Rebecca woke up the day of the party because she was feeling uncomfortable. She was used to feeling comfortable most of the time lately. The last few weeks she had gotten even bigger. She was sleeping less and less because of the discomfort. Vincent had tried to help. He rubbed her back before she laid down and her foot massage started the moment her feet hit the pillow every night. He said nothing when she spent the night flipping and flopping just moved with her. When she finally had enough of trying, which was usually very early morning, he would get up with her. Filling the bath tub with warm water and relaxing oils that he had made sure were safe for her, he would help her in before he went to go make her breakfast. After helping her out of the tub and feeding her, he would rub whatever part of her body ached until she would fall asleep.She decided that she would get up and help Vincent today. It was a big day and of all days he deserved to be treated like he treated he
Fifteen Years Later“Momma!” Rebecca heard Ivy calling for her from the kitchen where she was making dinner.“Kitchen!” She shouted back. She heard stomping getting closer.“Momma, do you know what he did?” Ivy shouted as she entered the kitchen. Rebecca looked at her daughter seeing Vincent come in behind her.“I assume you're talking about your father,” she raised a brow at him. “What have you done?” She asked him.“What needed to be done,” he shrugged walking toward her to kiss her. Rebecca held her hand up to stop him though.“Nope. Tell me first.” Both parents looked at their daughter who was standing in the middle of the kitchen watching them.“You can’t forgive him for this one, Momma. I won’t,” she crossed her arms over her chest.“Princess, I did it to protect you,” Vincent told her.
The front door slamming was louder than I intended but it didn’t slow me down. The door opened and slammed again meaning my pain in the ass brother was right behind her. “Mom, Lucca, has got to get rid of that girl,” I told her with an eyeroll as she sat beside her on the couch in the living room. Mom stopped reading the book in her hand, closing it, she nodded her head in agreement.“But it isn’t our choice,” she told me even though I knew she agreed with me whole heartedly. She hadn't liked Arianna Romono since the first time Lucca brother her home to meet her.“She’s not that bad,” Lucca sighed looking at us both. “Will you please tell her, mom,” he pointed at me.“You two have got to stop with the fighting.” Mom told us before she went back to her book.“That’s it?” I shouted standing up, I turned to walk out of the room but stopped when my father walked in with the look of anger on his face. He was holding Gabby, my only sister and youngest Bellandini child, in his arms and she w
I ran my hand through my hair moving it around until it looked how I wanted it to. Popping my lips in the mirror, I smiled at myself and turned around and watched Gia strap her sandal heels on her feet.“Come on girls!” I heard Lucca shout at us as he walked past my bedroom.“Do I look okay?” Gia asked me standing up from my bed and spinning around. I nodded and grabbed the hoops from my vanity and putting them in each ear.“You look great. I love the tie dye on you.” Gia looked down at herself again. The outfit was out of her comfort zone and I knew that when I pulled it from the pile of clothes, she brought with her. I wasn’t even sure why I had bought it nearly a year ago because I hadn't worn it because it wasn’t my style or dark enough.“I'm just not sure,” she sighed.I dropped my hands to my side and walked over to her and placed my hands on each of her shoulders. I leaned down so that we were eye to eye. “You look amazing and you are going to go out and have a great time tonig
I woke up the next morning with a headache but, forced myself to get up when I noticed the clock above the tv in my room, told me it was nearly noon. Standing, I looked at Gia who was still asleep on the opposite end of the couch from me. I stretched as I walked to my bathroom to brush my teeth. There wasn’t much I disliked more than the film that covers my teeth first thing in the morning.When I made it downstairs, I headed straight for the kitchen, not shocked to see my mom cooking. “Morning,” I kissed her on the cheek as I passed her. I smelt basil and thyme but didn’t bother to look in the pot to see what it was she was cooking. Not a smart move.“Afternoon almost,” she answered without looking away from what she was cooking. “I hope you and Gia are feeling better.”I sighed as I opened the fridge. I knew she was talking about the events that happened last night and not our hangovers. “I mean I’m f
I don't know how long Gia and I stood staring at the men that we had hoped so desperately, wouldn’t show, but the only thing that pulled me back to reality was Harry throwing his arm over my shoulder. “Ivy, baby,” he said with some excitement, “your father sent me to find you. He needs a word with you.” I saw Max’s eyes drift to his arm that slide around my waist. His eyes swirled with an emotion I wasn’t sure I knew and his jaw was clinched. “Maxie,” Sienna’s whining voice drug his eyes from where they were burning into me, “I want to go find Arianna.” He nodded to her before looking back at me, “yeah, babe, let's go do that,” he leaned toward her, eyes still looking at me. I refused to let him win so I didn’t look away as his lips landed on hers. As the kiss deepened though, I couldn't stand it anymore. Sienna may not be as bad as Arianna but she was very much a close second. I heard their steps draw closer to me but didn't look up until they were passing me. Max’s
Before Gia could even open her mouth, there was a knock on the door. I look at Gia through the mirror but she avoids my eyes and walks to the door. I squint my eyes and the question on my lips dies when Nico and Max walk through the door. I shot to my feet, “No!” I said stomping toward them, “no, no, no,” I look at Gia with my arms folded over my chest but she only looks at her feet. She knew this was going to happen. “Traitor,” I said under my breath. “I’m sorry, Ivy, but..” I held up my hand to stop her talking. “I said Nico could come, not his big cocky friend,” my eyes grew huge when I realized what I said. The embarrassment got even better when Max started to chuckle from beside Nico who was red in the face from holding back his laughter. “We never did get that far, Princess. How would you know?” Max raised a brow and I glared at him. Nico couldn’t hold his laughter anymore and burst out laughing but stopped when Max’s words seemed to settle in h
MAX I sat watching as Ivy pulls the guy towards the stairs. He wrapped his arm around her waist and it looked like they not only knew each other but that they had been much closer than that, which made me feel uneasy and I wasn’t sure why. I sigh sitting next to my best friend and his future bride as their faces finally separate. “Do you know that guy?” I ask Gia. She looks toward the stairs just as Ivy and the guy disappear. “Looked like Marcus. One of her ex’s, sort of,” she shrugs and turns back to Nico and starts talking to him. I don't like the feeling in my chest so, I look around for someone to take my mind of it. My eyes sweep past the bar and notice a cute blonde watching me. I lock eyes with her letting her know that I notice her and I am coming her way as I stand up. “How about a drink or a dance?” I ask her as I arrive in front of the bar. I lean a little trying to look casual. “How about a shot and then we can dance,” she s
Five Years LaterIvy“Again!” I shouted as I paced around the group training in hand-to-hand combat. I couldn’t even help the smile that crossed my face as I took in the groups, made of both men and women, as they threw punches, and kicks, and fought to take their partners down.“They look good,” my dad said, stopping me from continuing my pacing. “I think you’re possibly the best Capo we’ve ever had.”I shook my head. There was no way that was possible. He had been amazing and everyone knew that. I work hard to be half as great as he was. “I had a great teacher,” I tell him, bumping his shoulder with mine. “Aren't you supposed to be leaving for Italy?”“Heading to the airport,” he nodded, “wanted to say goodbye and remind you to…”“Call you if I need anything,” I finished for him. He always said the same thing. Even five years after I became Capo, I was still his little girl. “The only thing I need is for you and Mom to enjoy your trip and tell Aunt Lidia that I said hi and send her
IvyI watched Max walk out of my office door and then looked at Cristo. Did he really believe that Max was going to go kill people like my Uncle Dom? That his loyalty would ever waver? I had truly thought Orland was a complete moron giving out his whole plan and what not to Max and Nico, but his cousin here, was proving to be equally or maybe even more stupid.“You won’t get away with this,” I said then rolled my eyes and my cliche words. Max better hurry up and get me out of here away from this guy, his stupidity might be rubbing off on me.Cristo chuckles with a shake of his head as he stocks toward me. “You think I haven’t thought this all the way through?” No, I don’t, but I don’t say that I just stare at him. “Wow! You don’t think that I know that deep down that husband of yours won’t do whatever he has to in order to save you? Or is it that you don’t believe he loves you?” I continue to stare at him as he rubs a finger over his chin. I know it’s important to just keep him distra
Max“That’s it for me today,” I told Giuseppe, the guy I was helping today. I had spent the last two months helping the men that Dominico said needed more training.“It’s only eleven,” Giuseppe looked at his watch.I nod as I pack up my rifle, “My wife finally has time for a small vacation. We are heading out in a few hours. I’ll be gone until Monday. Dominico will be around if you need anything, but I told him everyone should just get an extra day off this week.” I picked up my gun case and headed for the door.“Have fun,” he hollered after me. I raised my hand and waved but didn’t slow down. I’m on my way to take my wife on a fucking honeymoon. I thought the day would never come.As soon as I pulled up to our house though, I know something is wrong. Ivy said she would be outside with our bags so we could go straight to the plane and be gone. Our bags are where they’re supposed to be. Ivy isn’t.Getting out of the car and walking to the door, I take in what I see. The front door is o
IvyI woke up with Max’s heavy arm over me. I wasn’t uncomfortable though. If anything, it was the most comfortable I had ever been. I moved a little, slowly, trying not to wake him up, but get closer to him at the same time. I knew that I should get up. I had work to do, but I didn’t want the moment to end.Married. We were married and I was busy. He had been hurt and I had focused on him. But since he had felt better, I had been focused on only work. I was a horrible wife. I smiled and thought about all the things I’d let him do to me the night before. Okay, maybe I wasn’t that horrible.“You’re thinking pretty hard over there,” Max’s voice made me jump a little. He chuckled and I swatted at his arm that lay across me. He moved, sitting up against the headboard. He brought me with him and my head went to his bare chest. All of him was bare. All of me was bare. “What’s wrong?” He kissed the top of my head.I shook me head and peered up at him through my lashes. “Nothing.”“Don’t lie
MaxFor the second time today, Ivy has made me hard with her leadership. I never would have guessed that something like a woman… My woman… being in charge would make me so fucking horny. I hadn’t felt that way since I was a teenager. Ivy was the one to help me out then too.The problem right now though is that she is on a mission. She has been on the phone calling everyone she can think of to set up meetings and get things in order for when these women are ready to start training. She thinks the idea is a great one. Honestly, I do too. I love that she is able to defend herself even though I plan on her never having to actually do that.“Sorry, Max,” she said as she hung up her phone. She had taken over her father’s office and I couldn’t even say that I hated the way she looked behind the desk. “Are you feeling okay? Do you need to lay down? I lost my head earlier letting you lift me and…”I hold my hand up and lean as far forward as I can in the chair I’ve been sitting in since we cam
IvyMax slammed my back into our bedroom door. My legs wrapped around his waist and my arms around his neck made it so that he couldn’t see a damn thing. That and our tongues battling each other for dominance.“Door,” he pulled away from me just long enough to groan the word. I reached behind me searching for the handle. “Hurry up. Your dad will probably try to kill me if he catches us like this.”“Don’t want that,” I said before biting his lip. He chuckled as he readjusted me in his arms. I finally found the handle as his hands found my ass and squeezed tight making me squeal.“Shh, Wife.” Max growled as he walked into the room and kicked the door shut. I raised an eyebrow when it slammed making much more noise than I had. “Yeah. Yeah,” he threw me on the bed.I bounced, laughed and smiling wide up at him. I looked over all of him. His perfect chiseled jaw, his perfect tanned skin, his perfect blue eyes. Okay, he was perfect. He was also going to give me the best looking kids ever. H
MaxBeing shot hurts like a bitch. The attention my woman is showering me with though… worth it. I lean forward as she fluffs my pillows like she has every morning since I was released from the hospital.“How’s that?” Ivy asked, placing a kiss on my cheek.“Perfect. I will be extremely comfortable now when you ride me. Those perfect tits in my face while you do it?.. Heaven.” She laughs and shakes her head as she crawls out of the bed, smoothing her side of the blankets down so it looks like the bed was made with me in it. “Where are you going?” I groan.“To get your meds. Doctor says that you need to finish the antibiotics,” she puts her hands on her hips causing me to smirk at her. “Plus, you’ll want those pain pills too. Franny is coming for physical therapy this morning.”My head falls back, banging against the headboard. “Is it really Thursday already?” I pinch my eyes shut. I hate Thursday’s. Franny is a huge woman who takes no shit and pushes me as far as she can go. After not
Ivy“No, No, NO!” I yelled at Max as his eyes closed. This was not happening. It couldn’t be. We were supposed to be going to the airport. I wasn’t going to only get a day with my husband. I watched as red flowed out from under him. My eyes filled with tears and I tried to lift him to turn him over.“Ivy!” I heard my dad calling my name, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t leave Max. “Damnit, Ivy,” Dad’s hand clamped around my shoulder. “We have to go…”I shook him off and cut him off, “No! I’m not leaving him!”“Ivy! Listen to me,” Dad’s voice was calm as he gripped both shoulders and made me look at him. My hands were moving over Max, trying to see if there was something I could fix. “Ivy, we need to get him to the hospital.” His words made me snap my head in his direction. I nodded. He waved his hand at a few of his, my, men who ran over and bent down around me and Max. “Let them help him.” I nodded again and moved back so they could surround him and lift him in air.“Be careful, pleas
MaxI couldn’t keep my eyes or hands off her all night during our reception. She looked beautiful and she was all mine. Finally. And I was never letting her go.We stumbled into the hotel suite, arms wrapped around each other, and lips connected. My hand found the zipper keeping her in her dress and not naked. I slid it down and kissed her deeper. When I pulled back, I smiled at her and said, “The first one is going to be fast. The way you look in this dress…” I shook my head at her. “Today has been the longest day of my life. Watching you, dancing with you, touching you in any way, knowing that you are officially mine in every way,” I tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and smiled, “it was pure torture.”“I agree.” Her arms landed around my neck, so she could pull my head down to hers for a kiss.I pulled her closer by her hips, deepening the kiss. Out tongues tangled and she whimpered causing my dick to harden in my pants. I was more than ready to be naked with her. Sliding in