Chapter 21ToriWhen I wake up, I find myself alone in bed. It takes a moment before I remember I fell asleep on top of Angelo.He must’ve carried me to bed.I don’t know how to feel about everything that’s happening. Let’s just say I’m cautiously optimistic right now.As I turn onto my back, I see the phone I bought yesterday lying on Angelo’s pillow. I reach for it, and when I unlock the screen, there’s a message. I open it, and a smile tugs at my mouth as I read it.Angelo: My cock misses your mouth. Enjoy shopping for clothes and anything else you like.Not knowing what to reply, I keep reading the text over and over. After a while, I give up and just type something generic.Vittoria: Morning. I hope you have a nice day.I climb out of bed and quickly fix the covers and pillows before heading into the bathroom so I can take a bath and get ready for the day.When I’m lying in the balmy water, my thoughts turn to Angelo. I lift my left hand and take a closer look at the wedding band
Chapter 22AngeloSitting across from Salvatore, we review the schedules of the fleet we currently have at sea.“Will Renzo’s shipment still dock on time?” I ask. “Yes, I’m expecting it Tuesday before lunch.”Salvatore is a lot like me. He’s all business and painfully private. From what I know, the man lives like a hermit.But he’s fucking loyal and a hard worker, and it’s all that matters to me. My phone vibrates, and when I check the message, I see it’s from Tiny.Tiny: We’re wrapping things up. Tori asked if we could swing by her old place to pick up ingredients for the cannolis she wants to make. Is that okay with you?Giorgio is still in the hospital, but I don’t want Vittoria anywhere near her old home.Angelo: No. She doesn’t go near her old house. Take her grocery shopping.Tiny: Yes, boss.Tucking my phone back into my pocket, my eyes flick to Salvatore, then I announce, “By the way, I got married.”His eyebrows fly into his hairline. “That’s the last thing I expected to hear
Chapter 23ToriAfter I light the two candles, I quickly shut the curtains so the room will be darker.I turn to look at the intimate corner of the dining room table, and happy that it looks romantic, I hurry back to the kitchen.I want tonight to be special for Angelo. It’s my way of making an effort to get closer to him.I’ve prepared baked eggplant with melted parmesan and roasted duck with blackberry-orange sauce.Before Rita left, she showed me the wine cellar and helped me pair the perfect bottle with our dinner.I take the chilled Romanee-Conti from the fridge, and grabbing the corkscrew, I try to figure out how the gadget works.“Need some help?” Angelo suddenly says behind me.“God!” I let out a startled chuckle, then mutter, “Please.”I wish the man would make a sound so I hear when he enters a room. I hand him the bottle and corkscrew.He checks the label. “Nice choice.”“Rita helped me choose the wine,” I mention as my gaze drifts over the faded blue jeans and white T-shir
Chapter 24AngeloI watch as Vittoria’s tongue darts out to swipe up the cream from her lips, and it makes me rock fucking hard.When I bit into the strawberry, I almost gave in and claimed her mouth.The only reason I’m honoring her request is because I want her to kiss me out of her own free will. From the flush on her cheeks and the desire in her eyes, I know I won’t have to wait much longer.Christ, I hope not. A kiss never meant anything to me until she slammed me with the restriction. Now, it’s the one thing I want most in the world.Gripping hold of the fabric by her thigh, I order, “Feed me, baby.” When she reaches for a strawberry, my hand slips down to her calf. “I love this dress,” I compliment her.“You better. It cost a small fortune,” Vittoria mutters as she brings the fruit to my mouth.Taking a bite, I slip my hand beneath the fabric and trail my fingers up her leg. A shiver ripples through her, making my lips curve into a smirk.As I swallow, Vittoria brings her thumb
Chapter 25ToriI’ve made two batches of cannolis, and as they cool down, Angelo comes into the kitchen.“Christ, I love the smell in the house since you moved in.”I grin at him from where I’m leaning with my hip against the counter while drinking a cup of coffee.When I woke up this morning and felt his arms around me, there was a shift in my heart.I’m starting to see Angelo in a different light. Not once has he been violent with me. Even though I’m well aware he can change at any time, I’m clinging to the hope that he’ll never raise a hand against me.He’s been kind and patient with me…and even loving. Sometimes, I forget he’s one of the heads of the Cosa Nostra. I forget he’s killed people. I forget he makes a living from criminal activities.When he’s home, he’s just Angelo, my husband.We’re forming a bond, and it has my feelings changing toward him. I’m not always on high alert around him, and I even smile more.Angelo steals a cannoli and leans back against the counter. With
Chapter 1ToriAngelo Rizzo; 34. Vittoria – Tori Romano; 23.“Mark my words,” Giorgio says. “By the end of the year, I’ll be one of the bosses.”I almost let out a snort. Listening to my stepbrother go on and on about how important he is in the Cosa Nostra is ridiculous.He wishes.Giorgio is…well, he’s a narcissistic asshole. There’s no other way to put it. Everyone knows there are only five bosses in the Cosa Nostra – Rizzo, Torrisi, Vitale, La Rosa, and Falco. The five families run New York, and no one dares go against them.Giorgio is all talk, and one day, it will get him killed.A girl can hope.Instantly, I’m hit with a wave of guilt for wishing my stepbrother dead.Forgive me, Father.Since my father and stepmother died in a car accident seven years ago, Giorgio took over Papà’s place in the Cosa Nostra. It went straight to Giorgio’s head, and he’s become downright unbearable to live with.My aunt on Mamma’s side of the family asked Giorgio to let me live with them, but he wou
Chapter 2AngeloAs Vittoria is escorted out of the office, I walk to my desk and take a seat behind it.My eyes flick to Giorgio, who looks like he’s about to shit himself.He was only twenty-one when he took over from Tony, but during the past seven years, he hasn’t done half the work Tony used to do for me. He also has a gambling problem that’s starting to cost me money.“I hear you like spending time at Fallen Angels,” I mutter. The strip club was the first business I opened, so I have a soft spot for the establishment.The club has three sections. Heaven, where customers can only watch the girls dance, and Hell, where everything goes. The gambling room is in the third section, called Purgatory.Needless to say, the place brings in a fortune. “Yes, sir,” Giorgio says.When he aims for one of the chairs by my desk, Tiny places a hand against the man’s chest before shaking his head at him.No one sits in my presence. Well, unless your last name is Rizzo, La Rosa, Torrisi, Falco, or
Chapter 3Tori“You little fucking bitch!” Giorgio roars as I’m shoved into the house.My family home used to be filled with love and laughter before Papà and Cettina, Giorgio’s mother, died. Now, it’s filled with hopelessness and violence.Giorgio’s palm connects with the back of my head, and stumbling, I lose my balance. I sprawl over the wooden floor that takes hours to polish, intense pain shuddering through my brain.My handbag slides beneath a side table, and before I can push myself up, Giorgio’s foot connects with my right side.My teeth sink into my bottom lip to keep the cry of pain from escaping.The first time he hit me, I was left with a black eye. I couldn’t leave the house for two weeks. Everyone at the Parish asked where I was, and it upset Giorgio. Since then, he doesn’t touch my face.“Because of you, I only have a month to find a fuck-ton of money! I’ll have to take a chunk out of my stocks.”Another kick to my stomach makes the air explode from my lungs. My vision