AlexanderI watch Elena interact with my brother over dinner, both of them giggling and making inside jokes. One week. I was gone for one week, and I come back to my wife and brother being two peas in a pod.I haven’t forgotten that Lucian wanted to marry her in my stead. It’s obvious he loves her. Maybe I was selfish when I told her to marry me. I rushed into it when I realized that my usual jokester of a brother wanted her. The guy who was never serious about anything was willing to spend the rest of his life with her. I took her away before he even had a chance.I watch her giggle at something he said, and my whole body just screams Mine. The need to claim her as my own is unreal, and something I’ve never experienced before, not even with my ex-girlfriends. Not even with Jennifer. I don’t understand where it comes from. Maybe it’s just because Elena is my wife, and as my wife, she’s supposed to be mine. Maybe it’s simply because I own her, and I’ve never liked sharing my things. Wh
AlexanderThere’s a gap between the two sides of her underwear, exposing the middle of her perfectly smooth pussy. The thought that my little brother picked out this sexy little thing for her sickens me, and the thought that she’s wearing this forhimsends pure uncontrollable rage through my veins. I pull her to her feet and turn her around, unzipping her dress and letting it fall to the floor.“Alexander! What are you doing?”My eyes are drawn to her perfectly full ass that’s pretty much exposed except for the tiny piece of white string that disappears between her deliciously full ass cheeks. Her hair falls almost to her ass, only just about exposing the dimples on her lower back. I turn her around and push her back onto the bed. She sits down in the same place she was before, covering her breasts with her arms and clenching her legs tightly together.I grab her thighs and part them, lowering myself so I can kneel between them, and she lets me.“I saidexplain.”I grab her wrists and p
ElenaI’m nervous as I walk into the rooftop bar Alexander asked me to meet him at. I’m so tense that I can’t even enjoy the stunning view from here—or the beautiful, luxurious interior. He’s been withdrawn lately, his anger palpable.My eyes fall to the clusters of round sofas, each of them a separate booth facing a glass barrier, resulting in an unparalleled view of both the skyline and the bar. I spot Aiden in the corner and he nods at me, stepping aside as I walk up to him. Alexander is leaning back on the sofa, his eyes on the skyline in front of us.He looks up when I sit down next to him, his gaze sending a thrill down my spine. He hasn’t been himself lately. Ever since he got back from his business trip, he’s been cold and distant.I’ve tried over and over again to explain to him that nothing is going on between Lucian and me, but he won’t listen to reason. I can’t even blame him. I messed up. I never should have entertained Lucian’s ideas. I should’ve known how Alexander would
Elena“Don’t worry. She’ll wake up. Your mother and I have been friends since we were kids. She’s one of the strongest women I know. Don’t give up hope, sweetie.”Sofia holds my hand tightly as we sit next to my mom’s hospital bed. She’s been accompanying me to see my mother once a week for a while now. She’ll sit here for hours and just talk to my mother about their childhood memories, about Lucian, Alexander and me. I like to think that my mother can hear her, and that the happy memories will help her want to wake up.Today Sofia has been far more quiet than usual, and I know she’s worried about Alexander and me. He and I have barely spoken recently, and I can tell that it’s affecting her. Usually, we’d have dinner with her every other night or so, and the way Alexander would joke with her, the affection he’d display toward me, it’s always made her happy. Now he doesn’t even bother putting on an act for his mother anymore. He mostly ignores me, and it’s worrying Sofia.My mother’s n
AlexanderWe’ve only just made it to the restaurant when Elena’s phone buzzes. She glances down at it, her eyes widening.She looks up at me, a shimmer of panic in her eyes, and then she looks back down, hiding her phone away in a rush. Unease settles in my gut when she smiles tightly without meeting my eyes.“I… I need to go. Something came up,” she says.She smiles at my mother and then turns to walk away before I can even stop her.“Elena,” I call, rushing after her. “Where are you going?”She looks into my eyes and the guilt I see in them wrecks me. She’s hiding something from me. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just need to head back to the hospital real quick,” she says.And then she blinks twice, her telltale sign. She’s lying.She grabs my hand and smiles at me. “Go ahead and have lunch with your mother. I’ll see you later.”She squeezes my hand, and then she walks away, flagging down a taxi as she goes. I stare after her, my heart uneasy.I grab my phone and call my security team the se
Alexander“Where are we going?” Elena asks as I lead them to my car. Lucian has barely even looked at me, and I don’t know what to say to him either. I’ve failed him as an older brother, and I didn’t even realize it.“What’s going to make you feel better?” I ask Lucian, at a loss myself.He looks up, his eyes red. “Honestly, Alec… I’d give anything to just egg the hell out of his house, however juvenile that might be.”I bark out a laugh and nod. Very well. I’m planning on doing much worse than that, but it’s not a bad start.“Convenience store first, then.”Elena and Lucian are both quiet as they follow along, and it isn’t until I park in front of Marcus’s house that Lucian panics.“Alec,” he says, sounding anxious as he steps out of the car. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea after all.”I smile at him, eggs in hand. “This guy is about to find out what happens when you mess with a Kennedy. Besides, you’ll feel better after this.”I hand him an egg and he stares at it. “You aren’t mad?” h
AlexanderLucian stops me as I’m about to walk to my bedroom, his hand on my sleeve. Elena glances at the two of us and slips away, a sweet smile on her face.Lucian looks nervous and stares down at his feet. “I… I just wanted to say sorry,” he says. “I caused so much trouble today, but you didn’t hesitate to help me. Not just that… I know Elena and you have been arguing. I know I came between you two, and I could’ve fixed everything if I’d just spoken up, if I told you the truth… but I didn’t.”I place my hand on his shoulder and smile. “You’re my little brother, Lucian. I will always have your back. Always. I’m sorry I wasn’t someone you could confide in.”He swallows hard and nods. “You—you’re okay with it? You’re not ashamed of me?”I frown at him. “What? No. Why would I be? Nothing has even changed. You’re still my baby brother, Luce.”He looks at me in confusion. “But, Alec… I’mgay. This isn’t a phase. I’ve tried all my life, but I’llneverbe attracted to a woman. At some point,
Elena I pick up the photo on Alexander’s nightstand, my heart twisting at the sight of it. We’ve been married for months now, and even though I’m the one he falls asleep with, it feels like Jennifer is still the one he thinks of when he closes his eyes. I think back to the way he used me to make her jealous, the way he held me in his lap on that rooftop bar. It was all a show… for her.The bedroom door opens suddenly, and I jump, startled. The photo frame slips out of my hands and falls to the floor, the glass shattering into hundreds of pieces. I gasp and bend down to pick up the frame, cutting myself with one of the shards as I do so. I hiss in pain, a drop of blood appearing at the tip of my finger.“Fuck, Elena,” Alexander says, rushing over.I look up at him, panic engulfing me. “I’m sorry,” I tell him, my voice shaky. “I shouldn’t have touched it. I’m so sorry. I’ll replace the frame, Alec. The photo… the photo can be saved.”His gaze drops to the broken frame, and his eyes wid
DARIOOne Month LaterIrise to my feet, clapping my hands so hard they almost hurt. Beside me, my mother and father join in on the standing ovation. On the other side, Giulia and Rosa are also clapping, though Rosa can’t stand yet. However, she has far more energy than just a month ago. The small theater is filled with admiration for the play’s first production, and I know that most of it is because of my woman’s performance.“Wasn’t she amazing?” I beam, turning to my mother and father.My father, who’s noticeably less grumpy now that his land grab is complete, is smiling from ear to ear. “Fantastic, son!” he yells over the clamor.“Wasn’t she great?” I grin, turning to Giulia.Elena’s friend smiles at me, nodding. “She always has been, but that was next level!”The curtains close, and the actors walk onto the stage to take their final bow. Elena looks gorgeous in her fifties-style dress,her hair styled as if she just stepped out of an old-timey magazine advert. She nailed the whole
ELENA“Where are you taking me?” I say, sitting in the passenger seat of his sleek sedan as he glides through the city.It’s been roughly two weeks since the standoff with Salvatore in the dining room. Since then, Dario and I have spent so much time together: lying in bed, talking about the future, making love, watching movies—trashyandclassy. We all even had a meal together. Dario, Salvatore, Maria, Rosa, Giulia, and I sat at the same dining room table as we shared stories and jokes and bonded, something I could never have believed was possible.“It’s a surprise,” he says.“Don’t you think we’ve had enough of those?”He glances at me with a smirk. Since all the roadblocks to our love have come crashing down, Dario has seemed so happy-go-lucky, as if he’s been waiting his whole life to let go of the mafioso darkness. I know it’s still in him. I know that if anybody ever threatens the Family or me, he’ll go full savage again. Yet, it’s so sweet to see how happy he is now.“This is agoo
DARIO“I know you didn’t approve at first, Miss Santoro,” I say, sitting beside Rosa’s bed.Over the past week, her health has taken a definite upward trajectory. No recovery will ever be miraculous, but watching my woman become more optimistic has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Just last night, when we were lying sweaty and content in bed, she said,“She’s becoming her old self. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but…”We both share that sentiment, not getting our hopes up, but we can’t help it. Our hopes are flying.“Maybe you still don’t,” I say when the frail woman watches me silently. “I wouldn’t blame you. Elena has told me about the fire. I hope that’s okay.”“It was always hers to tell,” she says, “and you can call me Rosa.”I count that as a victory. “Rosa,” I say, “I need you to know I would never hurt your niece. Just the idea of causing her pain makes me sick. I can’t imagine it. All I want is for her to behappy. When this started, I was a cold, miserable bastard, b
“Please, listen, Salvie,” Maria says. “I can tell you’re thinking about what Dario has said. I can tell it’s affected you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even still be sitting here.”“I’m sitting here because I love you, Maria, and you look like you may cry if I leave.”“I may cry because the two people I love most are behaving like they hate each other,” she says in a shaky voice.“I don’t hate my son,” Salvatore snaps.“Thenlisten.”“Fine, I’m listening.”Dario looks at me, his eyes filled with emotion. I saw the demon in him before, the savage, but this is something else. I’m peering through the layers of mafiosi bravado at the little boy beneath. I touch his forearm, letting him know I’m here for support. Ialwayswill be.“Your concern about Elena having a career comes from your desire to make the Family look strong, correct?”“It’s more complicated than that.”“If we keep with tradition, if we keep our women in line, it’s a testament to how much control we have. Don’t lie to me, Father.
ELENAWe’ve come full circle. The four of us—Salvatore, Maria, Dario, and I—sit in the same dining room where we shared our first meal. Memories return to me as Clara brings in tea and coffee, the etiquette I completely messed up, the nerves that made me ache like I was going to break down.Once Maria pours the drinks, I say, “Thank you, Maria.” I don’t let myself give a single frick about the look Salvatore gives Dario. Since we’re going nuclear, I don’t have to worry about being too nice to the staff.Salvatore’s sharp eyes flit between Maria and Dario. “You wanted to see me?” he says after a long pause.Dario rests his elbows on the table, almost like a challenge, declaring that he’s finished with his old uptight ways. He looks dashing and capable in his pale blue shirt, sleeves rolled up, his taut forearms taking me back to last night. My body aches in the best way, my inner thighs throbbing as if demanding more. I never dreamed it would be so effortless.“I hired Elena to pretend
“I can feel your virgin pussy getting close. I can feel you throbbing for me. I can feel you wanting to spill more wetness all over my dick. I can feelyou, Elena. All. Of. You.”I pound into her body, making the mattress whine with each thrust, bringing our future closer to the present with each movement of pure, unbridled lust. Maybe she doesn’t want me to promise and thinks I’m not serious, but I know now that I am. I’ve never been more confident about anything.“You’re fucking creaming up for me,” I groan.“It sounds so hot,” she moans with that same tempting fascination.“You’re right … Oh, fuck, look at you. You’re not acting now.”“Nuh-nuh-no …”She bites down, her cheeks turning entirely red as she wraps her hands around my neck and pulls me in for a hot kiss. But the explosion of her release is too overwhelming for us to maintain a kiss. Instead, she opens her mouth, moaning right into mymouth, like she’s desperate for me to share this moment with her.Her entrance pulses arou
DARIOWhen I lay her down on the bed, she sits up on her elbows, her hair falling beautifully onto the bed, her breath coming quick and making her chest rise and fall, highlighting the sumptuous curves of her breasts. She’s wearing loose-fitting PJs and no bra. Her perky-as-fuck nipples poke through the fabric.“Is the door locked?” she whispers.“It’s like I told you in the limo,” I groan. “Nobody gets to see you like this. Only me.”“Like what?” She sits up. “Naked, you mean?”“Oh. My. God.”My voice wavers as she stands up, pulling her shirt over her head. She bites her lip as if anxiety is warring with her, but then she grabs her shorts and wriggles out of them. She stands in front of me naked, her wet haven glistening, her thick thighs tempting me.“Your turn,” she says, her old sass back with full force.My hungry flesh couldn’t be harder. I tear my shirt off, buttons popping, then grab my pants and yank them down. My lust springs up, precome flinging from the head, making her g
“I never said that.”“You didn’t have to.”“What if I do?” I snap. “Is there a problem with that? Are you going to hate me for it? Judge me?”“It was never about him,” she murmurs. “I was trying to exorcise my demons. You’re old enough to make your own decisions. Even before that was the case, you’ve always been mature enough. I can’t stand in your way,” she chuckles miserably. “I can’t even stand.”“Yet,” I say forcefully. “All of that’s going to change soon.”“So you don’t hate me?”“I could never hate you, but this is. So. Messed. Up.”She lets her head fall back on the pillow. “I know. I wish I didn’t have to tell you, but it’s been long enough. I should’ve told you a long, long time ago.”“Yes,” I say firmly. “You should have.”“Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”Yes. I know I will. I could never hold a grudge against the person who’s cared for me for more than half my life. “I don’t know,” I say. “Maybe. Possibly.”“That’s more than I deserve.”“Will you sit with
ELENAI sit next to Aunt Rosa, holding her hands as she sleeps more peacefully than I’ve seen in weeks. We’re in the suburbs in the most prominent house in the neighborhood, with tall walls surrounding us and what feels like an army of Mafia men patrolling the grounds. Aunt Rosa has her doctor and her nurse here, too. For once, Giulia is getting some rest.I talk quietly as she sleeps, mostly to distract my mind from what Dario might currently be going through. I’ve asked Maria, who came to the safe house with us, to tell me if there are any updates. So far, there’s nothing. I guess he’s still handling things in the city, or …Not letting myself think about theor, I whisper, “He said that he loved me, Aunt Rosa. I don’t think he even realized he said it. It’s like it just came out, but maybe that means it’s more likely to be true, right? It’s as if he just said it without thinking, like a reflex. If you were awake, you’d hate me talking like this. You’d say something about him being w