ANTONIO.Oliver was the one who stupidly came for me first; how could she even beg for his life? I had never spared anyone who attempted to murder me, and that wouldn’t change now. I would go after him, and I would make him suffer for putting my life and that of Rosalinda in danger.“Antonio, please.” She continued pleading, refusing to relent after repeatedly making it clear that her request was something I was unable to grant.“You should go home.” I told her as I walked past her and started walking towards the door.“Please. Don’t kill him.” She repeated for the hundredth time, but this time the words came out with a shaky voice.My eyes narrowed as I swiftly turned to look at her.“Please.” She persisted as tears began to profusely stream down her cheeks.An unpleasant feeling immediately twisted in my heart as I trudged towards her in long strides, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to my chest. I hated to see her cry. It stirred up an emotion in me—hurt.“Rosalinda, sto
ROSALINDA.I had never been attracted to anyone the way I was attracted to the man standing before me. Every inch of my skin tingled at his gaze. My entire being burned for him. I wanted him inside me, and that was all I could think about.I hurriedly stood on my tiptoe, my desperation palpable in the way I smashed my lips against his, kissing him like I wanted to suck his soul out.He reciprocated my yearnings by quickly lifting me up into his muscular arms and trudging towards the bed in long strides with me in his arms. Our lips never leaving each other.He finally halted when a barrier blocked him—the bed—and he threw me into it.As I stared into his lustful eyes, I could tell that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him, and that realisation aroused me even more.“I want you, Rosa. All of you.” He groaned out his needs, his voice going straight to my core, making it twitch.“I am all yours.” I breathed out.Leaning forward, he grabbed my thighs, yanking me to the edge of the be
ROSALINDA.I completely lost track of time. The sex was so damn good that I was trapped in a daze, forgetting everything else.My purpose in coming here was to convince Antonio to change his mind about murdering Oliver. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine ending up in his bed. He was just too irresistibly tempting. I had been resisting him for a long time, and my control had finally reached its limit.“Your father, right?” Antonio stalked behind me, planting a soft kiss on my neck before I could even turn around. A new wave of shivers ran through me, making me want him all over again.“Yes.” I moaned as he cupped my breast in his large palm, gently kneading it.“I guess you’re in trouble then.” He stated matter-of-factly, his warm breath blowing into my ears.“Antonio.” I moaned, arching my back in ecstasy.“I want you, baby. I can never get enough of you.” He rasped, his lips connecting with my neck, nibbling at it, and sending my senses into overdrive.“I—need— to—go—home.” I t
ANTONIO.I got to the basement within minutes, and like Marco said, Oliver was there, seated on a chair with his hands tied to the back of the chair, his legs tied together, and a rope tied around his body all together, attaching him to the chair.The knots were firm, and it was impossible for him to free himself.“So, you think you are a bad guy, uh?” My voice was surprisingly calm as I questioned him, approaching him slowly.“What do you want from me? Let me go!” He retorted, wincing in pain.I came to a stop in front of him, folding my arms across my chest and staring down at him.“Use your own mouth to confess to what you did.” I said.“Please!” He yelled, his chest heaving rapidly. “My only crime was to fall in love with Sofia. I won’t deny that I love her. And I don’t think I can stay away from her. That’s the only confession that I have to make.”“Sofia ain’t my business anymore. If you like, fuck her until you produce a dozen more babies. It’s not my fucking business!” I growl
ROSALINDA. I have never been happier in my entire life. I finally got what I wanted. Although I knew this happiness wouldn’t last and that I was treading in a dangerous lane, I decided to revel in it while I still could.Talking to him alone soothed my heart in ways I never imagined. His touch wasn’t just pleasing to my body but also resonated with my soul.“You look bright today. Good news? Is it a man?” Grace interrupted my muse when she noticed my mood.I almost choked on my coffee at her unexpected question, but luckily, I quickly chugged it down. Not without spilling a few drops on the kitchen counter.“Sorry.” Grace quickly said as she reached for a towel and wiped the spillage.“Thank you.” I said, giving her a small smile. “And—there’s no man. I am just in a happy mood today, nothing more. Which is quite normal, right?”“Right.” She nodded, evidently not convinced by my lie.“Good morning, Sofia.” Grace said, and I flicked my gaze to the door to see Sofia walking lazily into
ROSALINDA.My bum was hurting like hell, but that was the least of my concerns at that moment. Giovanni and Sofia just caught me in Antonio’s arms, kissing passionately.That was messed up. I really messed up, and I didn’t know what to say or do except that I was filled with shame. Complete and utter shame.“Are you okay?” Antonio asked, his voice etched with urgency as he helped me back to my feet.I nodded in response, my eyes looking everywhere but in Giovanni and Sofia’s direction. My cheeks burned up with embarrassment, turning them tomato red. But Antonio on the other hand, looked really composed.He scanned my body, and after making sure that I was physically okay, his lips quirked up into an awkward smile.“I think I’ll take my leave now.” He said, and before I could even reply, he trudged towards the door and dashed out of the room. Without acknowledging Sofia and Giovanni’s presence.Knowing it was high time I faced my reality, I finally turned to look at them, my cheeks bu
ANTONIO. After leaving Rosalinda’s bedroom, my next stop was Carlo’s. It’s been a while since I saw him, and I missed him. Slipping inside his room, I found him on his bed, absorbed in cartoons on his iPad, unaware of my entrance.“What are you watching, boy?" I asked, chuckling, as I approached the bed.“Uncle Antonio.” He beamed, his face lighting up with excitement as he hoisted his head to look at me.I picked him up and threw him in the air before swiftly catching him back in my arms. His giggles filled the room, and that warmed my heart.“How are you?” I asked as I dropped him back on the bed and sat beside him.“I am fine. I missed you.” He pouted, wrapping his tiny arms around me.Patting his back, I muttered. “I missed you too.”“The last time you were here, you promised to take me to an amusement park.” He reminded me, his face lighting up. “Is it today?”I totally forgot about my promise to him. But unfortunately, I couldn’t fulfil that promise with Diego suspecting that
ANTONIO.“Antonio.” Rosalinda whispered in fear as she clung to my side, seeking a sense of protection.“I’ll not let anything happen to you, Rosalinda. Or your son. I promise.” I assured. “Just follow me until we get to the car.”We continued walking in the direction of the car while I consciously noted the number of men following us. I have counted five so far, but there could be more. Hopefully, they won’t attempt to attack in public; that would give us the chance to get Rosalinda and Carlo to safety before they strike.Once we reached the car, I promptly got Rosalinda and Carlo inside first, before rushing to the driver’s side of the car and jumping in.Without hesitation, I turned the ignition on and slammed my foot on the gas, powering up the road.“You and Carlo should stay down.” I urged Rosalinda as I continued driving.I couldn’t spot them following us yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time.“Who are they?” Rosalinda asked, her voice filled with fear and horror.Sighin
Third-person POV.Antonio’s lips pressed against the softness of Rosalinda’s cheek, his eyes filled with adoration as he gazed at her.“Good morning.” He whispered sensing her stirring. When she didn’t respond, he murmured playfully, a lazy smile spreading across his lips. “I know you are awake.”“I didn’t want you to stop staring at me.” Rosalinda admitted with a smile, her eyes still closed. “I like it when you stare at me; I wanted to keep feeling your eyes on me.”“It doesn’t matter if your eyes were opened or closed. I could stare at you anyhow, anywhere, anytime.” He said, tracing her nose and lips with his finger. “But do you know when I love staring at you the most?”She shook her head, a smile still on her lips. “When you are naked in the shower.” Her eyes shot open immediately, and she playfully smacked his arm. He chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with delight. “Good morning, Pretty.” “Good morning, handsome.” She replied, her voice still laced with sleep. Placing his
ROSALINDA“Mommy is getting married today.” I told my little girl as I rubbed my belly, my smile stretching from cheek to cheek while I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Every detail fell into place flawlessly—my dress, hair, makeup, everything was just perfect. I couldn’t believe that this day was finally here—the day I had always looked forward to—and I couldn’t be happier that I was doing this with Antonio.It’s been a month since the incident that happened at Liam’s mansion. Antonio healed in no time, and I haven’t left his side ever since. I couldn’t imagine how life would have been without him. After two weeks of tirelessly searching for Diego and Liam, Nikkolai found them and ended them immediately. I also heard that it was Nikkolai Petrov who killed Lorenzo’s father, Sergio. I couldn’t fathom why Nikkolai was so keen on taking care of Antonio’s dirty businesses, but I just hoped he wouldn’t demand a huge price in return down the line. One thing was sure—Mafia bosses neve
ROSALINDA “He’s a fighter. He survived it. Luckily, the bullet narrowly missed his heart. He’ll recover soon enough.” These words from the doctor were the best news I had ever heard in my entire life. I couldn’t even imagine what would have happened to me and to my son if I had lost Antonio. My entire existence would have been wounded, and I would have never recovered from it. I was glad about the information the doctor passed, but I was still insanely worried and wanted to see him awake and talk to him before I could break free from the anxiety twisting my insides.It’s been thirty-two hours since the bullet extraction surgery, since the doctor assured us that his vital signs were okay and that he would wake up soon enough, but he still hadn’t. I was sitting by his bedside, silently praying, hoping, and wishing for him to wake up. I was mentally and physically exhausted, and everyone had asked me to go home and rest because of my condition, but knowing that he was in that situation
ROSALINDA I wasn’t going to give up. I had to find a way to leave there as soon as possible. I kept looking through the windows at regular intervals, hoping the men there would leave so I could escape. The sky outside was already dark, and the rope I had tied together was still dangling, calling on me to descend with it. But the only thing stopping me from doing that were the fucking men out there. My mind drifted to Antonio, and my already painful heart was broken even further at the thought of what he would be going through at the moment. He’d be so broken and frustrated looking for me. I just hoped he had found a clue and was on his way to come get me. I had to be found, or escape, for him and for my son. I looked through the window again, expecting to see the men guarding it, but my eyes widened and a pang of hope filled my chest when I didn’t see them there. Without hesitation, I climbed over it and began to descend very quickly. But just as I was about to alight, the men app
ANTONIO My men and I had tried every possible means to look for Rosalinda, but there was no cue. Nothing at all. I was frustrated, scared of losing her. Even the thought of it blocked my airways, making it difficult to breathe. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to get my woman back. Nothing at all. Vito and I had just finished looking through the footage from the security camera from all the buildings around the gas station, but we got nothing. My phone started ringing, and I picked it up, hoping it was one of my men calling me to give me positive feedback, but I drew a long hiss when I realised it was Sofia calling. She had been buzzing my phone for over an hour now, demanding to speak with Rosalinda. I had told her that she was fine and was only sleeping, but she wouldn’t buy it. Fuck! She was fucking adding to my frustration with her persistent calls. “Don’t you think you should tell her the truth?” Vito suggested, as I rejected the call. “She’d tell Roberto, and I don’t want hi
ROSALINDA My head was banging so much that it felt like it was going to explode. For how long have I been sleeping? I wondered, as I tried to open my eyes, only to abruptly close them back due to the blinding light. After a few seconds, I tried again, but this time, slowly, until my eyes adapted to the light. Suddenly, I caught sight of a familiar face sitting on a sofa not so far from the bed, and I jerked up in perplexity. “What are you doing here?” I demanded. “You’re awake.” Liam grinned, and just then, reality sank in. I looked around the room, fear crawling through me as everything that happened rushed back in. I remembered everything—how I was kidnapped from the gas station and drugged until I was knocked out.“Liam. What the hell is this?” I demanded fiercely, hiding the fear crawling through me. “What do you think it is?” He raised a brow, expecting a response from me. And when he didn’t get any, he continued. “I told you, Rosalinda, that I adore you. And whatever I wan
ROSALINDAThe very next day after Sofia’s wedding, our own wedding preparation began. Antonio called Papà over the phone to inform him of our plan, while I, on the other hand, planned to tell Mama, Sofia, Matteo, and Giovanni in person—that is, if Papà hadn’t already told them before we got to the mansion. Antonio and I planned to go to my parent’s place today. We had a lot on our schedule, but the first place we visited was the hospital. I had an appointment with the sonographer to get the baby’s ultrasound done. “She’s so healthy.” The sonographer said, smiling as she moved the transducer around my belly. This wasn’t the first time I saw my baby girl, but each time I heard the whooshing sound of her heartbeat, I felt an unexplainable warmth radiate through my entire being. I couldn’t wait to hold her in my arms. “She’s so cute.” Antonio said, a small smile on his face. “I bet she’d look like me.” “She’d definitely be my carbon copy.” I countered. He chuckled softly. “We’ll find
ROSALINDA Who said dreams were unattainable? Whoever said that bluffed because Sofia defied that claim. The dream she thought was out of reach was coming to pass. It’s been two months since she had the emergency surgery; she and the twins—Isabella and Alessia—were healthy and out of the hospital. Today was her wedding day. She was getting married to the love of her life, and I couldn’t be more happy about her finally getting her happy ending. She deserved it, they both deserved it. I had asked Antonio to wait a bit more before we got married, and he agreed without protest, even though I knew he wasn’t so happy about it. He just wanted to do right by me. He had been the perfect man ever, and I couldn’t even imagine my life with any other man. I didn’t even know why I had delayed the marriage, but anyway, that was the least of my problems at the moment. The dress I had on was. I turned around to look at my reflection in the mirror, and Goddamn it, I captivated myself. The thigh-hig
ROSALINDA Antonio grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. I had the strong urge to protest, but I didn’t because I knew whatever I did would have been useless. He would never leave me there, and we would only end up causing a scene. “Why the fuck did you come out here alone, Rosalinda?” He groaned once we were outside, his furious eyes staring intently at me. “And don’t tell me you took alcohol with your condition.”I folded my arms over my chest, casting my gaze away as I retorted. “I only took sparkling water, and you are not the only one allowed to leave the house after a fight.”“Does that mean you should endanger your life?” He fired back. “I don’t care whatever danger surrounds you, but she is an adult and could make her own decisions.” Ruby suddenly chimed in, her voice filled with irritation. He drew his brows together, his frown deepening as he turned his attention to her. “Really? I’m starting to wonder if they used you to lure her out so that they could kidnap and harm