AlessioMy eyes were filled with shock as I glance down at the dagger protruding from my chest, then up at her. I could sense from green eyes that she was scared of what she had done ,her hair flowing around her shoulders while she raises the dagger and my blood drips from from fingers to the ground .I hold her gaze, and in the depths of her eyes, I see myself reflected. I reach for her and she holds out her hand—the one without the dagger. Our fingers touch, cling together. Her lips part and my gaze drops to her mouth. The redness of her lipstick matches the scarlet that runs down the blade of the dagger."Pretty Face ," I whisper, "what have you done?""I…" she swallows, "I didn’t have a choice,but I …. I didn’t mean to—" Her shoulders shudder. "I—"Her beautiful features sway in front of my eyes. Black spots flicker at the sides of my vision. My knees seem to give way from under me.I hear her scream and her fingers tighten around mine. The dagger slips from her fingers and clatter
What a fucking mess ," I growl as I pull the shirt away from my chest. I glance down to where the blood flow seems to have lessened, then ball up my shirt and throw it on the floor. "What a fucking mess.""Was that necessary?" Carlos glances sideways at the priest’s body, "Did you have to kill a man of god.""I didn’t have a choice.""The man would have taken what happened here to the grave with him," he protests."And I made sure he did."Carlos grimaces, "And her... Did you have to send her to the basement?""It’s where anyone who commits a crime against any of the families sent." I tilt my head."She’s part of of our family now,"he argues."She needs to prove herself first." Fabian jerks his chin in my direction, "I agree with fratellone,here.""You are one lucky guy ," Fabian rumbles. "She missed your heart."She wasn’t aiming for it," I retort.Silence descends as the guys glance at me."You sure of that?" Alessandro drawls, "because from where I was standing, she sure see
Violet“You can’t keep ordering me around ,do you understand?” I scowl at him as he towers over me .He is a tall man,six feet four inches height and in this light ,he looks massive,his shoulders block out my line of sight ,his dark hair seem to merge the blackness around him .My heart pumped so loudly out of my chest .I can’t believe he forced me to marry him ."Don’t even think about it." His lips curl, "If by some miracle, you get out of the cell, the only way out is up and my brothers are standing on guard as we speak.""So I see you have your whole family plan on this too ?" I swallow. "Why am I not surprised? After all, torturing helpless women must be your family’s past time.""Hmm." He drums his fingers on his massive chest, then winces.My stomach tightens. So, I had managed to wound him, after all, though you can’t see it, with how he’s standing with his spine straight, and dressed in clean clothes. You wouldn’t guess that he had a dagger stabbed in his chest ,a few hours ago
AlessioI love staring her trembling grips.She is tough but not more than I am . She squares her shoulders, then shoves her hair back from her face, with trembling fingers. Hmm, my Beauty is all sass, but deep down, she’s scared. Good. She should be. Right now, I am not sure, exactly, what I am going to do to her, but anticipation is half the enjoyment, after all. Besides, I love it when I surprise myself… I relish it even more when my opponent surprises me. And make no mistake, Beauty here, is the deadliest enemy I have ever faced. I’d underestimated her once and she’d drawn my dagger on me… I am not gonna let her pull a fast one on me again.I snap my fingers, "Don’t keep me waiting." I fold my arms across my chest, stare down my nose at her.She sets her jaw, then draws in a breath. Her chest rises and falls and the peaks of her breasts threaten to overflow the low neck of her gown. I widen my stance, watch as she tips her chin up."You’ll have to help me." She scowls at me."What
Violet I pull the train of my dress around my shoulders, and huddle into the mattress of the narrow single bed. Seriously, this entire thing sucks. Why the hell had he left me behind? I mean, who leaves their wife in the basement of his house on their wedding night? Alessio Bloody Sovrano does. Yeah, yeah, I know what you are thinking. When it suits me, I am his wife, and when it doesn’t, I am not. And isn’t that the truth of it? I bring up my hand, stare at the ring on my finger. The black diamond in the center is smooth enough that I can see myself reflected in it. Honestly, I never worn anything so beautiful and if I had to chose a ring for myself,it was definitely going to be this . Not that I had spent much time thinking about my wedding… Considering I had been too busy trying to focus on my fledgling career as a designer. And then there was that little issue that I had been in the foster care system until my sister Nina had turned eighteen and found a way to become my legal g
VioletI lay on the soft mattress of the bed as I rub my cheek on the soft pillow and snuggle in.My muscles were so relaxed and entire body felt like I was floating on some cloud .The warmth around me sinks into my body .Suddenly there was something heavy grabs hold of my waist ,I try to pull away an the weight around my middle intensifies . I crack open my eyes, glance down to find a thick arm about my waist.I manage to turn, enough to take in the tattoo of a knife on his tanned skin. It sports an intricate handle and the blade features a single eye. The blade points toward his fingers and the overall effect screams danger and caution. The corded muscles of his forearm wind up to massive biceps which are twice the size of my neck, at least, so it seems. I gulp, follow the arm to where it is attached to wide shoulders, a chest so broad that it blocks out everything else from my sight. A smattering of hair covers those sculpted pecs,which are demarcated by a white bandage that is tap
I shake my head and he digs his fingers into the scratch, reopening it. A sliver of pain fires across my nerve-endings. I wince. He glances down and I follow his gaze to find the blood seeping down my belly. He removes his fingers, only to bend his head and slurp at the open wound. A shiver of something—lust, fear, maybe a mix of the two?—ladders up my spine. He licks the scratch again, then glances up at me, "Does that disgust you, Pretty Face ?" He tilts his head, "Me drinking your blood.""No." My voice cracks, and I clear my throat. "No." I shake my head, "Strangely, I find it reassuring.""Reassuring?""It confirms to me that you are human, for some reason. It tells me that you don’t hide your proclivities. ." I swallow, "it affirms that you don’t shy away from what your heart wants, and that… That is something.""Is it?"I nod. "Most people go through life trying to ignore what they really are deep inside, but not you." I peer into his face. "What you see is what you get with yo
Violet I can imagine for why I am sitting here, at the breakfast counter of the kitchen of this manor on an island somewhere off the coast of Italy…watching a Mafia Capo, clad in only gray sweatpants and an apron, cooking at the stove top.He pours out the pancake batter onto one skillet, while in another, he cracks eggs. On a third pan, he’s frying bacon and on the fourth burner, he has hash browns sizzling. And honestly, he looks too damn sexy. My mouth waters, and it’s not for the food.I must have made a noise because he smirks at me over his shoulder, "You all right over there?"I open my mouth to speak, but all that comes out is a gurgle. Damn! I reach for the glass of water on the table in front of me, and take a sip to clear my throat. Then scowl back at him, "Of course, I am."A strand of hair falls across his forehead and he brushes it away. the gesture is so familiar. My heart stutters, and I can't take my gaze off of him."You sound like you have a lot on your mind." His
VioletAt least, last night, he had come to bed at midnight, and I had woken up enough to wrap myself around my husband and fall asleep. He’d kissed me tenderly, had run his hands down my body, aroused me to fever pitch, only to slip my nightgown and my panties aside and slide his fingers into me. He’d slid down my body, eaten me out, then he’d risen over me and pinched my clit as he’d commanded me to come. And I had. I had shattered right there, and then, promptly fallen asleep, sated.It was almost noon when I woke up to find a letter on his pillow, asking me to peek out of the window. I had, and had cried out when I had seen a car… Not just any car, a Maserati. A twin of his…but in black, with a red line running across its side, and wrapped up in a bow. It’s my car. My car! OMG! I had showered, changed, eaten a late breakfast, then rushed down to examine my new toy.It is beautiful, with sleek lines that remind me of him, a color dark enough to hint at his growly personality, and a
Violet It’s six days to the Christmas party, and I am almost done with the projects I have undertaken. My dress is done. So is the other outfit I have been working on. My morning sickness is also almost gone. And if I have to stay another day cooped up in here, I am going to go stark, raving mad. Clearly, the lack of sex is getting to him. Since our tryst on the terrace, I have not seen him at all. If he does sleep at night… It, clearly, isn’t in the bed next to me, as his side of the bed remains untouched when I awake in the mornings. He hasn’t been in the room, as far as I can tell. Which means he is sleeping somewhere else. Likely, in his office atV enom. Is he also sleeping withsomeone else there? But he said that he wasn't screwing anyone else. He wouldn't lie to me, would he? I tighten my fingers and Andy yowls in protest.He flicks out his baby claws and I yelp as he scratches me. I release him and he jumps down to the floor, then walks away with his tail high in the air. I
AlessioI draw in a sharp breath, glance at him. "What are you trying to say, Alessandro?" I say in a soft voice."Just that you are no longer Alessio, the Capo of the Cosa Nostra.""I’m not?" I frown.He nods, "You are a husband and a father-to-be, too… Roles which you, clearly, place a lot more importance on than just being the leader of our clan."I blink, "If you mean I am neglecting my duties as the head of the clan—""I mean that you are taking a bigger picture into view. You are looking to the future, and for the first time, you are planning with peace in mind, rather than a short-sighed chance to gain the upper hand."I rub the back of my neck, "Is that a backhanded compliment? If so—""It’s not a compliment. It’s a fact." He folds his arms across his chest. "You want to ensure that you neutralize any possible threats against your family. It’s understandable. It’s why you went ahead and met with two of our fiercest rivals. It’s why you didn’t breathe a word about it to anyone
Alessio "I hear your wife’s throwing a Christmas party?" JJ Kane, the head ofThe Kane Company, tilts his head, "That’s the thing with women. They have to make their presence felt, don’t they?"I curl my fingers into fists at my sides. How dare he talk about her? And how the hell does he know about the Christmas Party? Invitations had only been extended to my brothers, my father and my Nonna. And yeah, Beauty had insisted that Isabelle and Aurora be included.Initially, I had refused her and she had pleaded with me. She had batted those big, green eyes at me and I had been a goner. Of course, I had agreed. Isabelle is loyal, no question. And Aurora? She knows better than to open her mouth about anything she sees and hears. There’s no way either of them would have spoken to anyone about the event. My brothers wouldn’t have breathed a word to anyone… Nor would Nonna. As for the Don... Well, much as I don’t trust him, given he knows that Violet is pregnant with his grandchild, not even
Violet We didn't get to the dessert, after all. After I came, he'd taken off his shirt and made me wear it over my torn dress. Then he'd scooped me up into his arms and carried me to his bedroom. We hadn't encountered anyone on the way. Not Isabelle, not Pablo. Apparently, his staff knows when to make themselves scarce. And, yep, he broke his own rule for us to have separate bedrooms. I had fallen asleep promptly. When I woke up, he was gone. I had spent the rest of that day working on my dress, with Andy for company. Oh, also I'd moved my things into his room, and he hadn't said anything. It might be because I didn't see Alessio all that day, or for that matter, on any of the days that followed our reconciliation. Isabelle mentioned to me that he has been deep in negotiations with rival clans to restore some semblance of peace in the country. This means that the security around the house has been tripled… Or so she tells me. Not that I can tell the difference. For all practical
AlessioThis woman... The things she says... She never ceases to surprise me. I grip her shoulders to pull her up and she wraps her arms around my neck. "I mean it, Ales," she murmurs, "I want you inside me, one way or the other.""I don’t want to hurt you." I wrap a strand of her gorgeous hair around my fingers, "Right now, your comfort is more important than anything else to me.""And I already told you that I want you."I peer into her face, take in her flushed features, her gaze wide with anticipation; those green eyes stare back at me and in them is a look of feverish need. I wrap my fingers about the back of her nape and bring her forehead to mine, "Any other time, if you weren’t pregnant, I’d not deny this to you, but right now, given your condition, it’s not something I can give you.""Alessio," she pleads, "this is no time for an attack of conscience."I laugh, "Trust me, if it were up to me, I’d be inside you so often you wouldn’t be able to walk straight, but this is not ju
Violet "Dessert?" I blink rapidly. "Is Pablo going to serve us dessert?""He offered to make dolce for us, but I told him to wait. We’ll have it after.""After?" My cheeks heat, "After what?""After..." He lifts me up onto the table, then pushes my legs apart. The dress I’m wearing is pushed up to above my knees. He slides his fingers up my thighs, and I try to squeeze them together."Relax," he murmurs, "I am going to make this so good for you."That’s what I am afraid of.I peer at him from between my eyelashes. "I thought you weren’t going to shag me?""Doesn’t mean I can’t pleasure you," his eyes gleam, "while I feast on you."A pulse flares to life between my legs. It mirrors the beat of my heart, the thud-thud-thud of the blood roaring in my ears as he rises to his feet. Without taking his gaze off of mine, he leans over and shoves the rest of the crockery aside. The dishes and remaining cutlery hit the ground with a crash that sweeps through me. He eases me onto my back, then
Violet "This is where we’re having dinner," he murmurs as he lowers me into a chair. I take in the crisp white table cloth that covers a table that has been set with silverware for two. The alcove is sheltered from the breeze by a screen on one side. The view itself is undisturbed though, and I glance out at the sea that stretches out into the distance. A cool breeze tugs at my hair. I tuck the strands behind my ear, turn back to the table arrangement. There’s a vase in the center of the table with one single perfectly formed black rose, the edges of the petals a blood red. It’s a perfect bloom, unlike anything I have ever seen. He reaches for a blanket that has been placed on a stool by the side. He places it over my lap, then tucks it at the sides. "How does that feel?" "Good," I murmur. "Not too cold? Not too warm?" He nods toward the patio heater, "Should I turn that off?" "No," I pat the edge of the blanket, "I am comfortable, as is." "Good." He reaches for a napkin, shakes
Alessio I walked into the room to find beauty and fabian glancing in my direction, and the expression on her face is laced with guilt. I prowl toward her and she tips up her chin. "Were you talking about me, Beauty?" I murmur and she huffs."My every conversation is not about you.""What were you two talking about, then?""None of your business.""Everything about you is my business," I pause in front of her, "and you’d do best not to forget that."Fabian clears his throat, and I shoot him a sideways glance."We were discussing the Christmas bash," he explains."Is that right?" I turn to her, "That what’s got you tied up in knots, huh?""Exactly," she snickers, "Iam the one tied up in knots." She exchanges a glance with Fabian who chuckles."She’s been worried about finding a DJ for the party. It’s why I offered my services.""You’re going to DJ?" I scowl."Sure," he raises a shoulder, "it’s no biggie. I did it at many of the parties during my university days.""And here I thought y