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2025-01-17 23:00:00I sit in the backseat of Luca’s car, my heart pounding as the cityscape blurs by. The silence between us is suffocating, and I keep my eyes on the road ahead, too afraid to look at him. He drives with a calmness that unnerves me, as if this is just another day for him. The inside of the car is luxurious, and if I weren't worried about my life right now, I would lean back and enjoy the ride, because this car offers that kind of comfort. I wonder how he can drive so comfortably with me inside when he almost tortured me to death the other day. It’s like he doesn’t have a soul.
“Where are you taking me?” I finally ask, my voice shaky.
“Someplace where we can talk,” he replies curtly, not taking his eyes off the road.
“Talk about what?” I ask, dreading any conversation with him after what he did to me.
“You’ll see,” he says.
I grip the edge of my seat, my mind racing with possibilit
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I can’t exactly decipher my thoughts right now. It feels like a race in there. I don't know why I thought it would be a different proposal when he is literally this close to me. I frown and try to move back, and he takes that as a hint to step back. His face is blank, with no emotion, no expectation, just nothing."What?" I finally find my voice."If we're being fair, you seduced me first. I’m just giving you what you wanted," he says casually, and my eyes widen in shock."I was on a mission," I clarify, as if it wasn’t obvious."Mission accomplished."Oh, he is an arrogant one, alright. I didn’t even know someone could be that direct about wanting someone, not because they like them or have feelings for them, but because he wants me as his mistress. What in the hell gave him the impression that I would be his mistress, let alone be one?I have craved love for as long as I can remember. To be loved right and to be in love with someone so much that I can barely breathe. All my exes nev
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I am lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My heart feels like it’s going to explode out of my chest. I have spent the last few hours trying to think of a way out of my current predicament, but I’ve come up with nothing. Sure, the plan of leaving is still the winning plan, but I would hate to give up without finding even a single clue about how to locate him. The only thing I discovered was that he was taken by the Romano mafia group, which Alessandro was so quick to dismiss. I know I don’t trust him, but the FBI hasn’t been of much help either. Every time I think about the man who had his guy electrocute me wanting to make me his mistress, and touch my body and do whatever he wants with it, it sends shivers down my spine.There is a light knock on my door, and when I lift my head, Bella is standing there, looking at me with a mixture of concern and confusion.“Renée, what’s wrong? You have been acting a little different la
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"I am so sorry, Renée. Look, you don’t have to worry because I won’t let him hurt you, I promise,” he says, and I shake my head in disbelief. I can’t believe he knew all that and still put my life at risk. I got tortured, for chrissake. Bella isn’t saying much, but I can tell that she, too, is disappointed in how Dell handled this. I thought he cared about me, but I guess I was wrong. He seems to care more about their case.“How the hell are you supposed to protect her when you didn’t even know she had been abducted and tortured?” Bella asks him, and I am so glad that she is on my side; I thought she would take her brother’s side.“I am the FBI. We will protect you. I would have done something if she had told me then,” he says, and Bella shakes her head.“Because it’s your fucking job to know if one of your people is missing, Dell. I thought you knew better than that. Dad would
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I take a sip of the whiskey and pass it to Bella, who does the same. We've been doing this for the last hour or so while watching a show on TV, but my mind isn’t on the show. We're seated on her bed, and the reason we're drinking here is because her parents have a strict no-drinking rule in their house. It doesn’t matter that we’re both old enough to drink—Bella is twenty-two and I turned twenty-four a couple of months ago. So, Bella stole the bottle from their cellar and brought it to the room. The silence between us is heavy, laden with all the unspoken fears and uncertainties of the past day. Dell said Agent Morales had extended my deadline to midnight, but the clock keeps ticking, and I still haven’t changed my mind about my decision. We keep sharing the bottle of whiskey, taking turns sipping from it, but neither of us feels the need to break the quiet. It is a strange kind of comfort, this mutual silence.The day has passed in a blur since
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I take one last look at myself in the floor-length mirror and let out a long sigh before forcing a smile and adjusting my dress for the umpteenth time. It’s a sleek black number that hugs my curves in all the right places, with a daring neckline and a hemline that stops mid-thigh. The shimmering fabric catches the light as I move, making me feel like I belong in one of those high-end nightclubs I’ve only ever seen in movies. I decided to keep my natural hair, with a slight parting on the side and some curls framing my face, while the rest tumbles freely down my back. My makeup is smoky and bold, giving me a look of confidence that I don’t entirely feel.I rummage through my sling bag, making sure I have everything I need for the night, my fingers brushing against something familiar. I pull out a small, worn photograph of her, the most beautiful woman I have ever known, my mother. Her gentle smile and kind eyes stare back at me, and I feel a pang of guilt. I
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I wake up to the sensation of movement, my head throbbing and my face still covered by the cloth. The unmistakable hum of a car engine confirms that I’m in a moving vehicle.Great, I just got kidnapped again.I’m getting really tired of being chloroformed and dragged around against my will. At this rate, I might just develop PTSD. My brain quickly realizes that this is not a situation for an internal monologue, and I panic as I try to pull the cloth off my face. I quickly realize my hands are tied tightly. Yet another set of bruises on my wrists. This is why I wanted to leave—because honestly, this isn’t a life.The car comes to a stop, and I hear the door open. Someone roughly grabs my arm and pulls me out of the car. I stumble on my heels, my legs unsteady from the lingering effects of the drug. I’m dragged forward, and then I hear that familiar voice.“Take the covering off her face and untie her hands,” Alessa
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The door creaks open, and Luca steps in, catching me in the act of hastily pulling my dress back on. His expression is unreadable, and I wonder what he might think of the scene he just walked into. Without a word, he turns to Alessandro, whispers something to him, and Alessandro nods before turning to me.“Stay here,” he commands, and I don’t even respond. I'm still shaken by what just happened.He follows Luca out of the room, and relief washes over me momentarily. The violation of being made to undress like that lingers; I can't fathom how sick Alessandro must be to think that was an appropriate thing to do. If he wanted to check for a tracker, he could have found a woman in his gang to do it. I remember not seeing any women when we arrived here, but my face was covered most of the time. I’m sure he has female associates.I check inside my bra and sigh with relief when I feel the listening device tucked away softly. I had hidden it on i
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I am coiled at the far end of the bed, hugging my knees and covering my ears as tears keep falling. He was shot dead because I lied that he had the device. The door is unlocked, and Alessandro enters, looking calm as if he didn’t just commit a violent act. His face is masked with controlled fury as he dismisses Luca with a sharp gesture. I shrink back against the headboard, terrified to even breathe as he closes the door behind him.I know I'm next.“I told you to stay here. Why the fuck didn’t you listen to me?” His voice cuts through the air like a knife, sharp and demanding. I can’t meet his eyes; my gaze fixed downward as tears well up.“Answer me!” he yells, and I jump back, scared as more tears escape.“I... I just want to go home,” I manage to choke out, my voice shaking. He scoffs and shakes his head in disbelief.“And you thought you could just walk past more than ten of my guys a
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He’s dressed in his signature look—a black shirt and black pants. Given that it’s the middle of the night, I thought he might show up in something more casual. For a moment, there’s an awkward pause; his expression unreadable as he looks away, seemingly ignoring the scene, then moves toward us. I quickly stand up, straightening myself, trying to gauge his reaction, but he stays composed, his expression closed. I can’t quite explain how I feel seeing him. I should be relieved, even glad, but I don’t feel any of that. My heart hasn’t skipped a beat at his presence; the only reason it’s racing is because he walked in on me and Luca in an awkward position.“Give us a moment,” he tells Luca, who nervously clears his throat, nods, and walks away. Now it’s just the two of us, and the tension in the room crackles like electricity.“Are you okay?” he asks in a low tone. I clear my throat and nod. I&rs
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty Five
I didn’t think I’d remember the address, but I’m here. I honestly can’t explain how fast I drove; I just needed to get here and find help before I lose not only my father but my brother too. After years of only having my mother as my closest family, and believing I had no one else after she died and my dad went missing, I’ve just discovered I have more family, and I’m not about to lose them. I wanted to call Alessandro to let him know I was free, as Raul advised, but I realized I don’t have his or anyone else’s number memorized. So, I took a risk and came here, hoping I’d find him.My hands are shaky as I get closer. The nearer I get, the more uneasy I feel, almost like I’m stepping into dangerous territory. After everything, I’m sure they wouldn’t expect someone like me to arrive alone.I squint, spotting shadows shifting near the entrance. A dark figure comes into view, followed by another—
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My heart is racing, and I can't stop the tears streaming down my face as my hands grip the steering wheel. Sweat breaks out across my palms as I fight to keep my hold steady. Each breath feels shallow, barely filling my lungs. I don’t know where I am, but all I know is that I need to get as far away from here as possible and find help. My heart aches at the thought that I finally found my father, and now, I might lose him again. The road is secluded, bordered by thick bushes on both sides. I glance at the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see shadows from the past chasing me down the empty road.But it’s not just my imagination. There’s a car in the distance, following me. At first, I want to believe it’s just a random driver, but my situation doesn’t exactly allow me that privilege. And then, the moment I take a left turn, they follow. I know I’m being tailed. I mean, there’s no way they would just let me leave like that. I thought
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty Three
When Michael told me to get ready because I’d be meeting someone for dinner, I never imagined it would be my father. This can’t be real—not after all this time. I just stare at him, unable to move, let alone blink. I’m frozen, struggling to believe my eyes. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him in person—not since before he went missing. The last time I saw him, I was young, maybe in junior high school or even younger. Since then, our only contact has been through video calls. But now, here he is in the flesh. He looks older and more tired, with a heaviness in his eyes I don’t remember. Yet even after all these years, I know without a doubt I’d recognize him anywhere.It takes a moment for it to sink in: he’s actually here with me. The man I’ve been searching for since I arrived in this country is standing right in front of me. Before I can stop myself, I push my seat back, rushing to him, throwing my arms around him. I bury my face in his chest, breathing in the familiar scent that b
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I was moved to a new room, just as Michael said I would be. Now, I’m sitting on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the sheets as I take in my surroundings. It’s warmer here, and less suffocating than the cold, damp cell I was trapped in before. There’s an actual bed with a blanket, a much larger window that lets in a sliver of light, and even a bathroom. It’s a world away from the darkness I was stuck in, but I know better than to take comfort in any of this. It’s just another cage, dressed up to look less cruel.The door swings open, and Michael steps in, not giving me a moment to absorb the new space. His eyes sweep over the room before landing on me.“I see you’ve settled in,” he says, his voice carrying a casual indifference. “Do you like it better here?”I don’t answer, just stare at him, because it doesn’t matter what I say. I never thought I would hold so much resentment for someone as I do for him. He takes a step closer, pulling a phone from his pocket, and I look up at h
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty One
I open my eyes. It’s another day in this dungeon. I don’t even know what day it is anymore. Every second drags on, blurring into the next, making it impossible to tell if it’s been days or weeks. Time means nothing here, just like I don’t. I’m still trapped, still their prisoner, even after they sent that video of me—bloodied and bruised—to Alessandro. I thought, hoped, that he might do something, that I was worth saving. But the bruises have started to heal, and though I don’t know exactly how many days have passed, I’ve woken up to that light beaming through the little window enough times to know it’s probably time to give up on him saving me. Because now…I know he won’t. That voice message they played for me, his cold voice dismissing their threats, plays in my head like a bad dream. He doesn’t care about me—not enough to negotiate, not enough to even consider it. Sleep has become my only escape, where I can see her—my mom. But every time I wake up and remember she’s gone, and I mi
The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty
I’m seated on the floor, cradling my knees as my whole body trembles with regret and exhaustion. I am in pain from the rough way the kidnapper threw me back in here. I was so close—so close to escaping, to being free of this nightmare. But it wasn’t enough. My wrists throb from where the ropes dug into my skin earlier, and my heart pounds as the panic refuses to fade. The tears just keep falling, blurring my vision, and I press my face into my knees.Now that the only means I had thought of for escaping is no longer an option, I don’t know if I will ever leave this place. Maybe I should wait for a while, then ask to go to the washrooms again, and try to escape successfully this time. I know they will probably be extra careful with me, but maybe it’s worth a try because, if I’m being honest, depending solely on Alessandro to get me out of here isn’t something I can count on. What if he really doesn’t care? What if this is how it
The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Nine
I wake up on the cold, hard floor of a tiny room, confused as I blink my eyes open. I remember being dragged into this room last night by the kidnappers. The darkness has lifted, replaced by a faint light filtering through the small window high above me. I can tell it’s morning, not only from the soft light of the sun but also from the distant sound of birds chirping. I’ve had sleepless nights before, but this is one that will stick with me forever because I barely got any sleep.I don’t know where I am, and panic sets in as the events of last night flood back. I remember being dragged from the van, my heart racing as I struggled against their grip. I remember how Michael tricked me into this trap. I know they’re holding me because they want Alessandro to release Michael, and somehow they think this will work. I try to get up, but realize my hands are tied.I struggle against the ropes binding my wrists, but they dig into my skin, a harsh remind
The Don's Forbidden Muse Forty Eight
As I unlock the door, the banging stops abruptly. Alessandro’s eyes immediately narrow.“What the hell was that? What were you doing in there with him?” he asks, his voice low and menacing. I would say I was scared, but right now, I’m just over him. Luca is standing behind him, looking more focused than angry. His eyes move between me and Michael, who’s still tied up, a smirk on his lips.“Renée!” Alessandro blurts out, and I scoff, brushing past him as if his question barely registers.“I needed to talk to him,” I reply, keeping my tone calm but firm. “And you’re not going to kill him… not until I say so.” He creases his brow in confusion as his expression darkens. He steps closer, towering over me.Luca walks over to where Michael is, still bound to the chair, seemingly unfazed.“What the hell did you tell her?” Luca asks Michael, who only shrugs, th
