LUCAI squeezed the steering wheel of the car tightly seething silently. I had told Hakeem that I was just strolling out, just so that he would not insist on following me, or be suspiscious and alert either Alessandro or Dante of my whereabout.The message had been clear this time.A text message to my phone.Someone was playing with me, and I was going to find out who.We had relaxed after the run in with those men in the club, but I still hadn't believed it was over.He wanted to meet, that was fine.I honked at a car that was turning too slowly in the bend I needed to enter, impatient as hell. When he finally moved, I flipped him a finger and continued on my way.It was a small house. A cottage to be honest.I looked at the adress on my phone's gps again, to make sure I was in the right place.It showed that I was in the right place.I parked the car, opposite the house, on the other side of the road, then brought out my gun, makign sure it was fully loaded, before sticking it in th
ELENA"You have been fiddling with that since." Valeria's voice dragged me out of my thoughts, and when her words registered, I snatched my hand from my necklace and managed a small smile.I had finally given in and worn my mum's necklace. And I hadn't been able to stop touching it.Maybe it was the closest I ever felt to her. "It's just a habit." It wasn't a lie. Even before, I had always played with the gem on it. If it weren't a real stone, I'm sure I would have worn it out, with so much friction."Well, it's beatiful." she said, eyeing the necklace with a small frown etched on her face."Thank you. It was my mum's." I plopped into the couch next to her and picked up a throw pillow, wedging it between my legs.Valeria was hardly ever around, and even when she was, I usually wasn't aware. That is, until she came to drag me out of my bedroom. Like today.I had decided not to go to the office, much to Alberto's chagrin, and Luca's excitement. The truth was, I was feeling a bit under
LUCAThe room was almost as silent as a grave yard, thirty minutes after I had assembled my brothers and told them of Fabio.I had intentionally left Valeria out, because I knew it would be easier to tell my sweet forgiving sister, than to tell the two men in front of me.Dante finally spoke first. "So you are telling me, that that father of yours, not only played half a role in our lives, but was able to go start up another family, with another woman?" he was angry, and rightfully so.Dante never got along very well with Martinelli, but he never bumped heads with him. He rather prefered to stay aloof.Alessandro on the other hand, followed our father like a sheep, although he did voice out his opinions when necessary.As for me...."I don't know about starting a whole family, because according to Fabio and his mother, I don''t think Martinelli was present in their lives." I had spoken to the woman who was kind enough to answer soem questions. She had told me, that she was only doing
ELENA"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience." Dorathy Stevenson said with an apologetic look on her face. In her hands were numerous company files.I waved my hand. "Next time just make sure things are in order, to avoid pulling me out of the house like that." I replied, not really offended, just tired.When the door had opened, I hadn't been expecting to see my assistant panting like she had run a marathon. Although I won't be suprised she if she had.None of my father's shipments had gotten the approval to pass. We had had to act really fast.Now though, I was tired as hell and just needed to go home.Who knew that a last minute decision to wear snakers, was gonna save my legs from a lot of pain.I dismissed her and began sorting through the documents in my office. I hadn't had the time to do so, and had told Dorathy not to worry about them, preferring to do them myself.Nothing beat arranging your own document and knowing where you kept what.I was head deep in a box, when I felt
ELENAThe papers I was carrying weighed more than they were supposed to.Donavan hadn't been lying.It was true. All of it.My phone rang, shattering the silence in the car.Samuel looked at me through the rearview mirror when I didn't bother answering it and let it ring two more times.I eyed him, then turned my face to the car window, focusing on the passing buildings instead. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. Especially after what I had just found out.I hadn't been able to get through to Alberto, making me wonder where he had kept his phone."Are you alright, ma'am?" Samuel asked, making me look back to see him giving me a worried look through the rearview mirror."Since when did we start caring for each other, Samuel?" My tone was bored and filled with sarcasm.We never had discussions. It was always silent in the car. Sometimes, too silent.Samuel's eyes showed amusement and he peeled his gaze away, back to the road. "That's basically my job ma'am." His tone matched mine.
LUCA"Mind your business, Hakeem." I hissed, pushignback the passenger seat of my car so I could stretch my long legs. I didn't even want to ask why the chair was pushed forward in the first place because I knew I wasn't going to be pleased with the answer.We were currently parked outside of a casino, waiting for our informant to give us the go ahead on whether we should go in or not.According to him, the Casino was packed with buyers, and what other way to get things running, than playing a game or two with them.But there was a particular person I needed to see."Well, you have been looking at that phone for the past three hours, and I can tell you would rather be with her, then here." Hakeem said in a sing-song voice.Dante snorted form where he sat at the backseat."Shut up." I hated when he decided to talk. I preferred him professional to the t, as he actually mostly was. But sometimes, when he was in a good mood, he behaved differently. Like now."I mean, he's not lying." Dant
ELENA"You will not disobey me, Elena. You will marry him."Those were the words of my father, Don Alberto Ricci, and they echoed loudly in my mind like I had just been slapped in the face.When he had called me that morning, I should have known that something was off. Don Alberto had done everything possible to ignore his only child in the last few years, that I had given up on thinking I actually had a father."I will do no such thing, Father." I hissed, gritting my teeth as anger pulsed through my veins. "It is funny how you think I will just sit here and let you sell me off to the highest bidder!""Well, that highest bidder is my only chance at being on the stronger side of this war, Elena, and you will marry him." He moved closer, his eyes blazing. There were few times my father had shown me this side of him, and this, compared to all those times, was the worst."No—" The word had just left my mouth when a slap landed on my face, cutting off the air in my lungs.Pain coursed throu
ELENAI sat stiffly in the back of the sleek black limousine, my fingers curled into my lap as I stared out the tinted window. The grand cathedral loomed ahead, its towering stone facade casting an ominous shadow over the crowded street. The bells tolled, marking the hour of my doom.My wedding.My prison sentence.My hair had been curled to perfection by the best stylists in the country. My makeup, flawless.The soft lace clung to my skin from my neck down to my waist, before flaring out into the most beautiful wedding dress I had ever set my eyes on. Too bad it was for a day like this.Between my father and my groom, they had spared no expense.I couldn't feel a thing.Numbness had become my new favorite emotion.It was the only way to forget what I had seen in that room that day.Had I not been enough for him? I had given him almost everything he could have ever wanted.Had I been that horrible of a girlfriend that he had opted for a threesome?The thought made my stomach turn.My e
LUCA"Mind your business, Hakeem." I hissed, pushignback the passenger seat of my car so I could stretch my long legs. I didn't even want to ask why the chair was pushed forward in the first place because I knew I wasn't going to be pleased with the answer.We were currently parked outside of a casino, waiting for our informant to give us the go ahead on whether we should go in or not.According to him, the Casino was packed with buyers, and what other way to get things running, than playing a game or two with them.But there was a particular person I needed to see."Well, you have been looking at that phone for the past three hours, and I can tell you would rather be with her, then here." Hakeem said in a sing-song voice.Dante snorted form where he sat at the backseat."Shut up." I hated when he decided to talk. I preferred him professional to the t, as he actually mostly was. But sometimes, when he was in a good mood, he behaved differently. Like now."I mean, he's not lying." Dant
ELENAThe papers I was carrying weighed more than they were supposed to.Donavan hadn't been lying.It was true. All of it.My phone rang, shattering the silence in the car.Samuel looked at me through the rearview mirror when I didn't bother answering it and let it ring two more times.I eyed him, then turned my face to the car window, focusing on the passing buildings instead. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. Especially after what I had just found out.I hadn't been able to get through to Alberto, making me wonder where he had kept his phone."Are you alright, ma'am?" Samuel asked, making me look back to see him giving me a worried look through the rearview mirror."Since when did we start caring for each other, Samuel?" My tone was bored and filled with sarcasm.We never had discussions. It was always silent in the car. Sometimes, too silent.Samuel's eyes showed amusement and he peeled his gaze away, back to the road. "That's basically my job ma'am." His tone matched mine.
ELENA"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience." Dorathy Stevenson said with an apologetic look on her face. In her hands were numerous company files.I waved my hand. "Next time just make sure things are in order, to avoid pulling me out of the house like that." I replied, not really offended, just tired.When the door had opened, I hadn't been expecting to see my assistant panting like she had run a marathon. Although I won't be suprised she if she had.None of my father's shipments had gotten the approval to pass. We had had to act really fast.Now though, I was tired as hell and just needed to go home.Who knew that a last minute decision to wear snakers, was gonna save my legs from a lot of pain.I dismissed her and began sorting through the documents in my office. I hadn't had the time to do so, and had told Dorathy not to worry about them, preferring to do them myself.Nothing beat arranging your own document and knowing where you kept what.I was head deep in a box, when I felt
LUCAThe room was almost as silent as a grave yard, thirty minutes after I had assembled my brothers and told them of Fabio.I had intentionally left Valeria out, because I knew it would be easier to tell my sweet forgiving sister, than to tell the two men in front of me.Dante finally spoke first. "So you are telling me, that that father of yours, not only played half a role in our lives, but was able to go start up another family, with another woman?" he was angry, and rightfully so.Dante never got along very well with Martinelli, but he never bumped heads with him. He rather prefered to stay aloof.Alessandro on the other hand, followed our father like a sheep, although he did voice out his opinions when necessary.As for me...."I don't know about starting a whole family, because according to Fabio and his mother, I don''t think Martinelli was present in their lives." I had spoken to the woman who was kind enough to answer soem questions. She had told me, that she was only doing
ELENA"You have been fiddling with that since." Valeria's voice dragged me out of my thoughts, and when her words registered, I snatched my hand from my necklace and managed a small smile.I had finally given in and worn my mum's necklace. And I hadn't been able to stop touching it.Maybe it was the closest I ever felt to her. "It's just a habit." It wasn't a lie. Even before, I had always played with the gem on it. If it weren't a real stone, I'm sure I would have worn it out, with so much friction."Well, it's beatiful." she said, eyeing the necklace with a small frown etched on her face."Thank you. It was my mum's." I plopped into the couch next to her and picked up a throw pillow, wedging it between my legs.Valeria was hardly ever around, and even when she was, I usually wasn't aware. That is, until she came to drag me out of my bedroom. Like today.I had decided not to go to the office, much to Alberto's chagrin, and Luca's excitement. The truth was, I was feeling a bit under
LUCAI squeezed the steering wheel of the car tightly seething silently. I had told Hakeem that I was just strolling out, just so that he would not insist on following me, or be suspiscious and alert either Alessandro or Dante of my whereabout.The message had been clear this time.A text message to my phone.Someone was playing with me, and I was going to find out who.We had relaxed after the run in with those men in the club, but I still hadn't believed it was over.He wanted to meet, that was fine.I honked at a car that was turning too slowly in the bend I needed to enter, impatient as hell. When he finally moved, I flipped him a finger and continued on my way.It was a small house. A cottage to be honest.I looked at the adress on my phone's gps again, to make sure I was in the right place.It showed that I was in the right place.I parked the car, opposite the house, on the other side of the road, then brought out my gun, makign sure it was fully loaded, before sticking it in th
LUCAI couldn't get her out of my mind.I had taken her to my bedroom, and made love over again. Rosetta had brought us a late lunch in the bedroom, after which we had made love again. This time, it had been slow and long. I just didn't want to stop.The only reason I had even left the room was because I knew she was going to be sore, and needed rest.Seeing her in my bed.What had I been thinking taking her there? Now the only place I had to myself that had no trace of her, was now filled with memories of our love making.I poured myself a cup of whiskey, not bothering with ice cubes and just gulped the liquid down.I had never ever, slept with a woman in my bed. I prefered to sleep alone. Yet, after we lay spent, I had drifted into sleep. Not once, in those few hours, had I been jolted awake by the dreams that usually tormented me. In fact, if my phone hadn't vibrated contniously, I would have still been entangled with her, in my bed.I had lingered for a few minutes, just watching
ELENAI looked behind me, feeling a slight chill down my spine."Is there something wrong?" Samuel asked, looking in the direction I was looking at.I shook my head, blinking and turning back to continue towards where Luca had parked his car. He had called and asked me to meet him in front of his restaurant. I wasn't surprised though, since his new forte was removing me from work at any time of the say.This time though, I welcomed it. Anything but the humiliation I had gone through in that office with my father.The tests, came back negative. All three of them.I didn't understand why, but I felt disappointed too, but not for the same reasons Alberto was.Luca was leaning on the car, his features alert. "Alberto." he nodded, reaching out to shake my father's hand firmly. "Luca." My father replied.I cast my gaze down, waiting for them to say whatever it is they wanted to say to each other, but my name was mentioned. I looked up to see Luca casting me a concerned look. "Get in the car
ELENA"You did not tell me you were coming." I hissed as my father guided me by my arm into my office. He pushed me inside, and I dismissed Samuel who looked ready to pounce."I don't have to tell you when I'm coming to my own office, dammit!" His tone was more biting than usual. "And tell you bodyguard to mind his damn business!"I looked at my father, then as Samuel who had not backed down. "It's okay, Samuel. Please just wait outside." I pleaded when he continued to stand in the doorway. "Really, it's okay."Unlike his normal aloof self, it took him a few moments before stepping away from the door. "I'll just be right here, ma'am." It was one of the few times I heard him speak.I smiled, then closed the door, before turning around to see my father smoking."That thing will kill you." I said distastefully as he took a deep puff, and massaged my arms where it ached.I had barely stepped out of a meeting with a ground supervisor, when he had literally ambushed me and dragged me all the