“I had a feeling that something was different. I didn’t know my absence would change so many things.” Gina walked to me and ran a hand through my hair. “I’m happy to see this change.” I only smiled, not knowing what else to say. This was as sudden to me as to her. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it
MARIELLE I burst into the warehouse my papa was, according to Adonis. My heart hadn’t stopped beating this infuriatingly since Mama’s call. I feared being too late to save Rocco’s life. Even though I, myself, was furious at Rocco, I had to make sure he was okay for my sister’s sake. Papa was obvio
“He ruined my daughter’s life.” “And you’re sure it was only one sided?” Adonis pulled out the biggest point. It definitely wasn’t one sided as far as I knew Ara. She wouldn’t allow just anyone to hold her down against her wishes. Adonis said, “As long as it wasn’t rape, death will not be the pun
We never kept secrets from each other. But how could I have known that we would grow apart after my marriage? If I had been there with Ara, she wouldn’t have made such a huge mistake. So I was to blame as well. Adonis made his way to the door of the warehouse. “I’m heading to Manhattan as well. Com
“No. I like it. He’s caring and knows what to say to make my heart flutter and all that, but all this is very scary.” He knitted his brows in confession and I explained, “It just feels like a dream sometimes. And it scares me that one day I’d wake up and all of this would be a lie. He would be gone.
EROS I shouldn’t have been angry. It was my brother, after all. Yet Arabella’s words repeated every damn time I looked at Ella. “You’re standing in the same room as Adonis Vitale, the man you love.” Ella loved him. How could I ever compete with that? There were only a few people on this planet who
What I was feeling was insecurity at its worst. I had always known that anyone, absolutely everyone, would choose Adonis over me because he was the better one of us. He was wiser, dumb most of the time, but always righteous—at least as much as he could be, given his role in our line of work. Adonis
EROS I didn’t care about Adonis finding the contract because all I could think about was the look Mariella had on her face. The look of utter shock and complete pain. I was a bastard for making her feel that way. But I was a fucking mess. “It’s a contract,” I said, my voice harsh, “stating that ou
I walked toward Ella’s bed and sat down beside her. She pulled herself up with much difficulty and looked down at our daughter. “She’s so small,” I said, my eyes filling with tears. The wait, the pain and everything were worth this—this joy and the deep love I felt in my heart. I met Ella’s gaze a
[FOUR YEARS LATER] EROS I was panicking more than Ella was. But I couldn’t take her screams, let alone look at her. She was covered in sweat from head to toe and her entire body was shuddering. This was partially my fault, I could say. She buried her head back on the pillow and let out another lo
Even in my absence, I had been sure that Mariella was okay. She was upset, which was understandable, but she was safe. Adonis had ensured it. I hurried into my wing and up to my room, unable to control the burdening feeling in my chest. I needed to let out all that I had been holding inside, to tel
Both Mom and Adonis scanned the room. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t have a good feeling about this. Ella was running away. Or perhaps hiding something from me. I sincerely wished it was the prior. Adonis took a deep breath and spoke. “Ma, I need to speak to Eros.” I was dumbfounded. I widened my
EROS With all the men guarding me, I felt like a child being carried to the principal’s office. Every fucking one of them had a brooding look on their face. And I had been seeing them every day for the past two months. No more. I was finally returning home. To my family. To my wife. I wondered ho
As I pushed the door, I noticed the girl sitting on the ground, holding a grey shirt to her chest. Eros’s shirt. Had she been holding onto him in this manner? Crying herself to sleep holding that one shirt? Consoling herself that he was alright? “Mariella?” Her eyes widened and snapped toward me.
ADONIS I couldn’t stand the sight of people who pretended as though my world hadn’t completely changed. Many people greeted me as I walked out to the main wing. Danilo, his wife and younger daughter. Terenzio and Fabiola. Niana Galasso and the idiot who got Danilo’s daughter pregnant. My wife and
“My sister has a habit of meddling in other people’s matters. I’m sorry for that.” She probably didn’t know who I was, either. Her expressions suddenly fell, and she said with an apologetic look on her face, “I’m sorry if I sound rude, but my coming here wasn’t really a coincidence.” I frowned. “I h
Eros leaned down and whispered something into his niece’s ears that made Alessia smile bigger. Letting go of his hands, she motioned toward her father. Eros, the matchmaker, was back in the room. He wanted nothing more than what I did and that was to see this little family of ours be happy and one