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23 - You Don’t Get To Quit
Last Updated:
2024-12-05 22:19:05
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The Mafia King's Trophy 24 - Guilt
MatteoI don’t remember walking to my mother’s wing. The corridor is a blur, the steps automatic. By the time I’m outside her door, I can barely breathe. My chest feels too tight, my hands trembling at my sides. I’m Matteo Dragonetti—I don’t tremble.But here I am.I push the door open without knocking, and she’s there, sitting in her wheelchair by the window like always, her sharp profile silhouetted against the sunlight. Her hands are folded neatly in her lap, and she doesn’t turn when I enter.“I was wondering when you’d come,” she says, her voice calm and measured, like she’s been waiting for me.I stand there, frozen for a moment, then close the door behind me. “You knew?” I rasp, my voice rough.“I heard,” she corrects, finally turning to face me. Her gaze sharpens as she takes me in—my disheveled hair, the tension in my jaw, the way my hands clench and unclench at my sides. “Sit down, Matteo.”“I don’t—”“Sit,” she says, her tone leaving no room for argument.I sigh and lower m
Last Updated : 2024-12-07The Mafia King's Trophy 25 - Wake Up Call / Olive Branch
AmaraThe first thing I notice when I wake is the warmth. It’s unfamiliar, close, and wrong. My eyes snap open, and my heart jolts when I see him. Matteo is lying next to me, his green eyes half-lidded but sharp, watching me like a predator watches its prey.I scramble back, pressing my spine into the headboard. “What the hell are you doing?” My voice is hoarse, cracking slightly, but the bite in my tone is still there.He lifts a hand, palm up, in a calming gesture. “Relax, Amara. I’m not here to fight.” His voice is low, almost soothing, which only puts me more on edge. Matteo never soothes.I stare at him, my chest heaving, unsure if I should believe him or start screaming. But something about his expression stops me. He looks… exhausted. Dark circles shadow his sharp eyes, his hair is messier than usual, and his jaw is covered in scruff like he hasn’t bothered to shave in days.“You scared the shit out of me,” I snap, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound composed. “What a
Last Updated : 2024-12-08The Mafia King's Trophy 26 - Distractions and Focus
MatteoI close the door behind me and take a deep breath, leaning against the cool wood. The image of Amara clutching those pointe shoes to her chest flashes in my mind, and I shove it down, hard. I can’t afford to think about the way her eyes lit up, or how fragile she looked, holding onto something so simple, so small.Get a grip, Matteo.The pull in my chest twists, sharp and unwelcome, but I push off the door and stride down the hallway. The sound of my boots against the polished floors echoes faintly, grounding me. I rake a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I stalk down the hall. I don’t have time for this. Whatever the hell I’m feeling, it doesn’t matter. It can’t matter.By the time I reach my father’s study, my mask is firmly back in place. Cold. Calculated. The Matteo Dragonetti they all know.The debrief is in my father’s study, the same place where most of our war discussions happen. When I step inside, Lukas and Markus are already there, leaning against the massiv
Last Updated : 2024-12-09The Mafia King's Trophy 27 - Freedom In A Sense
AmaraThe room feels still, almost unnervingly quiet after Matteo leaves. My eyes drift back to the box on the bed, the soft pink pointe shoes nestled inside like a fragile secret. I stare at them for a long time, my mind a mess of thoughts I can’t pin down.An olive branch. That’s what this is.I run my fingers lightly over the satin, the smooth texture almost too perfect. Matteo gave me this. The same man who dragged me into this mess, who broke me down to my lowest, who pushed me so far that I…I stop, shaking my head, unwilling to finish the thought.He doesn’t want me dead. That much is clear now. Maybe he’s even sorry. Maybe guilt is eating away at him the way anger has eaten away at me for weeks.Or maybe he’s playing a game, another manipulation to keep me tethered, to remind me that he holds the strings.I can’t tell. I don’t know which Matteo is real—the cruel, calculating man who thrives on control, or the man who sat on my bed last night, his eyes softer than I’ve ever see
Last Updated : 2024-12-11The Mafia King's Trophy 28 - Control Snaps
MatteoThe dining room is alive with low conversation and the clinking of silverware, but my mind isn’t fully in the room. The plans for hitting the Cerullis’ supply line are falling into place, each piece clicking together with the precision I expect.Markus’s bloodthirsty grin, Lukas’s cocky commentary, and my father’s sharp strategic mind—all of it creates a rhythm that should be satisfying.“And then we’ll move the trucks through the alternate route,” Markus says, his voice low but brimming with enthusiasm. “By the time they realize what’s happening, we’ll already be a step ahead.”“Assuming they don’t have eyes on that route,” my father counters, his tone sharp. “We need to secure it first.”Markus smirks. “Leave that to me.”Lukas leans back in his chair, swirling his glass of wine. “You’re enjoying this too much.”Markus raises an eyebrow, the faintest hint of a grin tugging at his lips. “Of course I am.”“Just don’t get sloppy,” I cut in, my tone hard. “This isn’t just about b
Last Updated : 2024-12-11The Mafia King's Trophy 29 - I’ll Wait
Amara“You don’t hate me,” I say with a smirk. “You never did.”Matteo stares at me like he’s trying to unravel me piece by piece, his green eyes sharp and unrelenting. The weight of his gaze makes my breath hitch, and I don’t know whether I want to look away or lean into him. Before I can decide, he moves.His mouth crashes against mine again, and the intensity steals what little air is left in my lungs. His lips are bruising, his hands possessive as they grip my waist, pulling me flush against him. Every inch of him feels hard and solid, just like his kiss. There’s no tenderness, no hesitation—nothing about Matteo Dragonetti is soft or gentle.And yet, I find myself giving in, matching his intensity, my hands tangling in his hair as if I can hold on to this moment, onto him, even though I know I shouldn’t.When he pulls me closer, his body settling between my legs, my pulse races wildly. His weight is heavy, but it sends a jolt of panic through me when his hands start to roam, one
Last Updated : 2024-12-12The Mafia King's Trophy 30 - Lunch And More Questions
AmaraMatteo strides into my room without knocking, as if he owns me—and maybe in his mind, he does. His presence fills the space, and before I can form a question or complaint, he’s in front of me, his hands cupping my face as he leans down to press a kiss to my lips.It’s not soft, and it’s not exactly gentle. It’s possessive, calculated, like he’s reminding me who he is and the hold he thinks he has on me. The shocking part is… I don’t pull away.When he finally leans back, his green eyes searching mine, he smirks faintly, as if he knows how much he’s throwing me off balance. “Lunch,” he says simply, offering no explanation for the kiss. “Come on.”Still stunned, I blink at him. “Lunch?”“Yes, princess,” he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “It’s a meal people eat in the middle of the day. Now, move.”I glare at him, my cheeks heating. “You don’t have to be an ass about it.”He chuckles as he steps back, giving me just enough space to slip past him. “I’d argue that being an as
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MatteoI tell myself this will be the last time. The last time I let her pull me under, let myself drown in her. But as I stand in the shadows of her room, watching her chest rise and fall in peaceful sleep, I know it’s a fucking lie. I watch her sleep for a moment; her features soft, her lips slightly parted, completely unaware that I’m here again, invading her space like the fucking predator I am. She doesn’t even stir as I crawl onto the bed, spreading her legs gently, careful not to wake her too soon.I pull her panties down and my mouth finds her center, hot and slick and already begging for me. I bury my tongue between her folds, moving slow and teasing. Her body responds even in sleep, her hips shifting, her breath catching, and it makes me harder than I have any right to be.Grinning, I look up at her as my tongue circles her clit, teasing and relentless. Her eyes are still closed, her head tipped back, but her body betrays her. Her hips roll against my mouth, her thighs tremb
Last Updated : 2024-12-13
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The Mafia King's Trophy The Mafia King’s Trophy - Final Epilogue
AmaraI wake up to the smell of Matteo.It’s warm linen and expensive cologne, but underneath all that, it’s just him. That familiar scent I’ve come to recognize even before I open my eyes—one that’s clung to me, comforted me, irritated me, consumed me for the past two years. It seeps into my skin the way his love does: all-encompassing, impossible to ignore, and addictive in a way that should probably be illegal.His arm is thrown over my waist, heavy and possessive, like I might slip away in the middle of the night if he doesn’t physically hold me down. Not much has changed there. Matteo Dragonetti is still Matteo—still insufferably bossy, still infuriatingly smug, still the most dangerous man in every room.But somehow, with me… he’s also this.Soft.I turn slightly, pressing my face into the crook of his neck. His bare chest rises and falls under my cheek, and the steady beat of his heart is enough to lull me back to sleep if I’m not careful.Instead, I close my eyes and smile. It’
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 44
NadyaThe sharp rip of fabric fills the room as Markus makes good on his promise. My dress gives way under his grip, the delicate material tearing apart like it’s nothing. A gasp escapes me as the cool air hits my bare skin, goosebumps rising in its wake.“You—” I start, my breath hitching as he yanks the remains of my dress off and tosses it to the floor.“I told you,” he murmurs, voice low and full of heat. “Gonna spread you out and claim every inch of you. Gonna make sure you never forget who you belong to.”I shudder, his words winding through me like a drug, settling deep in my gut where need burns hot. My nerves haven’t disappeared entirely—this is still new, still unfamiliar in ways that make my pulse skitter—but Markus doesn’t rush. He’s careful, even in his dominance, in the way his hands trace my skin like he’s mapping it out, memorizing every inch.He lifts me effortlessly, carrying me from the mirror to the bed like I weigh nothing. The mattress is cool against my heated s
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 43
NadyaThe car pulls up to the private jet, sleek and waiting under the soft glow of the tarmac lights. A few of Markus’s men are already there, loading the last of our luggage, making sure everything is in place. None of them look at me. They wouldn’t dare. They know who I belong to now.Markus steps out first, then turns to offer me his hand. I take it, letting him help me out of the SUV, and he doesn’t let go. He leads me toward the jet, and my pulse quickens when I step inside and he takes me to the private cabin, I see exactly what he’s done.The mirror is massive, taking up nearly the entire wall of the private cabin. It’s impossible to ignore. My reflection stares back at me, wide-eyed and breathless, my wedding dress still pristine, still perfect. For now.I don’t even get a chance to speak before Markus is behind me, his hands slipping around my waist, his lips pressing against the side of my neck.“Remember what I told you, baby?” he murmurs against my skin, his voice thick w
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 42
NadyaThe reception is in full swing, filled with laughter, music, and the clinking of crystal glasses, but my body still hums with leftover adrenaline. The shootout lingers in the back of my mind like an unshakable shadow, and no matter how many times I remind myself that we made it out unscathed, my heart refuses to slow completely. It’s not that I haven’t seen violence before—hell, I was raised in it—but something about today rattled me more than I expected. Maybe it’s because I finally had something to lose.I glance down at my wedding band, the cool weight of it resting against my skin like a silent promise. Markus is my husband now. That still feels surreal to even think. I expected this day to feel like a deal, an arrangement—something I had no real say in. But it doesn’t. Not anymore.I push the memories of the gunfire down as best I can and straighten my shoulders. This is my wedding day. I refuse to let bloodshed be what defines it.Markus hasn’t left my side, his hand rest
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 41
MarkusI stand at the altar, my hands clasped in front of me, trying to maintain some semblance of control. But the second the doors open and I see her—really see her—it’s fucking over for me.My heart slams against my ribs, my pulse roaring in my ears as Nadya steps into the aisle, bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. She looks like a dream, a vision wrapped in ivory silk and lace, her golden hair falling in soft waves around her face. I don’t take my eyes off her as she walks toward me, each step measured, her shoulders squared despite the nerves I can see in the slight tremble of her fingers. But her eyes—they don’t waver. Those blue depths lock onto mine, holding me there, grounding me in place. How did I ever believe this girl wouldn’t become everything? That she wouldn’t climb under my skin and settle there, wrapping herself around every thought until she’s all I fucking think about? From the moment I found her huddled in that room, scared and broken, to the woman standing
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 40
NadyaThe night air is cool against my skin as I step onto the small balcony of my bedroom, breathing in the crisp scent of the garden below. The estate is quiet, the sky a deep indigo scattered with stars, and for the first time in weeks, I feel a strange sense of peace settling inside me.Tomorrow, I will be Nadya Dragonetti.I never imagined feeling… calm about that. But here I am, standing on the edge of one life and stepping into another, and I don’t feel like I’m suffocating anymore. Things with Markus have improved, slowly but surely. He still gets frustrated too easily, still lets his temper flare before thinking things through. And I still hold back more than I should, scared of exposing too much of myself. But we’re trying. And that’s more than I thought we’d ever get to.A smile tugs at my lips as I wrap my arms around myself, the silk of my nightgown cool against my skin. A year ago, I wouldn’t have believed any of this.The soft creak of my bedroom door snapping shut mak
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 39
MarkusI stand there in front of her, my heart thundering like a beast trapped inside my chest. She looks fucking stunning in that dress—the kind of breathtaking that steals the air from my lungs. There’s no denying that seeing her like this, standing there bathed in the soft, flattering glow of the dressing room lights, has me questioning my own sanity for ever thinking I could deny myself this woman. She looks like a goddamn angel, and completely out of place standing next to a beast like me. And yet, this perfect creature is supposed to be mine. The thought sends a surge of all-consuming possessiveness tearing through me.Nadya meets my gaze cautiously, her blue eyes uncertain, the softness in them hitting me harder than any blow I’ve ever felt. I swallow tightly, my throat dry, knowing I need to make this right. She’s going to be mine—my wife—and I can’t let us go forward on shaky ground.“You look fucking breathtaking,” I say quietly, my voice rough with raw honesty. She blushes
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 38
NadyaI never thought dress fittings could be fun, yet here I am, standing in front of a floor-length mirror with the Dragonetti women fussing over me like I truly belong. There’s laughter, warmth, and teasing that I don’t always understand but appreciate anyway.For once, I’m not surrounded by cold stares, calculating eyes, or the hushed whispers of men who see me as nothing more than a bargaining chip. Instead, I hear soft murmurs about fabric choices, feel gentle hands smoothing the silk over my frame, and catch playful nudges about honeymoon plans.Serena and Amara take every opportunity to tease me, their easy smiles coaxing small, reluctant laughs from my lips.“I think lace,” Serena says, lifting a delicate ivory fabric and holding it up to my skin. “It brings out your eyes. And the way the silk moves when you walk? Markus will lose his mind.” She smirks, her voice filled with mischief.My face heats at the mention of his name, and I look away quickly, my throat suddenly dry.A
The Mafia King's Trophy The Enforcer’s Darling 37
NadyaThe mirror in front of me shows a version of myself I barely recognize. Pale skin, dark circles under wide, nervous eyes, and lips bitten raw with anxiety. Today is the dress fitting. Just the thought of it makes my chest feel heavy, tightening painfully with each breath I take. A bride, yet I have no mother here to fuss over my hair or smile proudly when I finally slip into white silk. I have no sisters to giggle with as we admire lace and chiffon. There are no friends here to hold my hand and tell me everything will be fine, or to reassure me that Markus might not hate me quite as much as I fear. No—I’m alone, surrounded only by men who speak in clipped, gruff voices, men who can’t possibly understand the hollow ache in my chest or the nerves twisting deep in my stomach. I close my eyes tightly for a moment, forcing myself to breathe slowly, to calm the anxiety building inside me like a storm. I don’t even know how this is supposed to feel, how other women feel when they’r
