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The Truth Comes Out
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Taken by the Mafia King Sera's Dead
SeraMy world had shattered. Any hope of seeing the light of day again slipped through my fingers and turned to ash at my feet. Looking into Killian’s eyes, the lack of sympathy behind them sparked something in me, but it wasn’t warmth. It wasn’t that strange, misplaced longing of him I’d been fighting either.Anger. Wrath. Desperation. That was all that was left of the innocent girl I used to be—someone I would never be again. Going back to my old life was no longer an option. I would never see my students again. I would never walk the halls of my school or sit at the corner deli eating pastrami sandwiches with Emma. I would never be free. Not from Killian. Not from this world or this life, if I could even call it that.My father had been right about one thing. Anyone who is born into this life will die in it. Nothing exists outside of the confines of the family for those unlucky enough to be born within its reaching, gnarled branches.I might as well already be dead. But then, being
Taken by the Mafia King Diavola
KillianSera’s behavior intrigued me.Finding out her father had betrayed her must have been upsetting to her, but her demeanor had shifted in an unexpected direction. Then again, this woman was full of surprises.Her expression was nothing but ice as I led her into the back of the house, an area where she’d never been before. Down a short flight of stairs was a door, and beyond that, my garage.I watched her as the lights came on and a row of cars came into view. That steel-faced mask she’d put on like makeup cracked a bit as surprise flashed over her exquisite face.“Which one?” I asked, motioning to the cars.She tilted her chin to the ceiling, slowly sucking a breath as if trying to keep a hold on her composure. Then her eyes lingered on my blacked-out Ferrari Roma.“Good choice.” I smiled and left her behind to gawk as I opened the passenger door for her.“Where are we going?”“I own a few clubs. I thought you needed to get out of the house for a while. Unless you’d prefer to go
Taken by the Mafia King Gin Martinis
Sera“Faster,” I panted, my head pressed against the headrest as the lights of downtown Philly sped past me in a blur. Killian’s hand gripped my thigh, his fingers so achingly close to where I needed them to be.I definitely felt those four dry martinis I’d guzzled down like water at the club. My mind swam on a turbulent tidal wave as his car hurtled toward home.Home.That mysterious behemoth of a mansion was the only home I had now. All the buzz from the alcohol left me as I realized I could never go back to the way things were before, not now that I knew the truth.“Killian.” His palm warmed my skin. Despite everything, my body reacted to his proximity. Hitching my skirt up higher, I exposed my thighs. His gaze locked on the thin sliver of wet lace banding my crotch. Was it the alcohol making me feel this way or the memory of his fingers on my skin?“Keep your dress on.” The smoke in his voice cut through my drunken thoughts.“Touch me,” I pleaded, but he only squeezed my thigh. I
Taken by the Mafia King Diamonds Under Pressure
KillianOlivia lingered in the hallway as I left Sera’s room, her doll-like face slightly pale in the moonlight.I hooked a thumb over my shoulder. “Leave some aspirin and water out for her, maybe a bucket.”She narrowed her eyes at me. “What did you do to that poor girl?”“I took her to Diavola,” I said in passing.Olivia’s faint curse drifted through the hallway before she disappeared into Sera’s room. I smiled and checked my watch as I walked through the near silent corridors of my home.It was almost three in the morning. I should have just gone to bed, but Sera had effectively worked me up enough that sleep wouldn’t come easily. A cold shower was what I really needed, but I passed Tommaso’s room and noticed the door was slightly ajar. I looked inside, seeing his bed untouched.After a quick look around, I found him in my office. “What’s keeping you up?” I asked as I sat down at my desk.The crackling fire cast dancing shadows over Tommaso’s face as he sipped from a glass of whisk
Taken by the Mafia King Nonna Knows Best
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
Taken by the Mafia King A Finger on the Coffee Table
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
Taken by the Mafia King King Of Philadelphia
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
Taken by the Mafia King I Sold Her Out
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
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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
