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Chapter 7: The Painting
Last Updated:
2024-09-19 16:42:24
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The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 8: Terms and Conditions
I slipped the cab driver some money. "Thanks," I said, my voice hoarse from last night's events. I had drunk most of the bottle of wine myself and finished off my rainy-day vodka, which helped me loosen up."Take care, ma'am," he called back as I shimmied off the cab seat. My heels hit the sidewalk with a loud click. I felt like a stranger in my own body as I walked toward the house.I pressed the button on the intercom at the gate, and it immediately began to open. As I walked up the driveway, the hair on my body stood up in anticipation. I looked up and saw a camera peeking at me.I knew the predators were watching.The contract to work for Constantine was straightforward. I would receive a salary of fifty thousand dollars a month, half of which would be deducted to pay for the damages I caused to his one-of-a-kind Lamborghini.It was outrageous to think my life—and my family's—were at risk over a car, that I couldn’t even appreciate the remaining twenty-five thousand I'd be gaining
Last Updated : 2024-09-25The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 9: Goodbye
“So, do you have everything you need?” I asked Evan as we walked hand in hand to his departing gate. “Everything except you,” he said, pulling me close. His hands rested on my waist as he stared lovingly into my eyes. “I wish you were coming with me. I can’t wait to be married to you and for our honeymoon—two weeks in Huawei,” he groaned with pleasure. “And the fact that we haven’t… you know, ever since you suggested we take a break form that so it would be special on our wedding night,” he cleared his throat. I felt my cheeks flush. Evan was my first and longest relationship. My art had always consumed most of my time, leaving little room for anything else until my career refused to bloom from anything beyond the street. “Me too…” My voice trailed off as I pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.The thought of moving to Los Angeles if he got the job there was both daunting and intriguing. The idea of never having to live in the same city as Constantine again was incredibly appealing. I
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I pulled up to Constantine’s club and stepped inside, immediately regretting it. My eyes scanned the room for him and there he was, getting a lap dance from a stripper— I assumed— dressed in a glittery two-piece. “Oh, Rosana,” he chirped, smacking her butt. As I approached them I wanted to gag. The air reeked of cheap perfume and sweat, blending with the stale stench of spilt liquor pooling on the sticky floor. The place was a wreck, and I could already feel the need to tack on an extra minute to every shower I’d take this week just for standing in this filthy, poorly lit- pit.“Let’s go,” I snapped, grabbing Constantine by the arm.“April!” he cheered, completely oblivious. “Come sit down! This is Ginger.” He pulled me in the seat next to him and I felt like I'd need a couple of shots after this. “I thought her name was Rosana,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.“They all look the same after a few shots.”I glanced at the stripper. “Nice to meet you, Ginger.” Then I turned back to him.
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I woke up late after spending the night putting Constantine to bed. I missed Sunday lunch with Evan’s and my parents because I overslept, and I felt like crap.Sprawled on my couch with one foot hanging off the edge, I was multitasking—texting Evan and researching the Leoné family.I needed to understand exactly what I was up against. Pretending like everything was normal wouldn't help me get through this. There was clearly something darker and more sinister about this family, and they hid it well.I stumbled upon an article titled, "The Three C’s, or Should They Be Called the Brothers of Chaos Instead?"Scrolling down, I saw a photo of Constantine, his brother Cavalon, and the enigmatic gentleman I met on my second day—Carlisle. He was the second oldest, and he hadn’t mentioned they were brothers.The handle on my apartment door turned, jolting me upright. “April,” Rain called out.I dragged myself off the couch and opened the door. “What happened today?” she asked, stepping inside.
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"Are you going to sulk all night?" Constantine exhaled in frustration. I wasn’t sulking, per se, but I had nothing good to say, so I decided to stay quiet.It was hard not to speak my mind, especially hard to hold my temper. "I was forced out of my home," I muttered, still staring out the car window."It’s not like you had anything better to do," he said, causing my blood to boil."Mmm," I gritted out."Crying over your lover and stuffing your face with junk food. What a waste of an evening." I glared at his stupid face as he stopped the car and a valet swiftly took the keys. Another opened the door for me, and I stepped out into the cool evening air, taking in the glitz and glamour. The people, the cars, and the venue were illuminated in light.This wasn’t how I pictured my Sunday afternoon going.“So, what’s this event about?” I asked.“A private auction. All proceeds go to charity… or so they say,” he smirked darkly.“And what if it actually does go to charity?”Constantine loop
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My eyes struggled to adjust to the blinding white light. I tried to move my hand to shield some of it, but my wrist was restrained. As my vision cleared, I realized I was sitting across from Mr. Chen at a cold, metallic desk. My hands were bound tightly, and panic began to settle in."Mr. Chen?" My voice wavered. What the hell was going on?"I do apologize that you’ve been caught up in this," he said, casually placing a knife on the table in front of me, its blade glinting under the light."Wrapped up in what?" I asked groggily, my head still swimming."Don’t play games with me." His voice hardened as he stood, his dark eyes narrowing. "I want to know everything about the spyware C-Tech is developing.""I honestly don’t know what you're talking about," I said, my voice shaky but sincere."Who is developing the software? Who are the lead engineers?" His voice grew more demanding as he leaned in closer, towering over me."I’ve only been there for a week," I blurted out. "I swear, I don’
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I walked into my apartment, and Constantine followed behind. He closed the door softly. "April—" he began, but I ignored him, heading straight to the bathroom and slamming the door shut. I pulled off the dress and threw it in the hamper. I'm never wearing that again. I stepped into the shower, the hot water cascading over my frozen bones, but I was too tense to enjoy it. I needed a few minutes to get my thoughts in order before I confronted him, or else I knew with my temper and his, it would lead to a screaming match. As I screwed my eyes shut, trying to relax, the events of the past week flashed before my eyes—a relentless, chaotic nightmare. Rain warning me about him, Constantine threatening a man in the middle of his living room, making all those threats against me and my family, and then tonight... Who was I really dealing with? He knew too much—about me, about the people I loved. He knew how to find me tonight. I wanted not to care about who he was, but I was afraid
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Constantine insisted I take the week off, and I didn’t argue. The nightmares had stopped, but the guilt? That lingered like a shadow I couldn’t shake. I thought I had processed everything, but every time I closed my eyes, the weight of it pressed down. So, I turned to painting again. It was the only thing that eased the pressure, even if just for a moment.It started simple—a three-dimensional orange from a side profile. But as if something inside me snapped, the brush began to move on its own. Before I knew it, the painting morphed into a face, sharp and unfamiliar, dark and unsettling. I’d never painted anything like it before, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. There was something in this darkness that drew me in, a release I didn’t understand but craved.Then, my phone rang, shattering the trance. I dropped the brush, hands trembling as I wiped them clean. "Hey, honey," Evan’s face lit up the screen."Hey," I forced a smile."Are you painting?" His voice was soft, curious."Yeah... si
Last Updated : 2024-10-05
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The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 38: Everything
Constantine left to attend an emergency business meeting. His simple instruction had been not to leave the room until he returned. He’d never restricted me to his office before. It felt like he was hiding me.I stayed put, though, because wandering the house felt odd considering I had never done it alone and that there could be actual skeletons in his closet.The thought of staying with him for two weeks gnawed at me as I sat on the plush leather couch in his expansive office, staring at the skyline through the tall windows.But I knew if I hadn’t agreed, Constantine would never let me have my own life. A knock interrupted my thoughts, followed by the sound of the door creaking open.“Constantine—” Carlisle called, stepping inside. His voice died as his eyes landed on me. He froze.“April,” he said softly, breaking out of his trance and walking toward me. “I thought you were in New York?”“I was,” I admitted, my tone wary.He sighed, leaning against the desk, arms crossed as he scrut
The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 37: Two weeks
I opened my eyes to complete darkness. The sheets around me were too soft, too luxurious. I wasn’t in my apartment—that much was obvious. I sat up slowly, my heart thudding as I stood and ran my fingers up and down the walls for a light switch.Finally landing upon it I flipped the switch on and took in the room, the dark walls, the faint scent of leather and wood bombarding me with the truth of exactly where I was..Then my gaze fell on the wall across from me, and I froze. My painting—the one I’d done in a fit of rebellion, my not-so-subtle middle finger to Constantine. He not only kept it... He hung it up.And then my eyes drifted to the other wall, and I felt the invisible dagger twist deeper into my chest. A portrait I’d painted of him, when he was all I could see, all I wanted to capture. What I told myself would be an orange. He never returned the painting and I never wanted it back given what it represented.I didn't want to see the light in Constantine. I needed to believe h
The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 36: Rabbit hole
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The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 35: Game of power
Constantine's POV By the time the car rolled to a stop outside the address, I’d finished reading into Lexi’s files. The images and texts I found were shocking, I was not expecting this but I knew how to turn a situation in my favour. I kicked open the front door, striding in with Carlisle and Cavalon flanking me.“Darling, I’m home," I called as I stepped into the room to see Lexi and Kate, curled together on the couch like conspiring schoolgirls. They sprang apart upon seeing me and Kate jumped to her feet, instinctively placing herself in front of Lexi. I had to admire her bravery. “Where’s Jones?” Kate demanded, her voice defiant. I tilted my head, amused by her courage as I stepped forward, wrapping my hand around her throat. Her pulse raced beneath my fingers. “You’re in no position to be asking questions, sweetheart.” Kate’s lips twisted into a smirk even as my grip tightened. “If I were straight, maybe I’d actually be enjoying this,” she sneered, trying to keep her
The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 34: Sea witch
Constantine's POV I was nearing the final hour—the countdown to when Lexi’s captor threatened to end her life if the ransom wasn’t delivered. My security team had identified the woman’s face: Kate Kravosky. I wracked my brain, trying to recall if I’d ever crossed paths with her, but came up blank. Even the mayor didn’t have answers, though he promised to mobilize his security to search every corner of the town. With time slipping away, I requested my best IT guys to hack into Lexi’s phone to dig up her chat history and current location. If only she’d used one of my company’s models, the process would’ve been faster. I grabbed the duffel bag of cash and moved to head out. “I’m coming with you,” I heard Carlisle’s voice, turning to find him standing by the stairwell. “Don’t need company,” I replied, moving for the door. As I reached my car and placed the money in the backseat, I heard Cavalon say, “I miss the times we kicked ass together.” I turned to see him and Carlisle behin
The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 33: Dangerous secrets
Constantine's POV “Fuck!” I roared, hurling the bottle of whiskey against the wall. Glass exploded, sending shards in every direction; one grazed my hand. I barely felt it. I was too blinded by anger. The sting of her words felt like acid coursing through my veins. I had never been so raw with anyone before, never allowed myself to feel anything. I felt like a fucking fool begging her. But I wasn't prepared to beg anymore. She shook my soul when she put that gun in my hand, asking me to kill her so she could be free from me. I thought I was good to her. I thought maybe she felt something for me after all this time. Why would she leave? Did she have unresolved feelings for Evan… or for Carlisle? I just wanted her to talk to me, but she wouldn't. She kept accusing me, assuming I wanted to shame her into making her my mistress. I flung another bottle at the wall, and as it shattered, a low whistle came from the doorway. Cavalon, ever the calm shadow in my storm, leaned against th
The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 32: Lifeline
Constantine pulled me away from Carlilse and through the crowd. "Don't say a word and don't make a scene," he warned as he led me away from the dancers. I had no choice but to listen. He wasn't going to stop harassing me tonight and his family was starting to notice the tension between us. We had to resolve this. Whatever it was. He led me to a boardroom and shut the door. "What the fuck?" He demanded. "I don't think I owe you any explanations." I could feel the expression on my face change. He closed the distance between us, his finger tilting my chin up so that I was forced to make eye contact with him. "What do you take me for?" "What do you want, Constantine?" I moved away from him. "You," he crossed his arms casually as if what he said didn't sound insane. "Great," sarcasm laced my tone, "what about Lexi?" I asked. "Our marriage is an arrangement," he repeated the same words over and I was tired of hearing it. "Yeah sure it is," I smiled, but there was no happin
The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 31: Python
The moment I stepped into the ballroom, it felt like every pair of eyes locked onto me, dissecting, scrutinizing—even though I knew they weren’t. All of them were here for Constantine and Lexi, the city’s power couple.I was just another guest—or rather, a pawn—trapped in a ridiculous green dress Lexi had personally picked out. She’d said it "matched the theme." In reality, it was hideous: a swampy, sickly color that felt more like a taunt than an outfit. The fabric scratched against my skin, and I caught hidden laughs from the other staff dressed in equally unflattering shades.We were a parade of walking insults.Clenching the stem of my champagne flute, I forced myself to smile through the growing sense of discomfort, nodding politely to a few members in the crowd. My hands felt clammy, and I took a shallow sip to calm my nerves, the bubbles tickling my nose. Finding a safe corner near a tall potted plant, I blended into the background—hidden enough to breathe but with a clear vie
The Mafia Boss's PA Chapter 30: It's my life
"April, what have you done?" my mother shouted over the phone as I rushed to get into the elevator."Mom, it's not what I wanted," I admitted."Evan came by earlier and told us everything. Did you have an affair with your boss?" she yelled."Evan just assumed because I didn't want to marry him. I wasn't having an affair," I said, infuriated. Why would he tell my parents that?"April, you need to make this right. Evan is a good man. You're being silly, and you're not a child anymore. It's time to grow up.""With all due respect, Mother, it is my life. Evan is someone you want me to marry, but I do not want to marry him. I would be miserable. He doesn’t support my ambitions, and I don't feel that spark when I'm with him. I want what you and Dad have." There was silence. "Just because I'm not a doctor, lawyer, or accountant doesn't mean I'm not grown. Those aren't my passions, and I'm tired of pretending to be something I'm not just to make everyone feel comfortable with me. Accept me as
