◆ 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
The Falco EstateMariangela, Umbria ◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ The sun hid behind huge clouds when I arrived at the estate. So far the concrete fence looked intact. Still tall and imposing. For their safety, the homeowners were absent. Probably why the trees and shrubs around the mansion looked like they needed a trim. The property's vintage charm retained its serene beauty that did its best to conceal the haunting memories of our family's troubled past. Right now, only Alessio and I knew the dark secrets this place held. They might scare off our company of five, so I'd keep my mouth shut for now. “Alei.” I gave my bodyguard a nod while Elio, my cousin's head of security, issued orders to his men in front of the guard house. The mounting tension was palpable. I couldn't shake the feeling that my father and his wanted mistress were watching me from afar. Somewhere hidden. Someplace near. Someplace he believed none of us would find. “Boss?” Alessio lit a cigarette and glanced behind to look
◇ MYKAELA ◇ Every tick of the clock on the wall felt like a prison sentence. I sat in one of the patient chairs, the bright lights above me seemingly buzzing louder with each passing second. This freshly painted consultation room looked bigger than the one Enzo and I sat in almost two weeks ago. The furniture looked brand new. It was Dr. Sharma's clinic—her newest one here in Schenectady. Dr. Larissa Sharma, a family friend, was my gynecologist when I was still living here, before I got into med school. The doctor sat across from me in her swivel chair, her fairly wrinkled hands crinkling the sheets of paper on her desk. They would end this torturous wait and determine the course of my future. Right here. Right now. I scratched the itch under the strap of my mask, trying my best to sit still, nervously waiting for Dr. Sharma's confirmation. She just came back with my test results. Despite her mask, I could tell she was giving me a reassuring smile. But beneath her smile, her conc
× WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW INTENDED FOR MATURE READERS ONLY! × ◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ Bullets whizzed across the room. Flashes of light ricocheted around us. I winced at the earsplitting noises. I dropped to the ground, my heart pounding in my chest. My ears were ringing. My legs felt tired. Weak. But we had to get out of here alive. Two of the guards kept groaning in pain on the floor. The other guys kept swearing in Italian. Panic filled their eyes as the shots went on. Buzzcut Blondie, the youngest guard, wouldn't stop writhing on the ground. His pale arm was bleeding, leaving bright red smudges on the floor. The others were trying to hide under the table. One of them dashed to the entrance. The coward ran out of the bunker as the deafening noise reverberated within the cramped walls. The fugitive we'd been hunting down didn't try anything to prevent the whole thing from escalating. The bastard even joined in. During the first round of gunshots, he swiftly jumped over the bed