Zandra Valderrama POV I’ve spent my whole life watching Dad at work, but I never realized how much paperwork was involved with running a mafia. Nothing’s actually physical—because why on Earth would we make the mistake of leaving behind a trail for cops to follow—but the administrative duties of a Mafia Boss are honestly mind-boggling. Treaties, funds transfers, general territory management… “My head hurts,” I grumble from behind Dad’s desk. He chuckles beside me, tapping the computer screen with a patient smile. “You’ll get used to it. It’ll come easier with time. You’ll be doing all this stuff with your eyes closed before you know it.” I push his keyboard away and give him a hard look. “Did you remember to take your medication today? Shouldn’t you be in bed? You need to rest and—” Dad pats me on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, sweetheart. Your mother’s giving me enough grief as it is.” “A heart attack,” I grumble, still in disbelief. Dad’s always been as fit as a bull. I
Thorton Gallardo POV The Valentine Club isn’t my idea of a sparkling business venture, but it’s certainly the next step in my series of ever-growing plans. I don’t necessarily want to operate a club, but there’s no denying the revenue potential. I’m not even talking about the ridiculously marked-up liquor prices. I’m talking drugs. The clientele here is the perfect demographic to make a little extra on the side—it’s just a matter of making a deal with the club owner. He gets a cut of the profit, and in turn, he looks the other way—and he doesn’t have to report his earnings to the Valderrama Mafia since it’d all be under the table. It’s a win-win situation. He’d be stupid not to take it. “Let’s make this quick,” Samuel grumbles behind me. It’s not like him to be so jittery. If I had to venture a guess, it’s probably because he’s afraid we’ll get caught by the Valderrama Mafia. We are pushing our luck by being here, after all, but what’s the reward without a little risk? Leo leads th
Zandra Valderrama POV “I’m so pickled.” Alessandra laughs loudly as Vincent and I help her to the car. One of our drivers is already waiting by the curb, the SUV’s engine rumbling steadily. “Take her home,” I tell her bodyguards. “Make sure she’s got plenty of water and an aspirin at her bedside. I have a feeling she’s going to need it tomorrow morning.” Alessandra manages to give me a quizzical look. “Wait, you’re not coming with me?” “I have some… business to take care of.” “Business? What kind of business?” “Family business, Alessandra.” “I’m family.” “Yes, you are.” “You need a fucking vacation, Zandra. All work and no play makes Zandy a dull girl.” I roll my eyes. “I’ve only been at this for a week, babe.” Alessandra throws her arms around me, hugging me tight while resting her cheek against my shoulder. “You’re working too hard. What if you have a heart attack, too?” Her eyes start misting, the softest of sobs bubbling past her lips. Uh oh. In the blink of an eye,
Cassandra Valderrama POV “This is your last chance to tell me to stop, princess,” he growls against the crook of my neck. “Because if you don’t, I’m going to fuck you until you scream my name.” I grip his hair and tug backward, licking my lips in feverish anticipation. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Thorton gives me a devilish smile. “I’m a man of my word, princess. Now, get on your knees and suck my cock—” I ram my shoulder into him, throwing him back. I step further into the hotel room, my eyes trained on him like a panther waiting to pounce. “Come and get me, then,” I challenge. “It’s no fun if I just give you what you want.” Thor stalks toward me, slipping out of his jacket and loosening his tie. “Careful, princess. I have a competitive streak.” “So do I,” I say, making my way around the couch. The tips of my fingers and toes tingle with anticipation, the undeniable wetness between my legs growing unbearable. At this rate, Thor looks like he’s going to devour me whol
Thorton Gallardo POV When I get to the taxi depot the next morning, I feel like two hundred and fifty pounds of pure shit. Sleep eluded me the entire night. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see her. The way her hair slipped over her shoulders; the smooth, milky curve of her bare ass. Her voice was still ringing in my ear, a siren’s call driving me insane. I swear to God if I’m not careful, that woman will be the death of me. I tell myself last night was a mistake, a lapse in judgment. There’s no way in hell I can ever get in bed with my enemy again. What happened between us last night—as delicious and world-changing and amazing as it was—can never happen again. It was probably just something we needed to get off our chests, the tension between us building ever since we first met. Now that we’ve blown off some steam, it’s back to business as usual. So why can’t I get my shit together? My mind wanders during the company’s weekly debrief. It’s boring stuff to begin with, but I find
Zandra Valderrama POV “And these are our expense reports,” Uncle Craig explains. “You’ll want to pay special attention to those. Oh, and these too.” I rub my temples. “And what are these, exactly?” “Our imports and exports. They’re all coded for the sake of customs. You’ll just have to learn what is what.” “Great,” I mumble dryly. “There’s movement in the south of the city,” Uncle Montero informs me, tapping the map Dad had pinned up on the wall. “Our whisper network is buzzing. Your friend Thorton has been doing some hefty leg work.” “He’s not my friend,” I say a little too quickly. “A manner of expression, sweetheart,” Dad says from his wingback chair on the other side of the room. My heart rate quickens at the mere mention of Thor’s name. It’s been a week since our…alliance. I really don’t know what else to call it. All I know is I haven’t been able to concentrate. I’ve been too distracted by the memory of his devilish tongue and strong hands all over my body. I occasionally
Thorton Gallardo POV12:45 a.m.Is it on the armchair of the hotel room couch, hunched over with my elbows resting on my knees? Fifteen more minutes. I tell myself I’m going to wait fifteen minutes, and if she doesn’t show…I have no clue why I’m so anxious to see her. No, not anxious. Excited.Zandra crashing my meeting was never a part of the plan. She officially has spooked all my potential business partners, and for good reason. It takes a lot to impress me, but the woman who strode into that restaurant, confident and dressed to kill, nearly had my jaw on the floor. All it took was one look and I knew…This is what a Mafia Boss princess looks like.I contemplate leaving early. As the seconds tick by, I grow more and more restless. It was never my intention to see Zandra again, but I couldn’t help myself. Something in my hindbrain kicked in, overriding any rational thought I might have had with the unlikely promise of tasting her lips again. Everything about this is a bad idea. The
Thorton Gallardo POVIt’s close to three in the morning by the time I arrive at my apartment. It’s small but comfortable. I have no need for a flashy penthouse suite, or a view most would kill for. In my line of work, all that matters is survival. By that logic, the key to survival is avoiding unnecessary attention.When I step into my apartment, I catch a faint whiff of fresh air. One of the living room windows is propped open an inch. Strange, considering I always keep them locked. It’s the first and only clue I need to know something isn’t quite right.Someone has broken into my home.I reach for the gun in my shoulder holster, tucked safely between my arm and my ribs. Before I have a chance to pull it out, the soft click of a hammer rings loudly in my ear. I freeze when I feel the hard point of a gun jammed against the base of my skull. Could it be a Valderrama sent here to kill me? Is another player in Italy looking to shake things up?“Sit down over there,” Detective Rossi growl