× WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW INTENDED FOR MATURE READERS ONLY! READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION × ◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ Three to four hours. Just a few more hours of uninterrupted sleep and I'd be back to my normal, emotionally detached self. I'd barely slept the past couple of nights, which was probably why my mind was all over the place, incapable of reining in my temper. I closed my eyes and rested on my back, desperately trying to shut off my brain, my arm growing heavy on my eyelids. For about half an hour now, I'd been trying to calm my thoughts and relax enough to drift off. But it wasn't really working. My senses remained alert, every part of me just anticipating the noises her feet would make as she crossed the hallway to reach my room. I didn't hear Adreana use the stairs after I left her alone. But I couldn't hear any noises coming from the guest room, either. Shit. I might be going insane. This fake-marriage-for-money arrangement was fucking with my head in more ways than I
New York ◆ LORENZIO ◆ “This might sting a little, Mr. Tomassini.” “It’s fine. Doesn’t hurt.” I glanced at the phlebotomist as she extracted a vial of blood, the red liquid almost too bright under these blinding lights. “Okay. We’re done. Thanks for sitting perfectly still.” Upon finishing her task, she stood up and stepped away from me and the bed, her eyes curved as if she just gave me a smile. Her masks covered up half of her small face, but it was obvious she was one of the younger medical staff. “Thank you.” “Anything else I can help you with?” “Could you turn off that bloody light? Please.” I squinted and pointed to the fluorescent light by the door, sighing at the incessant throbbing in the back of my skull. “Hurts my eyes, and my head.” “Of course.” The blonde woman turned off the light before grabbing her sample collection tray. “Thanks.” I gave her a quick smile. “Give us a beep if you need anything.” “Will do,” I replied.She turned around and left the room, shutti
◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ "The jet's in New York. Did he say he's gonna fly out and bring her to Leandro's house?" I stared at Niccolo's alias on my phone, sighing loudly as his question threatened to guilt-trip me for yielding to Lorenzio's request. "No. I dunno what he's up to. Just find her. She's probably in Rome." "Lorenzio's a hundred percent sure it's his brother's kid?" Niccolo sounded more than curious now. "Yeah. He said it can't be Raffaele's. Guy's not exactly the 'family man' type." Niccolo scoffed on the other line. "And you think Leandro is?" "Fuck. I dunno. Just find her. Hack the cams in their estate." I hung up on him and shut the fridge door with my elbow. I stifled a yawn and massaged the sore knots in my neck. I didn't get the few hours of sleep I thought I needed after Adreana and I dozed off. But for now, an hour was enough. I still had shit to do. So did Adreana. This week wasn't a work-free honeymoon for either of us, despite my family knowing we just tied the k
◆ LORENZIO ◆ Hospital. Confined. Fifth day. I still had more than a week left, and until then, I was stuck here in this cold, small, boring private room. I coughed and rubbed my eyes using the base of my palms. "Nine more days." I repeated the phrase in my head, blinking the grogginess away. When the stabs of pain in my forehead and chest subsided, I got back on my feet. I stretched my arms, back, and legs. My muscles still felt weak. Heavy. Practically my entire body ached. I had limited mobility the past couple of days. Only a few hours after taking pain pills would I feel just a wee bit strained, and only then was I able to do some work on my phone and computer. I hoped Mykaela wasn't too busy for a quick call. She most likely was. The statistics I'd seen on the local news were nothing short of alarming. I should check up on her. I felt like I hadn't seen and heard her voice in weeks. Bollocks. I couldn't wait to go home and hug her tight. Stay beside her all night. Keep her tr
◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ "Did you call him?" I pressed my phone on my ear, waiting for Niccolo to confirm my suspicion. I sat beside Adreana, the soft glow of the nightstand lamp casting a warm ambiance across the room. The sheets crumpled beneath us, and her legs rested on mine, our bare skin cooling as I inhaled her mild scent. "Enzo? No. Why?" Niccolo replied, his voice on the other end sounding hoarse. "Should I?" "I dunno." "You want me to?" he mumbled after a moment of silence. I cocked my head to my right and pinched the skin between my brows. "Your call." "Okay." "Tried calling him a couple times but he's not answering." I glanced outside the windows, the dark curtains partly blocking my view of the fading sunset. I had no idea why Alodia chose to hide in one of our hotels in Rome. Or if she even knew my family owned it. But, pretty sure Raffaele knew. I bet he'd been lying to his best friend all this time. Just to protect her from Leandro. Shit. Another clusterfuck
New York ◇ MYKAELA ◇ "He's one of the Božićs' hitmen." "A soulless killer..." "He tried to kill Lorenzio and Cloe Falco." "Stay away from him." The words echoed in my head as I sat next to the labeled shelves stacked with medical supplies. A bunch of sterile masks, surgical gloves, gauze pads, and other boxed supplies. The floor reeked of disinfectant, and I didn't know why I chose this old, small, and dimly lit supply room. But it provided a moment of peace and solitude amid the chaos outside. I leaned against the metal shelf with my legs crossed, my right hand clutching my phone, days-old anxiety gnawing at my insides. The chilly night seemed to seep through the cracks in the door. But it was the mounting uncertainty that made me shiver, almost paralyzing me with a slew of dark thoughts. Lorenzio wasn't answering my texts and calls, probably still stuck in his private room in Eastside Regional, imprisoned by the relentless disease that had gripped the city. He was g
Valle Astra, Italy◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆It was almost sunrise. The first faint light of dawn crept into the room and cast long, eerie shadows across my mother's oak table, reminding me of the hours I wasted in bed just tossing and turning. I was back in Mamma's house. Not entirely by choice. Right now, it was more of a necessity. Dark thoughts wanted to consume me, their unforgiving grip chipping away at my peace of mind. I grabbed the cold steel of my handgun. It glistened under the dim lights. Clean. Polished. Ready. Just waiting to be used.I needed a distraction, so I took it apart. I cleaned every part meticulously, every disassembly and reassembly a ritual of focus and precision. It kept me preoccupied while I tried not to dwell on the anxious thoughts swirling in my sleepless mind.The pistol lay half-assembled before me, a good reminder of my former life. Adreana was scared of what I might do with it, but I couldn't get rid of it. Not right now.The barrel gleamed in
◇ MYKAELA ◇ I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be alone out here with him. He was the older brother I didn't expect to meet. Not this soon at least. He was Don Luciano Tomassini's firstborn. The rightful heir. Like Enzo, he was tall and tan-skinned. Really fit. Handsome, too. But in an intimidating and slightly menacing way. Leandro's physique loomed over me, casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the warmth from my body. His raven-black hair slicked back, showing off the hard angles of his face, his beard thicker and darker than his brother's. His muscles rippled beneath his shirt, adding to his imposing presence that made me wish I didn't accept his invitation to spend the night here. "Thanks for helping him." When he closed the distance between us, Leandro tipped the glass of wine in his hand and took a long sip. I put on a smile. I tried to look calm as his lips stretched into a crooked grin that seemed both sinister and inviting. "Glad I could help." Leandro chuckled and ke