CHAPTER NINETY-NINEARIAThe sting in my hand was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. Maximo stood frozen for a moment, his cheek reddening from where my palm had connected. And then, to my utter disbelief, he laughed—a low, bitter sound that rumbled deep in his chest.“Wow. And here I was thinking you would be happy I’m offering you an easy way out,” he murmured.An angry snarl slipped past my lips as my hand shot up again, ready to slap him a second time. But before I could bring my hand down on his cheek again, he caught my wrist in midair. His grip was firm but not rough, and despite everything, a small, pathetic part of me was happy that he was touching me again.Piercing, grey eyes bored into mine with a mix of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite place.“Aria,” he said sharply, his voice edged with irritation, “I thought you’d be pleased.”“Pleased?” I yelled, my voice rising as tears burned in my eyes. I wrenched my hand free from his grasp, glaring at him th
CHAPTER ONE HUNDREDEPILOGUE (Eight Months Later)ARIA“Maximo,” Dr. Marini said, adjusting her glasses as she peered at him from across the table. “We’ve talked about this. You can’t solve everything with threats.”Maximo, sitting beside me in a perfectly tailored suit, crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t threaten,” he said smoothly. “I give options. It’s not my fault people don’t like the consequences of the second one.”I stifled a laugh, earning a sharp look from Dr. Marini. She was one hell of a woman. Soft when she needed to be, but also scary nonetheless. It was why she was the only woman in the Cosa Nostra who could call my husband by his first name. I still wasn’t sure how I should feel about that.“Aria,” she turned her attention to me, “how do you feel when Maximo behaves this way?”“Honestly?” I said, tilting my head. “It depends. Sometimes, it can be infuriating..."“I didn’t even do anything,” Maximo grumbled beside me. “Do you know what other dons do
CHAPTER ONEARIA*Flashback*"You bitch!" Jacob yelled as he slammed my head against the wall. I yelped in pain as black dots filled my vision. I could feel the wetness trickling down my face, and I knew that I was bleeding. I tried to get up from my position on the floor, but my body was very weak."You can't run away from me," he growled. "Never!"Tears filled my eyes as I looked at my packed bag that was beside him. I caught sight of his Armani shoes walking towards me, and my heart pounded in my chest."I'll kill you today," he growled.I looked around for any object I could use to defend myself. I screamed when he grabbed my legs, and I immediately grabbed the broken lamp I spotted beside me. I turned over and stabbed his leg with all my might."F*ck!" He screamed in pain and fell to the floor. Adrenaline flowed through my veins as I climbed up and stabbed his head with the sharp edges of the broken glass. He let out a guttural scream as blood rushed from where I'd stabbed him.I
CHAPTER TWOARIAThe hands that were on me suddenly disappeared, and I swiftly crawled away from the man and backed into the nearby wall."Scar," the robber's voice shook in fear as he fell to the ground.My breath hitched in my throat as two men immediately started punching the man that was on me a few minutes ago.I slowly lifted my head to look at the man that had saved me. He stood dangerously tall, with long hair framing his sculptured face. A dangerous scar slashed his eyebrows and ran down to his ear. I was locked in a staring contest with this strange man, and he was winning because I was finding it harder to keep looking into his gray eyes.The groaning sounds beside me intensified, and I turned to see that the creep who attacked me was on the floor, covered in blood."Please stop," I choked out. The two men that were hitting him didn't pay any attention to me.I looked at the man before me. "Please tell them to stop," I gritted with tears in my eyes. I didn't want the man to
CHAPTER THREEMAXIMOMy Red. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since last night. She seemed so innocent until our lips joined together. With her American accent and her optimism, she didn't know what she'd just gotten herself into by coming here.A nagging feeling I couldn't get out of my head was the fact that she looked strangely familiar. I knew I hadn't seen her before, because I never forget faces. And it's impossible to forget a face as perfect as her's. So why did I feel like I'd seen her before? Why did her face strike up an unpleasant pang at the back of my head? It was almost like my mind was trying to tell me something I needed to know, but my eyes and body weren't paying attention.Guttural screams filled the room as I was brought back to the dark reality. I watched Luca snip off the tip of Marco's fingers. His pathetic pleading filled my ears, and I watched how a former powerful gang lord begged for his life in my custody. That was what happened whenever peo
CHAPTER FOURARIAMy body was lying on something cold and hard. I shivered and tried to wrap my hand around my body. My eyebrows creased as I realized I couldn't move my hands. I pulled, but the sound of heavy metal filled my ears. My eyes opened slowly, and I took in the strange room I was in. I couldn't figure out what the room was. It was a dark room that was empty except for the chair that sat in the center of the room. With so much effort, I got into a sitting position. My head pounded as my stomach churned. I glanced at my hands and feet and saw that they were chained to the floor.My heart beat accelerated as confusion clouded my head. I shivered again as my teeth chattered. That was when my memory started to come back to me. The harsh grip, the handkerchief over my nose, the shoes...I heard a deep moan from beside me. I looked to find another man who was chained to the ground like me. My eyes shot to his hands. They were the same hands that covered my nose. Confusion swirled
CHAPTER FIVEARIAI couldn't stop the scream from leaving my mouth as the second man Maximo killed dropped to the floor. Everyone turned to look at me, but I could only look Maximo in the eye. His dark stare terrified me, and I no longer saw attraction or desire in it. Instead, I saw unadulterated rage and fury. In that moment, I wished I could understand what the other man told him to make him react this way.This wasn't the man that saved me from being raped or the man that had touched me and looked at me with so much desire. The man who stood before me was a monster."Who are you, and what do you want from me?" I asked with venom in my voice.He marched towards me, and I subconsciously cowered to protect myself. He got to where I was and crouched down to my level."You really got yourself into trouble, Red," he growled as his hand reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. His calloused fingers touched my cheek, and goosebumps rose on my skin. I shivered as I wondered how
CHAPTER SIXARIAI opened my eyes and immediately closed them again, wincing from the bright light that flooded into the room. I opened my eyes again and gazed outside. The sky was beautiful, and the sun’s golden light streamed through the window, casting long shadows on the floor.I would have smiled at the perfect view, but a heavy weight hung in my chest. I felt like Rapunzel—seeing the beautiful scenery through the window but never getting out.Except I wasn’t Rapunzel. I wasn’t a f*cking princess.I am a captive. A mere prisoner waiting for slaughter. The handcuffs that bound me to the bed were a harsh reminder.The door to my room opened and two young women stepped in, each carrying a tray. They both dropped the trays on a small stool at the foot of the bed, and I recognized the look of pity they cast me.I don’t need any fucking pity.“Your food,” the taller of the two announced.I scoffed bitterly. “Is Maximo such a pussy that he can’t even kill me himself? Instead, he’s reso
CHAPTER ONE HUNDREDEPILOGUE (Eight Months Later)ARIA“Maximo,” Dr. Marini said, adjusting her glasses as she peered at him from across the table. “We’ve talked about this. You can’t solve everything with threats.”Maximo, sitting beside me in a perfectly tailored suit, crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t threaten,” he said smoothly. “I give options. It’s not my fault people don’t like the consequences of the second one.”I stifled a laugh, earning a sharp look from Dr. Marini. She was one hell of a woman. Soft when she needed to be, but also scary nonetheless. It was why she was the only woman in the Cosa Nostra who could call my husband by his first name. I still wasn’t sure how I should feel about that.“Aria,” she turned her attention to me, “how do you feel when Maximo behaves this way?”“Honestly?” I said, tilting my head. “It depends. Sometimes, it can be infuriating..."“I didn’t even do anything,” Maximo grumbled beside me. “Do you know what other dons do
CHAPTER NINETY-NINEARIAThe sting in my hand was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. Maximo stood frozen for a moment, his cheek reddening from where my palm had connected. And then, to my utter disbelief, he laughed—a low, bitter sound that rumbled deep in his chest.“Wow. And here I was thinking you would be happy I’m offering you an easy way out,” he murmured.An angry snarl slipped past my lips as my hand shot up again, ready to slap him a second time. But before I could bring my hand down on his cheek again, he caught my wrist in midair. His grip was firm but not rough, and despite everything, a small, pathetic part of me was happy that he was touching me again.Piercing, grey eyes bored into mine with a mix of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite place.“Aria,” he said sharply, his voice edged with irritation, “I thought you’d be pleased.”“Pleased?” I yelled, my voice rising as tears burned in my eyes. I wrenched my hand free from his grasp, glaring at him th
CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHTARIAIt had been five days. Five days since Maximo killed Lorenzo. Five days since Maximo last spoke to me or looked at me.The house felt colder than usual, and the silence pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket. I’d spent the entire day trying to distract myself from the ache in my chest, but nothing worked.I had tried cleaning the kitchen even though everything was already spotless, scrubbing every surface until my hands were raw. Maria panicked when she saw me, and when she tried to shoo me away from the kitchen, I reminded her that I was her boss’s wife. I did it a little too harshly, I’ll admit, but I’ve been on an uncomfortable edge ever since.I prepared lunch with the rest of the kitchen staff. At first, there was an uncomfortable silence due to my presence in the room. But after I urged them to ignore my presence, a soft conversation amongst the maids followed, and I drowned myself in the city gossip I never knew could distract me.By mid-afterno
CHAPTER NINETY-SEVENMAXIMOA sharp scream pierced the room as Aria crouched to the floor. My heartbeat thudded in my ears as Lorenzo’s head snapped back, crimson blood staining the wall behind him as his body crumpled to the floor.Silence followed, but it was so loud that it felt like a roar.I stared at the lifeless heap on the ground, at the way his blood—my blood—pooled beneath him. My hand stayed clenched around my gun, trembling as I tried to make sense of what was in front of me. The pure rage that had driven me seconds ago evaporated. It was now replaced by a hollowness that spread through my chest like poison.I did it. I killed my brother.The realization ripped through my chest, leaving behind a void so vast that it threatened to swallow me whole. Lorenzo’s face was frozen in a blank state. I stared at his once-sharp features—features that were almost identical to mine—and the slack and lifeless face stared back at me. His eyes—eyes that used to glint with mischief, love,
CHAPTER NINETY-SIXMAXIMOI stood there, gun in hand, staring at my brother as his smirk spread and his mocking laughter echoed around the room. It wasn’t the laugh of someone remorseful or regretful. It was the sound of someone who had nothing left to lose.“You’ll have to be more specific,” I said through clenched teeth. “What exactly did you mean when you said you’ve been behind everything?”Lorenzo tilted his head, his smirk widening. “Do you really want me to go into detail? Are you sure your heart would be able to handle it?” He asked with a mocking pout.My anger burned hotter in my chest, and I tightened my grip on my gun. “Start talking.”“Fine,” he huffed, but then his eyes glinted with malice as he began to speak. “Do you remember when we were boys? How I did everything right? I trained harder, studied more, followed all the rules of the Cosa Nostra, and yet..." He waved a hand as his voice took on a bitter edge. “Yet you—the reckless, weak son—were chosen to lead.”“Yo
CHAPTER NINETY-FIVEMAXIMOI couldn’t wrap my mind around what Aria had just said. Her words echoed in my mind, loud and jarring like a bullet through the air. It didn’t make sense. It couldn’t be true.“I don’t believe you,” I finally said, and I saw the way her eyes fell.“I’m telling the truth, Maximo. What will I gain by lying about this?”I gritted my teeth and stepped away from her, needing to clear my head. The woman I loved just told me that my own blood brother, whom I’ve known my whole life, is planning to have us killed. What the fuck was I supposed to make of that?She took a step towards me, and I raised my head to look at her again. My eyes narrowed at her as I tried to understand if she was lying, if she had misheard something, if this was some kind of sick joke. “Have I ever done anything to break your trust?” She asked, and I could hear the hurt in her voice. The fear in her eyes and the slight wavering in her voice were too raw to be fake.“Are you sure?” My voice
CHAPTER NINETY-FOURARIAMy heart thumped heavily within my chest as I slowly turned to face him. The air between us crackled with tension as Lorenzo’s dark eyes fixed on mine. I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat, pretending I didn’t hear or understand a single word of his phone call. “Oh, Lorenzo, I hope I didn’t interrupt your call,” I chuckled lightly. “I was just walking around the compound, admiring it for one last time before we finally leave. I didn’t expect to bump into you.”His expression was unreadable as he studied me for a moment too long, making my stomach churn with nerves. My palms were slick with sweat, and I clasped them tightly behind my back to keep from fidgeting.“You didn’t interrupt my call,” he said finally. His voice was smooth but sharp, like a blade wrapped in silk.I faked a frown, pulling my brows together. “But you look upset. Irritated even.”He chuckled, and the sound was more of a harsh one than an amused one. He took a step closer, and
CHAPTER NINETY-THREEARIAThe morning air was cool and quiet as I stepped outside. My shoes crunched lightly on the gravel path as I stepped away from the main house. For a moment, I just stood there, letting the breeze brush over my skin. It felt so peaceful out here, and I didn’t feel like I was suffocating.I didn’t know why—maybe it was the weight of finally leaving Milan all behind—but I felt something uneasy gnawing at my heart.Someone had just tried to kill Maximo yesterday. Whoever it was had succeeded in killing Luca. I’d tried to calm Maximo down yesterday. I’d offered him the comfort I could give, but deep down, I was troubled and scared. I barely slept a wink last night, even after Maximo and I retired into bed. I kept thinking about the blood I washed off his clothes and body. Luca’s blood. I kept thinking about how, even though we were so close to leaving, it still didn’t make me feel at ease. There was still someone out there who wanted Maximo dead. And heck, the perso
CHAPTER NINETY-TWOMAXIMOLuca’s funeral was set in the small graveyard of a chapel on the outskirts of the city--a place Luca had picked years ago in one of his rare candid moments. “My Papa was buried here. If I’m ever killed, I want to be buried here too,” he’d told me once. I never thought I’d be standing there, watching it happen.The air smelled of fresh-cut grass and incense, the kind that always felt heavy in my lungs. A priest stood by the white coffin, and in a steady voice, he recited prayers that pierced the thick silence hanging over the men who surrounded the grave.Dark suits, stiff shoulders, and lowered gazes--it was the mafia’s version of grief. None of the men spoke, though I caught a few glances aimed my way. Pity. Respect. It all weighed heavy in their eyes. I ignored them all and returned my gaze to the coffin resting over the open grave.Luca’s mother stood closest to the dug ground before us. My heart clenched as I watched her small frame sway slightly under th