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Chapter Twenty-seven: I Wish I Never Told You
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Twenty-eight: Change Of Plans
I craned my neck to look right, left, then up. And up some more. The view before me was beautiful and breathtaking.“Unreal,” I muttered. "This place is amazing."Viktor flashed me a grin. “I’m glad you like it. I would be disappointed if you let your poor taste come before you this time.”I rolled my eyes. “This is your home?”“No.” He smiled at me, looking sleek and shaved in a clean suit, havingshowered on our overnight flight. “My home is in the desert, a two-hourhelicopter ride away. But this...” He shrugged. “It’s just a place to dobusiness. I come here as little as possible. It’s a bit too—civilized.”Too civilized? Was he insane?I shook my head as I looked back up at the beautiful Moorishpalace, two stories tall, surrounded by gently swaying palm trees and the glimmer of a blue-water pool.It was like a honeymoon, all right, I thought. If you were really, reallyrich. I didn't want to believe that he might have brought me there because of the wedding, but the thought slip
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Twenty-nine: Fondness For Lamborghini’s
“Yeah, why,” I muttered. My husband could seduce any woman with a smile. He could have any woman he desired. He’d melted me into an infatuated, delusional puddle with a singlecareless, stolen kiss. I wonder what effect he had on other women.I scowled. “Look. I just want to know if I’m wearing clothes you bought for someone else. That would make me completely uncomfortable.”He gave an exaggerated sigh. “They were purchased in Marrakech for you, Lyra. Specifically for you. And if you don’t believe me...” He gave me a wicked grin as he opened a drawer. “Check this out.”My lips parted as I looked down at all the lacy unmentionable undergarments. They were a lot of panties in the drawer and my cheeks suddenly turned red. No one had ever gone shopping for me, talk more of buying under wears.“You’ll never have to go commando again,” he said smugly. His eyes met mine. “Unless you want to. That would be totally fine.”I swallowed, then turned away as my cheeks burned. “Great—Thanks.”“And
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Thirty: The Russian Spy
Two hours later, my body was shaking with fear and sweat was dripping down my forehead. I didn't think it would be that hard to ride a car until Viktor had made me do it. As a child, it had been fun but as a grown adult, it felt harder than I imagined.My hand trembled on the gearshift and I felt air leaving my lungs. “I can’t believe you’re making me dothis. This is insane!” I said to him. "This is the craziest thing I have done in a while. I can feel oxygen leaving my lungs."“I’m not making you do anything. You clearly told me you had a fondness for Lamborghini's." He said. "Here is my Lamborghini. I was hoping you would have fun riding with it. Instead, you're shivering with fright."I'd changed out of my tight dress, but in spite of wearing Viktor's old rolled-up jeans and a clean, slightly tattered black Van Halen T-shirt, I didn’t feel remotely comfortable.Even though those were his old clothes, they still felt too rich for me. I felt like I was wearing the cost of my entire
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Thirty-one: Betrayed
“You found Illyra,” I whispered, hands clenching at my sides. “She was in Oahu. And you didn’t want me to know.” My anger was rising and I was about to throw a fit.Viktor stared at me, then resentfully gave a single nod. I should have known that he wasn't to be trusted. How could I trust him to find my sister that he despised so much?Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath as grief filled her heart. It was the only logical thing to do besides attacking him and clawing his eyes out. “Shewas in Oahu. All the time we were there, we could have just driven acrossthe island at any time and picked her up? Why didn't you tell me?”“If we’d gone the moment you arrived at my penthouse—yes.” My eyes flew open. His cold blue gaze met mine and I knew something had changed within him. Something that I might have neglected or overlooked since I met him. For that split second, I could actually see the ruthless man everyone believed he was. “We weren’t married then. Youcould have walked away. I had
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Thirty-two: Erotic Desires
Andrei I watched a tumult of emotions cross Illyra's beautiful face. Rage. Fury. Grief. And most of all helplessness. I knew I had gotten her in a tight spot and that was exactly what I wanted. It was like Christmas and my birthday all at once. I was finally getting revenge for everything she did to me years ago. I would finally crush her heart like she did to mine. Still smiling, I turned back to the deserted, moonlit road and pushed down on the gas of the Lamborghini, causing it to give a low purr as it sped through the lush mountains of Oahu’s interior.When I’d first seen young Lyra Bennet, Illyra's sister at the poker game, getting lured in over her head by the hotel manager, I hadn’t recognized her. How could I? I'd never met the kid before. Illyra had always found her way to keep her out of her mess. So when I saw her at the poker game, I’d just thought some idiot girl was letting herself get played.I hadn’t liked it, so I’d tried to get her out of the game. An unusually c
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Thirty-three: Longing For Her
I found the hope in her voice insulting. I wanted her to feel miserable and heart broken. Women did not wish to be cast out of my bed. They never expressed any desire to leave or never come back. They begged to get in. They begged to sleep by my side, holding and caressing my chest. Why was Illyra so different? Why was she trying to get on my nerves? Hiding my irritation, I gave her a sensual smile. “Do not fear or worry about that. If that happens, I’ll find some other way for you to serve me. You can be useful in different ways. There are certainly different jobs you can do in my mansion. Scrubbing my floors. Cleaning my house...”Her cheeks turned a girlish shade of pink, but her voice was steady as she said, “I’d rather clean your bathroom with my toothbrush than have you touch me. I will like to put that out there and I don't care what you think about it. I am not selling my body to you even if you offer me a trillion dollars.”“Perhaps I’ll have you clean my house naked or ma
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Thirty-four: You Never Loved Me
“You...you should...” Her voice faltered as our eyes locked. I could see it in her eyes, everything that I didn't believe in years ago. As we stood beside the four-poster bed, the brilliant sun burst over the horizon, coming through the tall east-facing windows, bathing us both in warm golden light. Everything I’d ever hungered for, everything I feared and despised, was personified in this one woman. Illyra Bennet Aurora. She was my poison yet my antidote. She gave meaning to my life yet she took meaning out of it. She was everything I wanted but didn't want. Her long blond hair shimmered like diamonds and gold. I had once loved stroking her hair while she slept passionately in my arms. Her eyes shone a vivid green, like emeralds. Those eyes peered into me and I could feel her reaching deep into my soul. Her skin was pale and untouched, like plains of virgin white snow. I could almost feel rage as I thought about other men touching her the way I wanted to touch her.Hardly aware
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Thirty-five: No one To Save Her
His hands grew still and his eyes narrowed at me. I knew he despised the words I had said to him but I didn't know why. “You must think I’m a fool. You must certainly think you can deceive me like you did in the past,” Dropping his arms, he said coldly, “I know you never loved me. You loved my money, nothing more.”“It might have started as a con,” I said tearfully, “but it changed to something more. I never knew that it would happen but it did. I’m telling you the truth. I loved—”“Say those words again,” he exclaimed, cutting me off in a low, dangerous voice, “and you’ll regret it.”I straightened my spine and looked at him defiantly. I was going to tell him the truth anyway, whether he liked it or not. “I loved you,” I cried. “I loved you with all my heart!”“Be quiet!” With a low growl, he pushed me back violently against the bedpost. “Not another word!”My heart pounded as I saw the fury in his eyes. I had never seen him so angry and it frightened me so much. I could feel the
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The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Seventy Five: Can You Ever Love Me?
As Andrei finished zipping up the ball gown, he turned her to face him. Brushing tendrils of hair from her face, he looked down at her with electric blue eyes. “Are you ready? The ball is in a few minutes.”Looking up at his handsome face, Illyra tried not to feel anything. But her heart slammed against her ribs.His forehead furrowed. “Illyra ?”She turned away with a lump in her throat. “I, um, need some lipstick.” Going to the mirror, she made her lips bright Chanel red. Lifting the silk hem of her gown, she stepped into her expensive shoes with sparkling crystals decorating the four-inch heels, and took a deep breath. “Ready.”Downstairs in the foyer, Andrei took a sharply tailored black coat from the closet, wearing it over his tuxedo. Then he removed a black hanging bag from the closet. He unzipped it. In dismay, Illyra saw white fur.He noted her expression. “Don’t worry. It’s fake.”Dubiously, she reached out and stroked the soft white fur. “It seems real.”“Well.” His lips cu
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Seventy Four: I Cannot Love
He shrugged. “Perhaps she forgot something at your old apartment. You don't have to worry about her. She is old enough to take care of herself. You worry too much about her.”“Spending every penny she owns, just to go back for some old sweater or something?”Andrei pressed his lips together. Illyra saw him hesitate, then reluctantly say, “Apparently she was trying to get the police to take an interest in your case. But they laughed at her, both in Seattle and Honolulu.” He looked at Illyra sideways. “They thought our wager sounded like a lovers’ game between consenting adults.”“Right.” She had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “So where is she now?”He shook his head. “The trail went cold.”Lyra was missing? Illyra opened her mouth, then stopped. Telling him her fears would do no good. She feared it would only set off another tirade from him about how Lyra was a grown woman and that Illyra should allow her sister to face her own consequences.And for all she knew, he was righ
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Seventy Three: Something Is Wrong
The next night, Illyra paused as she got ready for the New Year’s Eve ball. She looked wanly out the tall curved window of their bedroom.The wintry Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea looked nothing like Hawaii’s warm turquoise waters. It was even worse than Alaska’s frigid sea. Even in the weak, short hours of daylight, the Russian waves were choppy and gray. But the sun had set long ago, and the world was dark. The black, icy water here could suck the life out of you within seconds if you were dumb enough to fall into it.Kind of like falling in love with a man who would neither love you back nor set you free.Illyra closed her eyes. Yesterday, the workaholic tyrant had been neither workaholic nor a tyrant, playing hooky from work to entertain her. Letting people keep their jobs in his merger. Tipping that saleswoman at the boutique. Getting rid of the men who’d threatened Illyra and her little sister. And more.I’ve never forgotten you, Aurora. She would never forget the stark vulne
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Seventy Two: A Ruined Day
She stared at him, then shook her head. “I can see how you twist women’s hearts around your little finger.”“There’s only one woman I want.” He looked at her beautiful, stricken face over the flickering candle. “I’ve never forgotten you, Illyra. Or stopped wanting you.”He felt her hand tremble before she wrenched it from his grasp. She reached wildly for her untouched glass of vodka and, tilting back her head, drank the whole thing down in a single gulp.That gulp ended with a coughing fit. Reaching around her, he patted her on the back. Her face was red when she finally managed a deep breath, wheezing as she quipped, “See? I know how to handle vodka. No problem.”Somewhat relieved by her deliberate change of subject, Andrei laughed, his eyes lingering on her beautiful face. He’d said too much. And yet it was oddly exhilarating. The adrenaline rush of emotional honesty put skydiving to shame, he thought. About time he tried it.The waiter returned to take their order, and Andrei requ
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Seventy One: I Can’t Be Bought
Andrei had truly expected this to be a quick stop en route to dinner at the best restaurant in the city. He’d assumed Illyra would quickly select one of the most expensive necklaces in the store: the looped rope of diamonds, the diadem of sapphires, the emerald choker that cost the equivalent of nine hundred thousand dollars. But an hour later, she still hadn’t found a necklace she wanted.“Six million rubles?” she said now, staring down incredulously at the ropes of diamonds patiently displayed by the portly jeweler. “How much is that in dollars?”He told her, and her jaw dropped. Then she burst into laughter. “What a waste!” She glanced at Andrei. “I won’t let you spend your money that way. Might as well set it on fire.”He didn’t have nearly the same patience as the jeweler. “Money isn’t a problem,” he said tightly. “I have more than I could spend in a lifetime.”“Lucky you.”“I mean it. After you make a certain amount, money is just a way to keep score.”“You could always donate t
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Seventy: I’m Not A Good Man
Slowly, he turned to face her.Illyra’s hazel eyes were luminous, piercing his soul. “When we met, I thought you’d changed completely from the man I loved. But you’re still the same, aren’t you?” she whispered. “The other man—he’s just the mask you wear.”Andrei’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat. He felt bare beneath the spotlight. “You’re wrong,” he said roughly. “I am ruthless. Selfish, even cruel. Don’t believe otherwise.”She shook her head. “You’re afraid people will take advantage, so you hide your good heart—”“Good heart?” He grabbed her shoulders, looking down at her fiercely. “I am selfish to the bone. I will never put someone else’s interests ahead of my own. I cannot love, LIllyra. That ability is no longer in me. It died a long time ago.”“But—”“Would a good man keep you prisoner against your will?”She lifted her gaze. Her hazel eyes were suddenly troubled, opaque, full of shadows.“No,” she whispered.No. That one word caused an unexpected wrench inside him. As the
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Sixty Nine: You Might Have A Heart
Illyra’s beautiful face came into focus. “Lyra and I have been fired like this before.” Her eyes were pleading as she clutched his arm. “You don’t know what it’s like, to always know that your boss or a single customer can just snap his fingers and take away your livelihood and your pride and your ability to feed your family.” She swallowed, her heart-shaped face stricken. “Please don’t do this.”Andrei’s lips parted. He didn’t even realize he’d agreed to her request until he saw Illyra’s beautiful face light up with happiness. He dimly heard the grateful sobs of the Russian girl, but as Illyra threw her arms around him, he felt only her. Saw only her.“Thank you,” she whispered. She drew back, tears sparkling in her eyes. “And thank you for that huge tip you gave her as an apology. I never expected that.” A smile lifted Illyra’s trembling lips. “I’m starting to think you might have a heart, after all.”Huge tip? Looking down, Andrei saw that his wallet was indeed open in his hand, an
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Sixty Eight: You Belong To Me
He stared at her, and the air around them suddenly became electrified. “Of course they matter.” He took a single step toward her. “Illyra—”A knock sounded at the door. An older man poked his head in, an American with wire-rimmed glasses and anxious eyes. “Your Highness. Excuse me.”“What is it, Anderson?” Andrei demanded.The man looked at Illyra and then cleared his throat. “We’ve reached an impasse, sir. Svenssen is demanding we retain every member of his company’s staff.”“So?”“Our company has a thousand employees we don’t need. Drillers. Cafeteria workers in Siberia. Accountants and secretaries. Dead weight.”Dead weight. Illyra ’s spine snapped straight. He would no doubt consider her and Lyra dead weight, too, with their ten years of backbreaking, low-paying cleaning jobs. Every month, they’d experienced the painful uncertainty of never knowing if their jobs would last, or if they’d be able to pay their bills. Biting her lip, she glanced up and saw Andrei watching her. His eye
The Mafia King’s Pawn Chapter Sixty Seven: My Feelings Don’t Matter
Andrei frowned, drawing closer. “What are you...?” People passed them in the hall, two men in suits and three women in tiny skirts, all looking at them with intense interest. Narrowing his eyes, he growled, “Come with me.”He pulled her into the nearest private office, closing the door behind them. She wrenched her arm away, blinking fast. Her eyes were stinging with unshed tears as she tossed her head. “You’re out of your mind if you think...”She gasped as, without a word, he roughly yanked open her oversized coat. He saw the lingerie, the white lace bustier,G-string panties and garter belt, and drew in a breath. He looked at her darkly.“And you are out of your mind,” he said in a low voice, “if you think I’m going to let you leave.”He ripped off her long coat, dropping it to the floor. Pushing her against the wall of the private office, he kissed her hard. Illyra’s body stiffened as his mouth plundered hers. She felt the soft, demanding steel of his lips against her own. Against
