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Twelve
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2025-01-19 23:00:00I 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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The Don's Forbidden Muse Thirteen
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
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Muse Fourteen
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
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Muse Fifteen
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
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Muse Sixteen
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
Last Updated : 2025-01-21The Don's Forbidden Muse Seventeen
I have been tossing and turning most of the night because there is no way in hell I can sleep in a strange place full of mafia men knowing that my friend isn’t safe. When I think of the mission I am supposed to do, it gets even worse. I hear a knock on the door, and my heart jumps into my throat. The door swings open, and I scramble to sit up, regretting not locking myself inside the room. Alessandro and Luca step inside, both changed from the outfits they had on last night. Luca has a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. I push myself back against the headboard, my eyes darting between them.“Morning, sunshine. Time to go,” Luca says, throwing the duffel on the bed, startling me for a moment.“Get up,” Alessandro commands, his voice cold. I get to my feet slowly, keeping as much distance as I can. I am never a morning person, but given that I wasn’t getting any sleep either, I just want this day to be done with so that I can have my
Last Updated : 2025-01-21The Don's Forbidden Muse Eighteen
I am frozen.I blink twice just to make sure this is not just another one of my dreams. She is supposed to be missing, along with Alessandro’s other mistresses. That’s what Dell said—they all vanished, and the feds were trying to figure out what had happened to them, or rather, what Alessandro had done to them. So unless Mia has a twin, someone somewhere has been lying or hiding something because this woman here doesn’t look like someone who has been missing for over six months. She looks healthy, happy even.She is drop-dead gorgeous. The picture I saw of her didn’t do her any justice. As a photographer, I know that photos are usually the best version of someone. For her, it’s the total opposite.She has a cascade of fully curly hair, and I’m wondering why she gets to have that much hair. I would kill to have such hair without having to add clip-ons. I know it’s all hers because of the way she has styled it in an
Last Updated : 2025-01-21The Don's Forbidden Muse Nineteen
I don’t like that she is so calm about this, but she seems to know what she is doing, and I just want to get this job done and get my friend back so that we can go home. As we approach Alessandro’s compound, my sense of unease keeps growing. If Maria sees me again, she will know that I have had more than one encounter with her husband, and that is the one thing that I don’t want. The gate opens, and my heart beats even faster. Luca walks out, looking displeased. Mia slows the car when he steps in front of it, making her stop. She smiles and lowers the window as he approaches.“Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Luca demands, his eyes narrowing.Mia leans out of the window, completely unfazed by his question.“Hi to you too, Luca. I haven’t missed you at all,” she says, and I can tell from Luca’s expression that they probably do not like each other. There seems to be a negative tension b
Last Updated : 2025-01-22The Don's Forbidden Muse Twenty
My heart is beating so fast as I get into the car with Luca. He starts the car, and Alessandro and Mia are just staring at us as we drive off. I don’t know why I thought having that outburst was a good idea. I already regret not holding back my anger. I should have just kept my mouth shut and left. But no, I had to be stupid enough to think I could yell at someone who could kill me without batting an eye. I should have just thought about the fact that I haven’t gotten Bella yet, but I let my temper win. I could tell I pissed him off; he was trying so hard to act nonchalant, but I could see it. And now I am terrified of what he might do to me.What if he kills me?He said no one leaves, and I just looked him in the eye and threatened to reveal everything to the feds. He is going to kill me. Hell, he’s probably sent Luca a text to finish me off.“He is going to kill me!” I blurt out, my voice trembling. Luca turns to look at me, compl
Last Updated : 2025-01-22
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The Don's Forbidden Muse Epilogue
One year laterThe soft click of the camera is the only sound in the room as I lean in closer, adjusting the angle to capture the perfect shot. My client is seated on the velvet chaise, draped in delicate lace. Her confidence radiates through the lens, and she is beautiful. The natural light streaming through the tall windows bathes her in a warm glow, highlighting every curve and detail.“Beautiful,” I murmur in a steady voice as I guide her. “Tilt your chin slightly… yes, just like that. Perfect.”This is my world now. My studio, my work, my passion. It’s been over a year and a half since I found my footing in this country, and my boudoir photography has taken off in ways I never imagined. Had someone told me I would stay here and make it my home after all the tragedies that happened, I would have laughed in their face. But here I am. High-end clients, features in glossy magazines—it’s everything I dreamed of an
The Don's Forbidden Muse Ninety Five
I open my eyes, and the splitting headache is a clear reminder of the hangover from last night. I think I might have had a little too much to drink. My body is tangled in soft linen sheets that aren’t mine. I quickly sit up, blinking against the brightness streaming through the curtains. For a moment, everything is hazy—the room, the night, and the nagging sense of regret clawing at the edges of my mind.I push myself up slowly, the cozy carpet beneath my feet unfamiliar. Panic starts to creep in as I take in the space. A strange home. My mind is slowly piecing everything together, and then it hits me—Luca. The bar. The bathroom. His bed.“Oh my god,” I whisper, my hands flying to my face.What the hell have I done?The events of last night quickly come crashing in. What we did didn’t just stop in that bar bathroom. Somehow, we ended up here, and we didn’t stop until... I shake my head, trying to will the memories
The Don's Forbidden Muse Ninety Four
The restaurant is quiet. Too quiet. I’m seated at the center of it, watching the soft shadows cast across the empty tables around me by the flickering candlelight. The dress delivered earlier fits like a glove, hugging my curves and making me feel beautiful, but I’m slowly starting to feel less and less beautiful as time keeps passing by. Sitting here alone in this massive restaurant feels uncomfortable.I swirl the wine in my glass, the rich red liquid catching the light. I sigh and take a sip. It’s my third—or is it my fourth? I’ve lost count. I don’t normally get drunk on wine, but if I keep taking one glass after another, I’ll be tipsy by the time this date even starts. I glance at my phone for the umpteenth time, the screen lighting up with the same message he sent over forty-five minutes ago:I’ll be late, but I’m on my way. Order something, love.That word love feels hollow now. I check the time again,
The Don's Forbidden Muse Ninety Three
Several months laterThis always feels like the first time. I’m straddling Alessandro in the warm, scented water of our bathtub, riding out the pleasure as water laps against my skin. His hands grip my waist tightly, and his head tips back as he groans my name. It’s moments like this when I forget the chaos around us. Here, it’s just him and me—no one else.I let out a soft moan as I finish, my body trembling as I collapse against him. He catches me, cradling me like I’m the most precious thing in the world, before pressing a kiss to my forehead, then to my lips, his breath warm and tender.“I love you,” he whispers softly, tucking my hair behind my ear.Those three words hit me like a wave every time he says them. I smile, kissing him back gently before leaning against his chest, slowly listening to the rhythm of our breathing. His hand brushes through my hair, untangling it with care.“What are you
The Don's Forbidden Muse Ninety Two
I am shaking as I stare at the pool of blood on the floor next to my father’s leg, which keeps growing larger with every passing second. His face is pale, and he is starting to get weaker. I’m trying to hold back my tears, wishing I could help him, but I can’t move. My body feels like it’s chained to this seat, my fists trembling in place on my lap.“Okay, I’ll ask again,” Emilia’s sharp voice cuts through the air, making my heart race even faster. “Who do you have resentment for in this room, Principessa?” she asks in a mocking voice.My throat is dry, my voice barely above a whisper as I stammer. “Maria.”I hear Maria scoff at the other end of the room. “Bitch,” she mutters under her breath, but it’s loud enough for everyone to hear.I swallow hard, trying not to look in her direction. Emilia leans forward, clearly intrigued. “Oh, now this is getting interest
The Don's Forbidden Muse Ninety One
I open my eyes, and my head is killing me. The first thing I feel is the cold, hard surface beneath me. I try to piece together where I am. Someone is calling my name, the voice faint but familiar, slicing through the fog clouding my mind.“Renée…”I force my eyes open, blinking against the light filtering into the massive room. It takes me a moment to figure out my surroundings, and then I see him—Alessandro. He’s seated on a chair a few feet away, his hands bound, his eyes filled with anger and despair.My heart jumps. He came for me.I try to sit up, and my body aches with every move, but I still manage to sit.“Alessandro,” I whisper, my voice cracking as I struggle to stand.He shakes his head, a silent warning, and that’s when I see it—a gun pressed against his temple. My breath catches in my throat as my heart starts to race.“Hey… hey… are you ok
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,
