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
Chapter 4AngeloFor the past two weeks, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Vittoria. After Tiny found out everything he could about her, I had them bring inGiorgio. The fucker was quick to fill in the blanks where she was concerned. It’s clear the man has no loyalty to his family.But not willing to just believe every word coming out of Giorgio’s mouth, I needed to hear it straight from Vittoria. I know she’s too fucking terrified to dare lie to me.I drink in her beauty as the wind ruffles her curls. Even though her soft brown irises are trembling with fear, she doesn’t break eye contact.She has more guts than that shady stepbrother of hers, who offered her to me on a silver platter as payment for his debt.I told him I’d kill him with my bare hands if he mentioned a word to her while I considered his proposal.It aggravates the fuck out of me that Giorgio was so quick to offer Vittoria’s virginity to me as payment for his debt. She’s worth more than a measly three hundred
Chapter 5ToriMy body aches as I walk into the quiet cathedral. I glance at the empty pews and adjust a couple of hymnals that were just shoved into the holders.I set down the dish of pasta alla Norma I brought for Father Parisi on one of the benches so my hands are free. Moving to the front, I remove the old flower arrangement from the stand next to the pulpit and carry the wilting bouquet to the kitchen.I place the wilting bouquet on a counter and quickly grab a trash bag where it’s kept beneath the sink.Letting out a sigh, I take everything apart so I can dispose of the flowers before making sure the kitchen is clean.It’s something I do every Tuesday, so Father Parisi doesn’t have to worry about it. Then again, he’d probably leave the flowers right where they are until Rosa brings a fresh arrangement.After throwing out the flowers, I return to the pews and pick up the pasta dish before heading to Father Parisi’s office.Gingerly, I rub over the tender spot on my hip where Gio