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Fifty Seven
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2025-02-09 17:00:00I step out of the bathroom after what felt like an eternity. After being held captive, with limited access to a shower or even a change of clothes, this shower was a much-needed relief, and I spent as long as I could in there. Steam trails out behind me, the fresh scent of soap and water mingling with the cool air of the room. My muscles ache, a reminder of the tension I've carried, of just how drained my body is. I could use a good night’s sleep, but that luxury is out of reach—not when my father’s and brother’s lives are in danger. Who knows what might be happening to them?
As I pat myself dry with a towel, I notice Bella seated on the bed, waiting for me. Her brows are furrowed, her eyes soft with a sympathy I almost can’t bear. She’s been looking at me like that since she got here. I know she has a lot of questions, and I’m grateful she hasn’t asked about what I went through. I just don’t want to talk about it.
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The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty Eight
The air between us goes still, Bella’s eyes widening as she looks to me for a reaction. I hadn’t really gotten around to telling her about that. I’ve been dealing with a lot, and since I regret doing it, it’s not exactly something I want to talk about. I feel heat rise to my face, but I say nothing, my mind whirling. Did Alessandro tell her that? If he did, why on earth would he? Also, the way she asked if I kissed him makes it clear the story was framed to make me look like I made the first move.Mia scoffs, clearly unimpressed. “I overheard your little fight with him. Don’t even think of denying it.”“I wasn’t,” I say with a shrug, not feeling like I owe her an explanation. I mean, I don’t even understand why she seems so bothered by it.“And why does it matter to you, Mia?” Bella jumps in, asking the question on my mind, and I appreciate her loyalty even when she didn’t know a
Last Updated : 2025-02-09The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifty Nine
"I was told you have medical training?” the medic asks, and I nod.“Yes, nursing.”“Good. Give them these antibiotics twice a day after they’ve eaten, and these painkillers when needed. Your father’s injuries aren’t serious, except for a mild concussion; with enough rest, he should be fine soon.” I take the pills he hands me, listening closely to his instructions.“Thank you.”“Your brother’s wound should be cleaned in a few days, and he should limit his movement,” he says. I nod, watching as he leaves.It’s been a couple of hours since Raul walked in with my father and a gunshot wound to his stomach. I was so worried he wouldn’t be okay, and I tried as much as possible to reduce the bleeding while waiting for Alessandro’s medic friend to arrive. I could have tried to take out the bullet, but I was too shaken to even attempt it.I walk back into t
Last Updated : 2025-02-09The Don's Forbidden Muse Sixty
We pull up in front of my apartment, and I feel a mix of relief and dread. The events from earlier today play on a loop in my mind. That fight was quite unnecessary, if I’m being honest. I hate that Alessandro would side with Mia and try to doubt my brother. He was shot trying to save my father, and they still think there’s no way he could have gotten out on his own. It still hurts that Alessandro didn’t even attempt to defend my brother—or me, for that matter.As Luca parks the car, I glance at Raul beside me. He’s pale, leaning back, but there’s a quiet determination in his eyes that reassures me. My father is seated silently in front, his attention ahead. Bella sits on my other side, gripping my hand as if she can read my thoughts, grounding me when I feel close to spiraling. My father suggested we go home, to his place, but Luca and Alessandro said that would be a bad idea because the Northern mafia would look for him there. We couldn’t go to Raul’s place because it’s an hour away
Last Updated : 2025-02-11The Don's Forbidden Muse Sixty One
“I swear I feel fine now. I should go home before my fiancée gets worried,” Raul says, and I shake my head.“It is still not safe.” The doctor was very clear about Raul being moved as little as possible for at least forty-eight hours. It has only been a little over twenty-four hours since he was treated. If he’s to go back to his place, tomorrow would probably be the best time. But given that the threat from the Northern mafia group just got worse, I don’t even think him being away from us is a good idea.“Me staying here is going to worry her even more. Besides, Dad is kind of not comfortable with all these people around—they are criminals, you know,” he says in a whispering voice, and I frown, looking around to see if anyone can overhear our conversation. Bella is seated on one of the plush couches, her attention fully on her phone, while my dad is focused on whatever is happening on the TV. Everyone seems
Last Updated : 2025-02-11The Don's Forbidden Muse Sixty Two
I head outside, needing air. The sun is warm, and the sound of gunfire echoes across the field. Watching everything that’s happening feels like watching art. It’s not every day you get the privilege of seeing over ten athletic, shirtless men training. It’s a sight to behold. I think it’d be even cooler if I grabbed Bella and we just sat back and watched. But before I can consider fetching her, my eyes land on Luca, who’s commanding the session with effortless ease. There’s a natural confidence to him, a charisma that’s impossible to ignore.I take a few steps closer, and as if he senses it, he glances over and smiles.An idea springs to mind, and before I can second-guess myself, I walk toward him. “Luca,” I call out.“Hey,” he lifts his vest, patting the sweat off his face with it. The moment my eyes land on his abs, my jaw drops.Okay, wow.“What’s up?” His tone i
Last Updated : 2025-02-11The Don's Forbidden Muse Sixty Three
I take a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. His tone doesn’t sound playful; it’s a threat. But the thing is, I’m getting tired of him feeling some sort of entitlement toward me.“Yours?” My voice rises in disbelief. “You don’t get to say that! You don’t get to put some claim on me when you’ve made it loud and clear that you’re married.”Ever since we met, and he decided in his twisted mind that I was perfect to be his mistress, he put that claim on me like I was some property. No matter how many times I told him he had no right to do so, my pleas just fell on deaf ears. Then I made the first move, expecting he would reciprocate because that was what he wanted. And it wasn’t just the kiss—when I told him I was okay with it, he said something along the lines of me not being certain. Then, when I was willing, he pulled the “I’m married” card. So, I’m sorry, but he
Last Updated : 2025-02-12The Don's Forbidden Muse Sixty Four
I stare at the phone for a moment, unable to process what just happened. The call replays in my mind as I hand the phone back to Luca when he stretches his hand out, but I don’t say a word. I could ignore what she said and not meet her. I don’t know what she wants to talk about, but I have a feeling she knows everything. The thing is, if I ignore her, it’ll look like I’m guilty. And I’m not. At least, I’m trying to convince myself I’m not.“What did she want?” Dell asks, pulling me from my thoughts. There’s concern etched in his voice.“She wants to see me,” I say, my voice betraying my confusion.Dell furrows his brows, matching my bewilderment.“Why would she want that?”“She wants us to talk.” Honestly, I’m scared, but I’m trying so hard not to show it.“You know you can’t go, right?” Dell says, and I shake my head
Last Updated : 2025-02-12The Don's Forbidden Muse Sixty Five
I stand there, staring at the painting in silence. The image looking back at me is so detailed, so painstakingly crafted, it feels more like a reflection than a painting. Every brushstroke on the canvas captures me perfectly, down to the smallest freckle on my cheek—even the little scar on my chin that I got on the playground as a child. The way it’s so detailed, one would have to have studied my face for a very long time to capture every detail he has. My eyes are wide, lips slightly parted, and there’s a look in them I don’t recognize—vulnerability mixed with longing. I can’t tell if it’s meant to reflect me or Alessandro’s perception of me, but it sends a shiver down my spine.“And you’d think one would be enough, no?” Maria says, moving to the other canvases. She begins uncovering them, one after the other, and they’re all of me. They don’t just look like they were painted from pure imagination
Last Updated : 2025-02-12
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The Don's Forbidden Muse Ninety
AlessandroAfter that phone call with Emilia, I’ve felt stuck ever since. I don’t know what to do. Before I took over the reign of the East mafiadome—just before I married Emilia—the queen was already on top of the food chain. There were rumors about how ruthless she was, how evil she was. The things she used to do. She was the lowest of the barrel when it came to cruelty. I didn’t think there was anything beyond her in terms of the evil she was capable of. She would kill without mercy, deal the worst drugs, and human and sex trafficking were part of her trade.So when I married Maria, I swore to change all that. I vowed to be ruthless, but not ruthless like her. I wanted to make things right—and I did.By doing so, I threatened her, and she fought back. There is nothing worse than fighting someone you don’t truly know.The thing is, before her, her father ruled. He supposedly only had sons—or so we thought.
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighty Nine
“Hey! Hey! Let us out of here, you sons of bitches!” Mateo’s scream tears through the heavy silence in the room. He thrashes against the ropes binding him to the chair, his voice hoarse as he shouts.“Let us out of here! Do you hear me? You bastards! You’re going to pay for letting Marco die. I swear to God!” he screams again, his voice bouncing off the walls, but no one comes. The night is quiet except for the sounds of the crickets and my sobbing. I turn to look at my father and brother, and they have that same sad look on their faces.Mateo keeps screaming in rage at no one, yet still, no one seems to hear his cries.I remain seated on the floor, my hands still stained with the now-dried blood that belonged to Marco. Tears stream down my face, and my whole body shakes. He was alive not long ago. But now he is gone. He’s really gone. My chest feels tight, and I can barely breathe. If only Emilia had let me help him&hel
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighty Eight
The two women exchange a knowing glance, a silent communication passing between them, before one of them stands up. She is slightly taller and more petite than me, though I suspect that’s due to the harsh conditions here. She deliberately walks toward me, the fear she initially displayed now replaced by feigned confidence. The second woman, much shorter with cropped hair, follows close behind, and my heart races with every step they take closer.“So, you’re the new one,” the first woman says, her voice sharp and biting. Even with the coldness in her tone, there’s a hint of curiosity in her eyes, as though she’s heard of me and wants to know more.I blink, confused by her words. “What do you mean?” I ask, though deep down, a part of me already knows.There can only be one reason we look so similar, and I desperately hope it isn’t true—because if it is, I’ll lose my mind.She tilts her head,
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighty Seven
The car is silent except for my pounding heart, Marco’s labored breathing, and the soft clicking sound of Emilia tapping her nails on the gun pointed at me. Her other gun rests lazily on Marco, a silent threat that keeps me gripping the steering wheel tighter than I should. My hands are trembling and slick with sweat and blood from when I tried to stop Marco’s bleeding. The whole car reeks of iron—a nauseating smell—but I’m too focused on the gun pointed at me and Marco’s worsening condition to care.“Where are we going?” I ask. Emilia only shrugs and waves for me to keep my eyes on the road. I blink rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay so I can see where I’m heading.“Where are my father and Raul?” My voice cracks despite my best effort to sound calm. I don’t know what she’s done to them. I should’ve been more suspicious when I returned and couldn’t find my father, or when Ra
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighty Six
RenéeThe moment the call drops, my heart sinks into my stomach. I pull the phone from my ear, staring at the dark screen. The battery’s dead. It hadn’t fully charged when I took it off earlier to call Alessandro. I groan in frustration as I fumble to connect it to the charger. My hands are trembling as my mind races back to his last words. I couldn’t quite catch them, but he said something about Emilia.I don’t know what he said she was, but I’m scared.My fingers fumble with the charger until I finally manage to plug it in. The phone lights up, the charging symbol glowing on the screen. I impatiently stare at it, praying it will charge faster.What did he mean?Why did he sound so terrified?What did he see during that video call?And what did Emilia see that made her sprint out of here so fast?Why did he want me to find Marco and Mateo and have them take me away from here? These people a
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighty Five
AlessandroMy heart races as I stare at the screenshot I took. I lean back in my chair, gripping the edges of the desk as if anchoring myself to reality. The video wasn’t clear—too much movement, too many shadows—but something about her. The voice. That look. I can’t shake the feeling.It can’t be.But if it is…When I knew her she used to go by a different name, it wasn't Emilia.I rub a hand down my face, trying to steady my breathing. I don’t care if I’m right or wrong, but if I am, then Renée’s life might be in danger, and I would die before letting anything happen to her.There’s only one person who can confirm this suspicion, but I hate the idea of going to her. Maria. She is the last person I want to talk to right now, not after the fight we had earlier when I came back.But I don’t have a choice.I push out my chair, the screeching sound echoing i
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighty Four
I got back to Raul’s place a few hours ago. My father wasn’t home, and when I asked Raul where he was, he said he left earlier with one of the security guys to deal with something. He didn’t give me much detail about it, so I’ll just have to call my father and ask him. Although Raul assured me he’d be fine and the security guy would make sure nothing happened to him, I still want to check on him myself.When I returned, I was too tired and just wanted some peace and rest, but Raul couldn’t let me have that the moment I told him I’d be moving in with Alessandro. I drove back with Alessandro, but along the way, he had Mateo pick me up because he said he needed to rush somewhere.So here we are, seated in the dining room across from each other. Raul looks like he wants to scold me but doesn’t know how to start.“You’re moving in with Alessandro?” he asks sharply.I shrug, nodding. “Yeah,
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighty Three
I step out of the washroom, a bathrobe securely wrapped around my body. As expected, he’s waiting for me, leaning casually against the doorframe, his eyes fixed on me like he’s been standing there for a while. This feels like a repeat of the other night, except this time, I’m so done with him.“I don’t want to fight,” he says, his voice calm but firm.“Neither do I,” I reply, walking past him. I knew he would be waiting for me after my shower to talk, but honestly, I’m too pissed to entertain him.There’s tension in the air, but I try to focus on the immediate problem: my clothes. I glance at the pants and top I wore last night, crumpled in the corner, and sigh. Am I really about to put that on again? Before I can decide, he interrupts.“There are clothes in the closet,” he says, nodding toward the adjoining room.I pause, confused. “Clothes? In the closet?” I didn&
The Don's Forbidden Muse Eight Two
I can hear his voice when I wake up. The sun is peeping in through the window. My eyelids flutter, but he’s talking on the phone, so I keep them closed, pretending to still be asleep. A blanket is draped over my naked body, and it smells faintly of him—clean, woodsy, and familiar.“What do you mean another one of our shipments is delayed?” he asks on the call, and I can’t help but wonder what the shipment is about. Could it be drugs? When I once asked him if he dealt drugs, he only chuckled but never really answered. Then there was that one time I saw Luca using coke at the club, so I don’t know. When I asked if he was into money laundering, he had the same reaction.He’s quiet for a moment, and when he speaks again, I can tell he’s even more pissed. “We’ve been doing business for years. We pay our part, and the cops look the other way. I don’t know why they’re suddenly giving us trouble now,&rdquo
