SeraEven though my foot hadn’t healed from the cuts from the glass during Briggs’ raid, I ran as fast as I could to Giuliana’s suite on the third floor, Killian, Tommaso, and Olivia hot on my heels. Dustin lingered in the octagon room, unsure what to do. But at least he was okay.Because Giuliana was screaming from the barroom, followed by the shatter of glass and a grunt.“Mom!” I gasped.I ran into the room to see Giuliana cowering behind the bar, a bottle of alcohol in each hand. Mom stood a few feet away, surrounded by the remains of other bottles. Even in the dim lighting, Killian’s mother looked deranged and haggard. When my mother risked turning her head to react to my call, the difference between them was staggering. Caterina Morelli Bianchi was fierce, clear-eyed, and clear-lunged from the lack of nicotine. They may have been the same age, but they had spent their years in completely different worlds.“Your mother helped me pick the wallpaper,” Giuliana had sneered the last
KillianThe streets of New York City in the dead of night during a weekday were far less magical than the snowy wonderland they were a few days ago.A rental SUV replaced the horse-drawn carriage. My suit was exchanged for a bulletproof vest. It wasn’t lipstick staining Sera’s lips, it was blood.No, not blood, I reminded myself furiously, unable to stop staring at her reflection in the rearview mirror where she sat squished between Tommaso and Patrick in the backseat. Adrian drove and I sat in the passenger seat plotting revenge on the nonexistent man who beat my girl.It was just makeup, but I hated it, because it was so real-looking, and it was a possibility. One day, it could be real blood if I didn’t protect her from my enemies.“We’re close, boss,” Adrian informed us. “Just around the corner.”I twisted around to look at Sera. She was nervous, but she was stalwart with resolve. “Ready?”With her loosely bound hands, she put her own cloth gag in her mouth and nodded. “Ready,” she
SeraI knew Niccolò was going to die quickly and violently, but I still screamed when the bullet jerked his head back. The sound of metal piercing flesh and bone was lost to my scream.I wanted him dead, I just didn’t expect the quickness of it.Pull the trigger, hit the right spot…Boom, done.My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of screeching tires. “Get down!” Killian roared as a different car started firing on us.Tommaso shoved me down into the space between the front and back seats as glass exploded around us. This rental was no armored SUV. We were all wearing bulletproof vests, but that did no good to guard our heads.“Drive!”Adrian didn’t need to be told twice. He put the car into reverse and slammed on the gas. We launched forward—Killian had to brace his hands on the dash to avoid bashing his head into it. He swore in pain from the shards of glass cutting into his fingers.“Killian!” I gasped in fear, yanking my gag off and trying to sit up, but Tommaso pushed my head
SeraBy the time I had Killian, Tommaso, Patrick, and Adrian patched up, the amount of bandages and gauze they sported was almost comical.Almost.Once they were all cleaned up, I was down from my adrenaline rush and fully aware of my exhaustion and stinging pain from my own glass cuts. I handed everyone a couple of ibuprofen and kept two for myself. We all downed them with Killian’s most expensive Barolo wine. I knew it would only calm my nerves so far, but I drank the whole glass faster than the guys could.They stared at me with their eyebrows raised, impressed despite their own weariness.“What? I’m Italian, too.”As the jet took to the sky, Killian called to Gavin, “Take her slow, captain. We need peace before we get an earful from the staff.”“Will they even be up?” Tommaso wondered.Killian’s mouth quirked. He had calmed down as well. His rage had died out, and that was all that mattered for the moment. “Olivia will make sure they are.”I fought a smile and explained, “After al
KillianThe high of the chase had diminished, but my blood still fizzed, and I needed an outlet.Conveniently, Sera was already in my lap. With the trip back to Philly so short and the guys chatting in the main part of the cabin, it was perfect timing and didn’t have to last long. She deserved better than a quickie, but it couldn’t hurt to offer.Well, physically, it could. My face and hands hurt like a bitch. But I’d been through worse, and a few little papercuts weren’t going to stop me from pleasuring my woman.I adjusted her in my lap, starting to kiss her neck. Sera sucked in a breath but didn’t protest or pull away. In fact, her moan was an invitation as she rolled her hips.“You’re mine, Sera,” I rasped huskily.Sera whimpered, her fingers knotting in my hair. “Killian…”I stood, turned, and tossed her on the bed in one fluid motion. Sera grunted but didn’t scold me as I dropped my pants. She wriggled like a beached fish to get her underwear off and fling it to the side. She sp
SeraMy mother was not a big fan of me coming home with injuries. I would have called it fussing over her little girl had she not been shouting at me. The next morning, over breakfast, she took count of my wounds.“We reunite after all these years, and one of the first things you do is give me heart palpitations?! Where did you get these cuts? You better not have any bullet wounds!”“I’m fine, Mom.” I brushed her off, my mind still frazzled by the Niccolò event, the wine, and Killian’s quickie. The tipsy part of me had wanted him to fuck my brains out, but I’d refrained from being so crass. “After a shower and a good night’s sleep, I’m fine.”Killian walked in from behind me, a distracted look in his eyes. Mom whirled on him with the rage of a vengeful goddess on her face. Even the Hand of Death was taken aback by it. “You. What are you involving my daughter in? Your face is fucked, too! Did you get in another skirmish? With who? Did you kill someone?”Killian raised his hands in surr
SeraThe next few days flew by. While I was busy modernizing the manor with Mom and the rest of the staff eager to do some womanly home renovation, Killian was busy with mafia operations. With the threat of Niccolò and Briggs gone, and Morozov family sated, there weren’t any others—that I knew of, at least. But he wasn’t constantly breaking off conversations to take care of something, and Tommaso wasn’t telling him someone was urgently on the phone.It was nice. It was really nice. Almost normal.Especially because he had more time for me.Mom and Dustin had free reign of the manor. She quickly settled into housework, even though it wasn’t necessary. Mom loved cooking, cleaning, and lounging around with baby Michael. Despite not having many human connections over the years, she made quick friends with everyone. In turn, everyone took to her. It was hard to dislike Caterina Morelli unless you were on her bad side.Meanwhile, homebody Dustin was content with his online schooling and ten
KillianIt was the middle of the night, I had just fucked the only woman I’d ever love, and we were plotting her father’s death.I worried that Sera or Caterina would try to stop me from making any move against Andre, but it seemed, based on Sera’s unflinching response, neither woman would have any qualms about it.There was a coldness in Sera’s eyes. I knew that look. It was the look of someone who’d been hurt too many times to care.She’d handled Niccolò’s death with a scream of surprise and a glass or two of wine. She was glad he was dead for the crimes he’d committed. Did she have a thirst for blood now?Downfall of Men. I had a feeling she’d like that title.I’d called her love. That wasn’t a title. Sera was intelligent. The gears would be turning and it was only a matter of time before she brought it up.Sera wanted us to be an official couple. Did I?Coming down from the high of sex, taking in the curves of her body, losing myself in her vengeful expression.Damn, maybe I fucki