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One Last Dance with Death
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Taken by the Mafia King The Grand Tour of Ricci Manor
SeraI sat in the main dining room for dinner. Killian hadn’t come, neither had Tommaso. Penelope wasn’t in the habit of coming down for dinner lately, either, so I ate alone, pushing bites of steak and salad around on my plate for a better part of an hour before I gave up and left the room.The house was always at its best during the sunset. Golden light illuminated the dark marble tiles in the foyer, casting gold rays across the black paint and dark wallpaper. Any other time, in any other weather, this place would have felt cold and dark, but now? I let a sunbeam drift over my bare arm, smiling at the warmth and amber golden hues it cast on my skin.Alone, and bored, I started toward my room. I felt absolutely exhausted, but my mind moved at a hundred miles per hour after the events of the day. Thoughts of the plane crash, Detective Briggs, and now Killian blocking me out again drifted in and out of my mind as I wandered aimlessly toward the third floor. My room felt just as empty a
Taken by the Mafia King Rattled
SeraKillian stood in the middle of the hallway, stock-still, his eyes meeting mine instantly as if magnetized. I couldn’t discern if his broad stance looked menacing or lost, as he just lingered there.Joyce cleared her throat softly. I winced, already forgetting she was there. “I’ll just…go,” she whispered and left the way we had come.The Hand of Death looked defeated. And, unsurprisingly, there were blood splatters on his hands.I couldn’t blame him for being so drawn; the list of things that had happened to us both in the past few months, much less the past two days, was too extensive to just take a glance at.It almost made me want to forget that I was angry at him for his stubbornness and withheld truths. I was still annoyed that he wanted me to play the pretty, dressed-in-red wife until it suited his needs for me to do otherwise, but when he suddenly looked utterly stripped of his armor—not the metal type like the gun secured on his belt—I knew that while I couldn’t forgive hi
Taken by the Mafia King Undeserving
KillianSera’s kindness made me feel like a fraud. Her hand, unmarred by the blood of her enemies, rested on my leg with emotion shining in her eyes, blue like a midnight sky. I’d earned none of it.Evening dawned outside the windows. Dark would come sooner than we wanted.Francesco was dead, and I was going to repay his betrayal by dumping him in the Delaware River.Tommaso leaned on the doorframe, waiting for an answer, but my gaze had returned to Sera. I didn’t deserve her, but she was mine. She was mine, and Francesco had no right snarling that she was just some dollar sign too good to pass up.And I was hers. God help anyone who tried to harm her again.I shook my head and rose. Enough touchy-feely. There was work to be done.“The swamp,” I told Tommaso. He jerked a nod and turned to leave, but I added, harsher than I meant to, “I’m going. I need to see this through.”Sera jumped up and grabbed my sleeve. “I’m coming, too.”“No,” I bared instinctively, which earned me a look so v
Taken by the Mafia King Say My Name
SeraIt was one thing to watch a betrayal, but to experience it firsthand was another. The lasting impact on the heart and a syndicate’s hierarchy was hard to watch.But there was no room for faltering emotion in this world.Killian and Tommaso allowed themselves to grieve Francesco as his covered body sank under the surface. In the car back to the manor, it was just as quiet as the ride to the river. Tension was palpable as the pair lost themselves in thought, likely considering how to move pieces around to ensure the Ricci name stayed strong and unyielding. The death of an upper-ranking soldier could be seen as a weak spot to the other families.When we pulled into the garage, Killian got out first and offered a hand to help me out of the car. I met his eyes and knew in an instant that, somehow, he was over it. He’d moved on. No more grief—no use for it.I glanced at Tommaso and found the same thing.We went inside, kicking off our muddy boots, and Killian slipped his hand out of mi
Taken by the Mafia King Filling in the Ranks
KillianThe blinds hadn’t been closed. Watery morning sunlight blared in my face as I rolled over.I groaned, lifting my arm to shield my eyes, but I froze when Sera moaned softly in her sleep behind me. I craned to look at her over my shoulder.Lord, spare my unredeemable ass. Curled up on her side, she was beautiful even in her sleep. She would likely punch me square in the nose, however, if I told her she was drooling on my silk pillowcase and had a fearsome bedhead.I slipped out of bed and crossed into the closet across the room, changing quickly and quietly. Sera didn’t stir when I opened the door, either. I just hoped she didn’t hear it close. She’d want to kill me for leaving before she woke up again.I left the door to the office open for Tommaso whenever he got around to start the day. And what a day it was going to be. This world was just a game of chess, I reminded myself, but today I was going to move the pieces. Even if they were covered knee-deep in shit.I dialed Patri
Taken by the Mafia King The Christening
Sera“We can find her later,” I had caught Tommaso say as I reached the door to Killian’s office. Did he mean Paige?I looked between Killian and Tommaso, waiting for an answer, but Tommaso avoided my gaze, and Killian was roaming his gaze up and down my body as if my dress left little to the imagination.Their silence was more than suspicious, so I crossed my arms and turned my look into a glare. “Is this about your mission before the plane crash?” I demanded of Tommaso, who cleared his throat and took a deep breath.“Just someone we hear’s got some fellas who might be perfect for filling our ranks.”I narrowed my eyes. What a bunch of bull—at least some of it. They were working on filling gaps, but the “she” was clearly debatable. But I knew better than to push it. I wouldn’t get any real answers.“Whatever,” I grumbled, turning back to Killian. “Are you going to get dressed, or what?”He was already dressed decently nice for so early in the morning. I wasn’t going to penalize him f
Taken by the Mafia King Trip To Nowhere
SeraLater, I was curled up on a big chair in the parlor with comfier clothes and a cup of coffee, watching the snowfall that had begun when we returned to the manor. Penny had gone to put Michael down for a nap, Tommaso went to rest as he had promised Killian, and Killian went to his office. I didn’t mind him doing so, as long as it wasn’t for the rest of the day.There was a knock on the door. I turned to see Killian there, spinning a car key on its loop with one finger. “Want to go somewhere?”I was on my feet instantly, running over to him, coffee forgotten on a side table. “Yes! Where to?”“You’ll see.”Equally excited and suspicious, I followed him to the garage. I faltered when he got into the front seat. No other guys were around. The last time we took a car by ourselves things didn’t end so well.I shook my head free of flashbacks of the car wreck. I paused at the passenger side. “Killian?”He rolled down the black-tinted window. “We’re safe. I promise.”Sometimes it was hard
Taken by the Mafia King Need-To-Know Basis
KillianWomen liked to be wooed with wealth. Sera was no exception, but it had to be tailored to her specific tastes, which meant tying sentimentality into the display. I had no idea, but wasn’t entirely surprised, that she wasn’t well-traveled. Her bastard father didn’t even like his wife walking out the door to go to the mall, it seemed.Taking the jet for a joyride was a break we both needed. Francesco’s death and “burial” were still a cloud overhead, so what better way to banish that than with real clouds?But a vacation would have to wait. My phone buzzed, and an unknown number popped up. I let it go to voicemail. Sera was my priority.When we landed, it buzzed again. Sera noticed and glanced at me as we walked toward the car. “You going to get that?”“I don’t know who it is,” I said, though my fingers itched to pick it up. There were a few people I was hoping to have calls from. Some odd instinct told me it wasn’t another buyer for the girl. “I’ll get it when we get back to the
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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
