Alicia’s POVOne month later:I shivered as I zipped up my jacket up to my neck, fully covered in the fleece-lined material.Even after exercising - a long run and some stretches - it was still too damn cold for me. I continued to walk at a speedy pace down to the apartment, aware of the presence of the bodyguards around me. They had gotten better at hiding but I bad developed a sixth sense about knowing whenever one of them was around.And this time I didn’t mind as it was for my protection (obviously), and Acker and Mikael were not in the city.The apartment was a lot warmer and I was grateful for it, sighing in relief as I finally unzipped my jacket down, and walked down the hallway, passing Renee who was setting a plate on the table.“I’ll be right out,” I called and she nodded, placing a lid over the plated breakfast.As soon as I entered my room I turned the thermostat higher m. It was the first time ever I had done such a thing. When I was on my own, in the old apartment, I wou
Mikael’s POVReturning to the US was one thing, but to THIS city was another. I shivered a little, grunting as I tugged on the scarf over the part of my neck my coat didn’t cover.Snow was still falling, and the streets, though salted, had less cars on them than in the summertime.If only for Alicia I wouldn’t even be in this place, I thought grudgingly. I hated the cold.The car was still running, our boxes in the boot of the car. Well, in Alicia’s case, the box was packed full of brand new clothes that she hadn’t yet worn or even laid her eyes on, courtesy of Magda, who also handled getting Alicia an international passport and her visa approval without the girl in question being any wiser.This was meant to be a surprise after all.But where the fuck was she?My frustration melted away once I heard her voice.“Sorry!” She looked bundled up in a cream coat with fur at the collar - a present from Madden, last I checked.I sighed, tapping my wrist and reaching my hand out to her as she
Alicia’s POV I remembered the plane ride, or at least the beginning of it. Throughout the way there, after Mikael had revealed we would be going on vacation, i had been brimming with excitement without fail.Once I settled in by Mikael’s side, a feeling akin to contentment washed over me, and I leaned into him, inhaling his cologne that suited him to a tee, and the sound of him turning over the pages of the book he was reading - a Fantasy novel, which I could hardly believe - was soothing to my ears. It wasn’t long until the buzz of the champagne kicked in and my body melted into his. Slowly I drifted off without meaning to, unaware of what else would happen.“Yes sir.”My brows furrowed, as I heard that distant and unfamiliar male voice, which spurred me to wake open my eyes a little. My vision blurted at first and I raised my hand weakly to rub my eyes, making myself even more awake than usual.The sight of the car window, rolled downward, and the sun’s rays pouring into the car, o
Alicia’s POVThe beach, oh how I loved it.The sun beat down on me with its heated rays, a far cry from the cold winter days in the city I had been born in and knew all my life before this.It was as if I’d been thrown into another world, one where all the capacity to escape my problems were at my disposal, and it was all thanks to Mikael and Acker.“Alright, you’ve gotten it,” the instructor’s voice boomed above the sound of the waves and life around us. This was a private beach, which I had learned much later, courtesy of a proud Mikael.However there were still staff and bodyguards milling about us, while still giving me the space i desired.The space to do what, you may ask?To learn surfing.Mikael was probably doing some work as he was still a little busy with meetings and such, even though he told me Magda was handling the bulk of the business work while we were on vacation.Plus i had been the one to force him to stay away after the instructor came in. I DIDN’T want him to see
Mikael’s POVThe sound of her moaning echoed in the room.“Enjoying yourself?” I asked, smirking. Hair fell over my eyes and I didn’t bother trying to move it. Instead I continued thrusting in and out of Alicia at a sedate pace.Her thighs around my hips tightened as if in response to my question.“Mik,” she said my name breathily, as though I was the only thing that mattered to her.Good, I thought, leaning in to lap at the column of her neck, using my teeth to suck a bruise into it. Our week was almost up, and soon she’d be in Acker’s hands. I wanted him to see what I was doing to her.“Oh my God,” she let out a choked sob as I sped up my pace.She was already so close to coming undone.But I wasn’t going to let up.My left hand trailed down her torso, skimming against the peaks of her hardened nipples, and I used my fingers to flick it, and whined and tossed her head, her eyes unfocused.I continued, caressing every inch of her, until I reached the top of her mound, and hovered my
Alicia’s POVOnly a couple of seconds after, and already Mikael’s absence made me a little uncomfortable. A part of me wished dearly to get up and find a way to reach Mikael but I stopped myself.One, I wasn’t a baby who was going to cry at such a small thing.Two, he was busy.I just had to be patient and wait for him to return from his meeting. The mesh dress I was wearing thankfully covered my knees, so I crossed my legs and sighed heavily, aware of all the stares from each angle. Whoever Victor Brazio was, his men certainly hadn’t learnt how to turn their eyes away.Don’t worry about it, Alicia, I told myself. Just enjoy the music.“Excuse me,” I heard a voice close to me and my heart rate spiked up a little as I turned only to find it was Bernito, the manager. He was holding a tray to my surprise, and when he dropped it on the small table next to me I saw that it contained a few snacks.I smiled at him gratefully.“Thank you,” I told him and he dismissed it with a wave.“It’s onl
Mikael’s POVMy blood boiled as I walked up to the man that was held down, Victor Brazio five steps behind me. Alicia had stood up, wide-eyes and looking a little anxious. I filed that observation under things to think over later.“So you’re the one who thinks you can cause trouble for my woman,” I addressed the man who grunted, his knees on the ground. A bead of sweat riled down his face as I stared him down and his eyes flickered away from my intense gaze.If not for Amando, one of my men, that interrupted the meeting to inform us of what was happening, I never would have known.I scanned the perimeter while the music seemed to rise above the din; the activities of the club went on, save for this part of the VIP section.Perhaps I’d make an examine if this man right here and now. Should I break his hands? Or have my men do a number on him? So many options.As I toyed with the idea of splitting his tongue in two, I heard a throat clear behind me.“Mikael, I must insist you let my man
Acker’s POVThe apartment was dark as i entered. Sounds of the still-busy Parisian street got dimmed and i began to remove my coat until I heard a felt my phone vibrate.I reached for it and answered the call upon seeing who it was, placing it to my ear.“What happened?” I asked.“How the fuck do you do that?” Javier’s voice sounded leisurely, and my hackles lowered. “You always seem to know when something happened. What, do you have a network I don’t know about?”“Javier, tell me what happened.”He sighed and began moments after, while I toed off my shoes and began the act of undressing one handed.“You know how Cross has been so silent for the last month or so after his stunt with Alicia. Well I hear he’s making deals with the Spaniards by the coast,” Javier sounded miffed. “At first I thought it was a joke but he’s been spotted in Spain.”“That’s unusual,” i murmured, dropping my bloodied shirt in the laundry hamper for my maid to take care of. “Cross and Pedro have a tenuous relati
Dante’s POV Two years later: Dad Mik always had the best stuff. I heard the signal from his fingers. The click. And Ash and I immediately closed our ears. The sound of a loud boom reverberated in the air and the field suddenly burst into chaos. It was glorious to watch. The bomb decimated everything it had been wrapped about. So cool, I Wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. But Dad Mik had said we should be quiet or else Mom would– “MIKAEL SERRANO‼” I Swallowed. Mom’s screech sounded like trouble. I was glad it wasn’t me and Ash and I exchanged glances to commiserate with each other. Dad Mik looked a little pale but he smirked a little as Mom came barely a second later. She turned round the corner and advanced on us as we stood at the edge of the large field next to the garden. We rushed to stand and dust their hands and clothes, looking innocent as Mom strided as gently as she could with a full and round belly. I really wasn't sure about how pregnancies work, but
Alicia’s POVThe knocking didn’t stop. My head pounded from the force of it. I stumbled to the door, bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. I opened the door to find Andy, her face etched with worry, holding a sleeping Bella. Magda followed close behind, her expression stern."What were you thinking, Alicia?" Andy demanded, her voice low but firm. "Leaving the house again in the middle of the night?"I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the sleep. "What are you talking about?"Magda's voice was sharp. "Do you know you nearly caused chaos this morning? Mikael nearly ran mad searching for you. Acker had to calm him down. And they nearly fought."My heart sank. I had no idea Mikael had been searching for me. "I...I just needed some air," I stammered.The guilt pricked at the edges of my consciousness again. This time I had caused more trouble just by leaving. I was foolish. I lowered my gaze in remorse.Andy's expression softened slightly. "Alicia, you can't just disappear in the middle of th
Alicia’s POVI woke up with a start, my heart racing and my sheets drenched in sweat. The maid's gentle voice and concerned expression only added to my distress. But it wasn't just the nightmare that had left me shaken - it was the crushing weight of my own guilt.As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I couldn't shake the image of Cleo's face, twisted in a cruel grin, and Cross's gleaming green eyes. My nightmares were haunting. They taunted me with the reminders of the mistakes I’d made. My own oversights were massive.But it was my own actions that haunted me. I had tried to kill Acker and Mikael, the two men I loved. The thought sent a wave of self-loathing crashing over me.How could I have been so blind? So wrong? The guilt was suffocating, making it hard to breathe. I felt like I was drowning in my own shame. I thought about all the times I had pushed Acker and Mikael away, all the times I had doubted their love for me. And for what? Because of a misguided desire for reveng
Acker’s POV This was unexpected. I exchanged a glance with Serrano after seeing Cleo Abrams breathe her last breath. The syringe in my hand was empty and I dropped it on the ground where it lay to rest beside the pale corpse of the woman who had sought to use it at her weapon and had inevitably ended up dead by it. "How is she?" The words left my lips without preamble as I gazed at Alicia’s shivering form wrapped in the Italian Don’s arms. A part of me stirred with jealousy at the sight but I let it go. She belonged to him as much as she did to me. "Asleep for now. Or rather unconscious. She’s quite the dramatic one isn’t she? Cried herself to sleep just like that," Serrano tutted as though he was angry with her but in fact I could tell the relief in his face. I felt the same way too. In the end we had somehow neglected her. Of course it was just a stroke of luck that we figured out who it was at the last minute that had caused such troubles on our lives. It started aft
Cleo’s POVI had always been a survivor.From the first time I knew what death was, I had always been a survivor.An orphan girl, with no one to depend on but herself.I knew my skills long before I could understand them; my beauty was a privilege I welcomed.It helped me get away with things when I was younger and I learnt that a smile and little tilt of my head would help whenever one of the other kids accused me of stealing their belongings. None of the stupid nuns cared that I was never doing chores on time because I’d act so innocent and my cherubic expression gave me a fucking sweet pass.The attention always made me feel powerful and the way I got away with so much made the other kids either fear me or want to be my friends so they could benefit from it.As I got older I began to notice how much stares the boys would give me more than the other girls. Even the adult men weren’t far from trying to act like they were vying for my attention. And so I discovered another use for my
Alicia’s POVI stared out the window, my eyes tracing the outline of the trees as they swayed gently in the breeze. It was my birthday, a day that should have been filled with joy and celebration. Instead, I was trapped in this prison, a captive of the two men I had once loved.The sound of the door opening broke the silence, and I turned to see Andy walking in, a bright smile on her face. But it was what she was holding that really caught my attention - baby Bella. I felt a surge of emotion as Andy handed her over to me, and I held her close, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.Bella peered up at me curiously, her big eyes sparkling with innocence. I felt a pang of guilt for putting her in this situation, for bringing her into a world filled with danger and uncertainty. Perhaps I wasn’t the best one to take care of her. Perhaps I should have given her to a loving family."Thank you for taking care of her," I said to Andy, my voice awkward with emotion.Andy's expression softened,
Mikael’s POVShe was different. She looked like a wounded animal. My left grasped Dante’s shoulder gently. It was an assurance that our sons had returned to us. And a promise that this wasn’t for nothing.Madden at the very least was able to contain his emotions unlike myself. His voice came out like a crack of a whip. “Take her to her room. There won’t be any chance of her escaping, do you understand?”“Yes Don.” The men chorused.Yet I didn’t feel sane. I felt like I wanted to kill something. I felt like I wanted answers.…The sound of the clock ticking grounded me from spiraling in the study. I listened while seething with anger as Magda and Javier delivered their report.Bella, the newborn baby that had been caught along with Alicia and our boys, was Cross' and Zendaya's child. And to make matters worse, Alicia had already obtained a birth certificate that stated she had adopted the baby.That baby was currently in the care of a bewildered Andy who was mourning her friend’s acti
Alicia’s POVI crept out of my motel room, my heart racing with every creak of the floor. In a few short hours paranoia had become my constant companion, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. I just needed to grab some snacks from the store next door, but even that simple task felt like a risk.As I browsed the aisles, my eyes wandered to the TV playing in the corner of the store. The news anchor's voice was a distant hum until I saw the footage of the warehouse explosion. It was on the news.My breath caught in my throat as I watched Cross Serpenti's face flash across the screen. His death was confirmed and the news anchor continued with stating all the known crimes the Serpenti Mafia had committed. He deserved to die and that was certain.The cashier's muttered comment about "those mob people" and how easy it must be to have their kind of money barely registered. My mind was reeling with the implications of what I'd just seen. Acker and Mikael were still alive.
Acker’s POVToday had not gone as fucking expected.I tried to hold back all the thoughts swirling in my head as we left the police officers and flashing sirens behind.It appeared to be a terrible dream. But it wasn’t over yet.The scent of burning and flames was in the air still. I must have inhaled a lot of smoke in there, I thought with disgruntlement as I gave the orders for us to return. My throat hurt badly enough that speaking was a chore I didn’t feel the need to indulge in. Serrano sat silently beside me and I knew it had to do with none other than her. Our woman. And supposedly the one that betrayed us.His hands gripped the phone that Cross had thrown at us tightly. That the Serpenti Don was dead finally was good. We had watched his… body, for lack of a better word, being carried out. He was charred beyond repair. Not even a lick of unburnt flesh on him and he had died in pieces, the explosion tearing him into chunks that had to be pieced together.It had been by the skin