio of men running toward us.I broke out the glass in my window and started firing.“Get to the warehouse!” I shouted at Tommaso as the last men fell.I got up and ran, my gun aimed at every man I saw. Bodies slumped to the ground in the wake of bullets fired by both me and Tommaso. Darkness swallowed the usually qu
SeraThe curtains were open, mid-morning sun blinding me as I blinked against it. Beyond the frost-covered windows, I saw what I believed to be snow. I hauled myself out of bed and rushed to the window, looking out over the dark gray morning landscape. Soft tufts of white fell from the sky, not enough to stick but enough to cause a flurry of excitement to swell in my chest.Immediately, my mind went to my students. They’d be so excited. Even middle school students loved a good snow. I should have been excitedly talking about the first snowfall of the season with the kids, but reality crushed into me with a weight I hadn’t been prepared for.I was missing it. They were out there with someone else. Their faces flashed before my eyes, and that ache in my chest I’d been feeling off and on since I’d arrived came back with a vengeance.Would I spend Christmas here in a few months? Thanksgiving?I found it hard to swallow as I backed away from the window and hugged myself tight. How I longed