Thank you for your patience and support for my book. I'm back! Two chapters daily from tomorrow and a new book in the works hehe I hope you have a wonderful week and please, leave a review and a vote if you like this book, it is much appreciated!
Two days later, Anna and Lisa's birthday came by in a flash. It was a success as well, despite Colson's constant fear and worry. The girls genuinely enjoyed themselves and the party and funny enough, so did Roman. I watched intently as he smiled at every action the girls took, every compliment they gave him…heck I didn't even expect him to be there. But then Colson said he hasn't missed their birthdays since they were born…and I wasn't sure how to feel about that. Unfortunately I couldn't stay till the end, despite how much I wanted to. As I bade goodbye to the girls and apologized to Colson, I tried to avoid the confused and suspicious gaze Roman was sending my way. I didn't want to ruin his mood by telling him where I was going, so I lied that I had a routine check up at the hospital. Then I left. It wasn't until I stepped into my car and told the driver where I was going, before I realized that my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. Some genuine and mostly no
AMELIA FIVE YEARS AGO… I felt the impact. I knew I did. My body left the road and for a few seconds I couldn't feel anything, no pain, no anger, just quiet. Then I felt my body slam back down on the road, I landed on my stomach and the explosive pain immediately overwhelmed me. Strangely enough, I didn't black out. I was there, wailing…confused, regretful and crying for help with what little strength I had left. I watched as the truck sped off, leaving me all alone, broken and bleeding in the middle of that abandoned road. I crawled to the edge of the road, dragging my broken body as I reached for my phone. There it was, lit up, screen cracked but still functional. I called the ambulance and the second I told them I was dying, everything went black. The next thing I remembered was the numbing feeling of something moving around in me. A person's hands perhaps? All too soon it was over and I felt like they'd taken out all of my organs, it was a strange feeling. I felt
ROMAN“If it isn't my favorite brother-in-law,” Alexander's irritating voice drawled from the other instantly making regret picking his call. “Alexander, if there's anything you have to say, just say it,” I muttered, looking being me for the nth time since I reached the back garden, trying to make sure none of the girls or guests followed me. “Well, how did my sister end up with a man as unromantic as you?” He tutted, chuckling like he found the situation all too amusing. Alexander was my friend, but that was a long time ago before I realized he was a power hungry snake with next to no morals, now the only reason I kept him alive was because of Amelia. But every time I hear his voice, I'm reminded of the reason why I shot the fucker and why I never wanted anything else to do with him. “Come on now, pakhan,”“Don't call me that!” I snapped, unable to hide the pure irritation in my tone. “Alright, alright…” He blew out a breath, “Do you have people watching her at all times? Things
ROMANI didn't find Amelia in the living room or kitchen when I got home. It stirred up a strange feeling inside me, something that felt like I was excited to see her and also dreading the idea of feeling that excitement. We've literally spent the past three days together and have only been separated for a few hours yet here I was like a fool, missing her. ‘You love her, don't you?’That question seemed to echo in my head over and over again no matter how much I tried to brush it off. As I made my way upstairs, I silently wondered if she was okay. It was so quiet. Everyone had been given the day off, so it was just the two of us. Why did that… I swallowed, pushing down the thoughts that threatened to assail my mind. Scratch that, they were already there. Memories of Amelia beneath me, naked…wet and so fucking–I Inhaled sharply and mentally face palmed. Here I was in front of the master bedroom and I could feel myself going hard. “Fucking idiot!”The moon was already up, the
AMELIA I should have stopped him. No. I didn't want to stop him. I wanted it just as much as he claimed. Just as much as his body showed. His arm went tighter around my waist as he let out a shaky breath past my lips, his fingers entangling themselves in my hair as his hot tongue explored every crevice of my mouth. He pulled my face closer, like we didn't need air. I understood the urgency in his actions because I felt the same way. I felt eager to go deeper into his embrace, to feel him closer…his kiss, his mouth…everything about him in that moment seemed to drive me crazy. His cock was harder, pushing into me with every little movement and I shamelessly rocked against him…wanting more, craving more. Everything else was forgotten. It was the effect of his words, everything he admitted to me…it mass me realize just how much I wanted this man and how fucking afraid I was to lose him. He was more than just a friend to me…admitting it to myself only served to increase my fear.
AMELIA Sure, I knew he wouldn't drop it…no matter how much I tried to distract him. It left me thinking up an excuse, a fake story I can tell to explain my accidental slip up. I was just so overwhelmed…I shouldn't have said those words, not to him…what if he learns of it? Would he still look at me the same way? Would he still declare these words with the same fervor? “Roman…” I moaned, eyes going wide as I felt his finger slide slowly into my wet core, so slow that I felt I would die from the anticipation. My walls immediately clenched around his fingers, a shaky breath left my lips. He pressed his lips against mine, fingers leaving my core and grabbing my ass tightly. I struggled to catch my breath as he smacked my butt cheeks, hard. Then he groaned, lifting my feet from the ground before I could string along a proper thought. The sting from his hit only served to heighten my arousal. His lips never left mine, not once. My back was against the soft mattress in t
“Are you asleep?” I was momentarily startled by Roman's question. I had thought he was asleep as I felt his chest rise and fall steadily behind me. He had gone quiet and led me to believe that we wouldn't have to talk. It was my fault for hoping I would have more time to mentally prepare myself for the conversation he wanted to have. “No…” I muttered after a few seconds had passed. “I can't sleep,” I confessed quietly. Countless thoughts were swirling through my mind in that moment. Firstly, I was naked, so was Roman, and I was in his arms, his chest pressed so closely against my back that I could feel each thump of his heart. I could feel his hot breath in my hair. I could smell his sweat and masculine scent on my skin. And yet, despite it all. I was so fucking comfortable and, at the same time, unable to relax. Maybe he could feel it. How tense I was. “Are you ready to talk?” “I think I need another shower,” I immediately cut in, making a move to sit up. He held
ALEXANDER The ancient hinges creaked ominously as I pushed open the heavy oak doors to my grandfather's bedroom, a sound that had haunted my childhood nightmares whenever I'd been called in for a scolding. The familiar scent hit me first – a complex mixture of Cuban cigars, aged leather, and the subtle undertone of the lavender oil the maids used to polish the antique furniture. It was a scent I'd come to associate with power, with family, with the weight of expectations that came with being a Guerrero. But all of this grandeur paled in comparison to the man sitting in the imposing leather armchair by the window. My grandfather – Il re ombra, the King of the underground world – looked smaller than I remembered from just two weeks ago. The sight of him made my heart clench painfully in my chest. The harsh Sicily sunlight that bathed the room in golden hues did him no favors, casting deep shadows across his gaunt face and highlighting the hollow spaces where his strength used to res
Hi! Its me Dchenemi but you already know that lol. I want to thank you for sticking with this book this far and answer a few questions. Firstly O would like to apologize for the lack of updates, I have ongoing exams and I'm unable to focus on writing while the pressure of getting good grades are breathing down on my neck ahah.Secondly, this arc of the book will be over and after that there'll be one last arc to round up everything and then The Forgotten Marriage will be done and Roman and Amelia's story will give way to other books in the Volkov's Series. Thirdly, daily updates will resume first of February without fail and I promise to give you a satisfying ending. Lastly, thank you for sticking around and coming this far, I hope you have a great week ahead and I'll see you in February. Best, Dchenemi. P.S. You can find me on FB @Divine Chenemi to learn more about the upcoming series or get a sneak peek at oncoming chapters or if you have suggestions or anything you wish to ta
AMELIA My mother had always told me I was destined for great things, and at some point in my life, I thought it was being a well-established painter or perhaps a tycoon like she wished to be. But now I realized what she truly meant. No matter how much she had tried to escape it, her past still caught up with her. Just like my grandfather had said, one could not fully leave such a life except through death, and now... I had become one of them. Due to the things I had said and done behind Isabella's back, she had sent me into those rooms to be abused by those men, but what I came out with was power—one that I couldn't ever tell Roman about. The things I had said... and done, just to convince those men... "Amelia, how could you do such a thing without consulting me?!" Alexander whisper-yelled. He stood a few steps away from me, practically trembling from the shock and rage of what I had just told him. I interlocked my fingers and let out a soft sigh, not fazed one bit by his agitatio
AMELIAI cried myself back to sleep, my body was far too exhausted to do anything else. When I came to, Roman wasn't in the bedroom with me. Our bedroom. I was back home. It felt surreal seeing the familiar walls, the sheets, the scents. Everything made my eyes prickle with tears and the irony wasn't lost on me. Not too long ago I had wished to be out of here for good with no reason to return yet, here I was…happy to be back within three walls. My limbs felt heavy, like they didn't belong to me and my head felt like it wasn't a part of my body. I still felt out of it…a strange feeling that spread to my chest. Like I was out of place, like I didn't belong. For some reason, I half expected Marcus would open that door and walk in, sit right next to me and continue the torture I've been in for the past two weeks. It was possible. What did Roman do with him? I sat up slowly, my whole body groaning in protest. My vision spun and it took a few seconds for me to get my head in order.
AMELIAA FEW DAYS LATER… Isabella had kept her word. After the meeting with Mr. Rossi and a few others who Isabella failed to mention, she didn't send me back to the building I was locked up in. She gave me two flight tickets and told me to make a choice, one sent me back home and the other…was to Sicily. To the heart of all our family's operations. She gave me a choice, once she knew would make my mind heavy with thoughts. An opportunity at power. But I already had my own plans…one I intended to execute once I was out of her grasp. I was supposed to be boarding a plane going back home before Marcus got to me, probably angry that Isabella didn't keep her end of whatever it was their bargain was. I suspected it was me. I barely remembered what happened after that, I was pumped full of whatever it was Marcus spent the last few days injecting me with. I could barely keep my eyes open, I couldn't walk and my thoughts were muddled even as panic gripped me. Fear that I had been doub
AMELIAOver a week had passed since I'd first woken in this goddamn bedroom, though time had begun to lose all meaning. The hope I'd initially clung to – that Roman would find me, that someone would notice my absence and come to my rescue – had slowly withered away like flowers left too long without water. I'd spent countless hours staring out at the skyline, watching the sun rise and set over ancient buildings that had witnessed centuries of human suffering. Now they were witnessing mine.My heart ached each time I saw people pass by, moving freely without knowing just how grateful they should be that they could. Marcus hadn't kissed a day of his visits, his constant torture and each day that passed brought me closer to the day he would finally act on his obvious urges that he's been talking about. He's going to start hurting me, not just mentally but physically. The got of it alone got him off. I'd seen him massage his dick a few times with his eyes on me, fantasizing of a day
ROMAN The mining complex loomed before us in the early morning light, a hulking mass of concrete and rusted metal that seemed to devour the shadows around it. I crouched behind a piece of machinery, my body coiled tight with anticipation as I watched the guards make their rounds through my scope. "Three on the perimeter, two at each entrance," Nikolai's voice came through my earpiece, soft but crystal clear. Even from his position in the command vehicle half a mile away, he somehow knew exactly what was happening. "They're rotating every fifteen minutes, clockwork precision. Military training, just like our informant said." "How many inside?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Heat signatures show twelve moving bodies on the main level, four in the lower sections." There was a pause, then, "One signature in the deepest part of the complex. Isolated. That's her, Roman." My fingers tightened on my rifle. "You're sure?" "The body temperature is slightly elevated, consistent
ROMAN My finger tightened instinctively on the trigger as I studied my cousin, but something in his relaxed posture made me hesitate. He moved with an uncanny grace as he stepped closer, his cane barely touching the ground, more an accessory than a necessity. When he removed his sunglasses, I understood why – behind them, white orbs stared unseeingly ahead, yet somehow I felt more seen than I had in years. "The great Roman Volkov," Nikolai mused, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Always so quick to reach for your weapon. Some things never change, cousin." He moved past me with the confidence of someone who could see every obstacle, his cane making soft taps against the marble floor. "Though I must say, your taste in interior design has improved significantly." He spoke like we were close, but I'd only met the man once when I was younger…two years younger than me, a strange child that had no innocence left in him. There was an attack that left both his eyes damaged beyond repai
ROMAN FOUR DAYS AGO… The sketch in my hand trembled as realization crashed over me like a wave of ice water. Those familiar features, that seemingly warm smile that had never quite reached his eyes – Vincent. Pierce! Our fucking neighbor?! The man who had wormed his way into our lives after her accident despite being our neighbor for years. He got so close to Amelia…the way he looked at her, the way he tried to get closer every fucking time. How could I have been so blind? How could I have been so stupid?! My grip tightened until the paper crumpled between my fingers, fury coursing through my veins like molten lead. "Dimitri," I barked, my voice cutting through the tension-filled air of the cabin. "Watch her. If she so much as breathes wrong, handle it." My eyes locked onto Bertha's terrified face, watching as the blood drained from her cheeks. "You helped him get close to my wife again. Remember that when you're lying awake tonight." I rose to my feet, “For every scratc
AMELIAFive days. One hundred and twenty hours of being trapped in this prison, each minute stretching into an eternity of helpless desperation. The room, with its elegant Italian furniture and sweeping views of Rome, had become my personal hell. They had taken off the covers from the furniture, told me it was once my mother's bedroom. I was in Guerrero manor, a family house in a fucking skyscraper. The highest room, a place my mother probably sought solace and now it was my cell. I'd tried every door, every window, even searched for hidden passages like some character in a gothic novel, but found nothing. The doors were sealed tight, the windows reinforced with something that wouldn't break no matter how hard I struck them. Even the beautiful crystal vase I'd hurled in desperation had merely bounced off, leaving not so much as a scratch.From my perch high above the city, I watched life continue below with a sense of surreal detachment. People moved through the streets like tiny d