The man whose arm I just broke stumbled to his feet and threw a punch at me with his good arm. Caught totally off guard, my head rocked back; the force also caused me to step back.“You picked a fight with the wrong person, bitch!” He spat at me, holding his injured shoulder. “You have no idea who I am.”I counted my teeth with my tongue, amused amongst other things by the audacity of this man. I had no idea who he was? “I broke one arm to be kind, but maybe if I break the other, and then your legs, you’ll be singing a different tune,” I seethed. He smirked, looking around him. We were creating a small scene but the people staring at us were too drunk to understand what was happening. “All I want is the girl. I don’t want trouble. For your sake, I will advise you to walk away before this gets too much for you.” He raised his unbroken arm, averting a lustful gaze at Alma. My jaw ticked. “I believe I said the girl belonged to me.” I blocked his view of Alma with my body, taking note
ALMA’S POVI nodded at the guard manning the gate as I walked past it. He nodded back never lifting his eyes from the computer screen. He was a middle-aged man and had been working at the mansion for as long as I remembered.I guess that was why it was always so easy for him to help us out when we wanted to go on one of our many rendezvous. Anyone who had worked at the mansion knew what actually happened under Mrs. Riccardo’s roof.The old guards took pity on anyone who needed a few hours out of the gate but the unspoken rule was none of the blame fell on them if anyone got caught. They would help, but they wouldn’t lose their jobs in the process.Approaching any of the new guards always turned out to be a double-edged sword. Under the Riccardo's roof, everyone and anyone desperately sought Mrs. Riccardo’s favor or attention.It paid more to be a snitch, but the identities of such people were never hidden and they didn’t survive for long under the roof. There was a dark cloud over thi
My body froze for a few seconds before I jumped into action. Zaverio already had his mother in his arms, and was on his feet, looking at me for directions. I opted to take the other exit that led to the kitchen so as not to attract attention. Mrs. Riccardo looked fragile and pale in her son’s arms. She was a wicked woman, but I prayed she held on to whatever threads of life she had left.Zaverio had already lost a father; if he lost his mother, I knew it would destroy him. The kitchen was empty which was a blessing in disguise.Thankfully, a guard was standing not too far from the main house; I waved at him to get a car. He looked confused, but started speaking rapidly into the mic on his jacket when he looked behind me.I jumped into the car. “Give her to me.” My words surprised me, but I wasn’t doing it for her, I was doing it for Zaverio.“I can hold her.” Zaverio gripped his mother tighter, with his jaw set. “I will hold my mother.”“She needs to lie on her back to help with bloo
Alma's PoVThe news of Mrs. Riccardo’s state had spread and everyone kept whispering about it in the corners of the house. The matron who ruled with a strong hand had suffered a stroke and was in a coma.There was no moment of grief or silence in the house; everyone was bursting at the seams, eagerly waiting for news – any news – of her death. It was sad to know she wasn’t loved or respected.I too would have been down on my knees begging God to take her away if I hadn’t seen the pure fear in Zaverio’s eyes. She was nothing to us but to him, she was all he had left in this world.Our conversation played over in my mind, I remembered everything he said and I wish I understood, but I didn’t. He had changed so much and was hurting so much. Zaverio was a man, and nothing like the boy I fell in love with.That conversation ended whatever we had on his end; he avoided me every time I took food to the hospital, barely sparing me a glance even if when I stood in front of him.He spent every w
ZAVERIO’S POVI lit a cigarette, my fifth that afternoon and blew casually blew the smoke out of my mouth. People walking by gave me disgusted looks as they hurried into the hospital behind me. I didn’t care.The security had even asked me to leave, but I had always been defiant. The management was going to create a smoking area if they wanted me gone. My jaw itched and I winced as I scratched the scattered hairs jutting out of my chin.The hospital had been my home for practically a week. I stayed there by my mother’s side all day waiting for her to wake up. The doctor said she could wake up anytime.The coma wasn’t the hurdle though; her stroke was the enemy we needed to tackle when she woke up. Her left cheek had started to sag and I refused to take stock of the rest of her body. My mother was strong, she would pull through.She was the matron of the house of Riccardo; she had dealt with me since I was a young boy, taking all the boyish pain I caused her and landing a slap on my bu
ALMA’S POVThe joy that had permeated every corner of the Riccardo household grew stale under the rule of Selene; she was ten times worse than Mrs. Riccardo, barking out orders and raising her hand at the slightest inconvenience.My cheek stung from one of her heavy back hands, she wore sharp rings on every finger, and didn’t hesitate to strike when provoked. I cleaned the blood rolling down my face with the back of my hand.“If you get your worthless blood on the carpet, I swear you’ll scrub that spot non-stop for a week.” Selene stepped on my hand, digging her heels in. “When I ask for orange juice, I expect to be asked what kind, do you get that?”“Yes ma’am” I bit my tongue; I would never give her the pleasure of seeing my pain. “I understand ma’am.”“Get out of my sight and get me freshly squeezed orange juice.” Selene walked back to her seat. “You have thirty minutes or you’ll be licking it from the floor.”I rose to my feet and rushed into the kitchen. Nadine was standing in fr
ALMA’S POVZaverio’s lips closed around one of my exposed nipples, and I cried out holding his head closer to my chest. I was lying on my back with my gown gathered around my waist. Zaverio fit snugly in between my thighs.I grinded against his hot member, whimpering desperately to be filled, I wanted him inside me. Despite being intoxicated, Zaverio took his sweet time with my body, in no rush to touch me.I didn’t want him this way, there would be a time for him to explore my body, or make me feel desired. Right now I needed him to fuck me until I lost my breath. This was the only time I had to have him, if Selene arrived at the height of my passion, I knew I would not be able to release him.“Zaverio” I sighed breathlessly. “I need you inside me, please.”He hummed, sucking my breast deeper into his mouth. “I want to take my time; your body deserves to be worshipped. I have fantasized about these breasts. I have thought of fucking them-”“I want you to fuck me from behind Zaverio,
ZAVERIO’S POV“What the fuck?” I held my head, rolling around in my bed. What the hell had Von loaded me with? I barely remembered anything about yesterday, except Alma.A smile forced my lips apart and I laughed, spreading my hands over my bed- my bed? The realizations made me sit up, which was a horrible mistake. A headache pounded at the base of my skull like a hammer.“Oh good! You’re awake.” Selene’s voice worsened my headache. “I got you some pills and a glass of water.”“What the hell are you doing in my room?” I slapped away the glass she offered me, not caring when it shattered. “Who gave you the permission to be here?”Selene glared at me, “I stay here. I found you passed out on the bed when I got back yesterday from my outing.”I looked around my room, noticing all the boxes and items that weren’t mine. “Get your things out of my room Selene! I’ll warn you only once.”“I’m not going anywhere Zaverio.” Selene crossed her arms. “Your mother told me to make myself comfortable;
ALMA’S POV“You look like a kid who just discovered a candy store.” Nadine laughed, unboxing my new phone with me. “I’ll you all the fun things you can do with it, and the most important part is it has to be on silent always.”“What does silent mean?” I held the device, carefully inspecting it. “It looks like something I would never use; maybe I should put it back in the box and keep it on my nightstand.”“Bitch, I got this for two hundred dollars. You better start using it or bad things are going to happen.” Nadine took the phone from me, and pressed the button on the side.The next hour was fascinating and confusing. Nadine was not one known for her patience, but she was calm with me, listening to me ask the same question a billion times.After two hours of accumulating information, I’d taken enough. “If I hear one more word, I think my head is going to explode.” I groaned, rubbing my tired eyes. “I didn’t even know you had a phone.”“You don’t know a lot of things happening in the
ZAVERIO’S POV “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Alma yelled at me, rushing over to the man I’d knocked over, the odd familiarity between them made me clench my jaw.“I should be asking that question, shouldn’t I?” The music had stopped, and everyone was looking at us like we were the most interesting things- and we were.“You didn’t ask.” Alma helped him to his feet, “You can’t push people over, it’s rude and disturbing. You should apologize.”I laughed, turning in a circle. “Why should I apologize to your new lover? You’re the one who brought him here to rub it in my face, I didn’t expect this bullshit from you, Alma.”“Are you high?” Alma looked genuinely concerned. “This is Jace, I met him a couple of hours ago and we’re having a great time, or we were until you intruded.”“I didn’t know you went around kissing guys you just met, and I was a fool for not believing you when you told me you were pregnant with my child. What did you think happened after a kiss in the club Alma?” I t
Alma's povI pointed at myself, “I’m sorry, are you talking to me?” The question sounded silly, even to my ears and I hoped he didn’t notice how out of style I was.“Yes.” He smiled warmly, “I don’t know if it’s the defiant white gown you have on, or the fact that you’re the most beautiful woman here, your friend comes close second of course.”Nadine giggled. “You’re sweet, and you seem to have a lot of words in that pretty mouth of yours. My friend here wants to have a good time; I will leave you both to it if you promise to treat her right.”He crossed the area above his heart. “I promise, besides I came here to have a good time as well. Your friend and I will be at that open table. You can see us anytime to keep an eye on her, and it also gives her room to escape if she finds out I’m boring.”I laughed, thanking Nadine with my eyes for making this easy for me. “I don’t think I’ll find you so boring that I’ll run away from you.”“You’ll be surprised.” He winked, flashing his perfect
ZAVERIO’S POVVon was seated in my office in a suit, which was surprising since he hated wearing them. He swore he’d never be caught dead in a suit, until the day he got married and his wife swore to shoot him if he showed up in jeans or sneakers.“You cleaned up nice.” I looked down at my open shirt and shorts. “I didn’t know it was that kind of meeting–to be honest, I forgot it was today.”“I thought as much.” Von nodded at me. “It has always been a rule after I got comfortable with suits that we wore them for serious meetings.”“I didn’t wear one, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a spare. I’ll be right back.” I walked into the room I had installed in my office, pulling out one of the suits I hadn’t used yet.My back had never appreciated the makings of a chair, unlike my father who could sleep standing. I had the room attached for relaxation, and sometimes escape.Von was pouring himself a drink when I returned, and I shook my head in refusal when he held up a glass. “I don’t fee
Alma's PovIt shouldn’t have come as a surprise when Zaverio went right back to his old ways, bringing in women night after night, polluting the house with their sex noises. I shouldn’t have been able to hear it if I was in my room, but misery loved misery, and every night when he walked through the doors with a different woman on his arm, I would tiptoe up the stairs to his wing, and listen to the sound of my heart breaking over and over again.After a while I couldn’t bear it, and remained in my room, thinking myself to death about what I knew they were doing. It was unhealthy for me and the baby.I smiled, tucking a hand under my pillow and placing the other on my very flat tummy. I wondered when it would start to show. I was still uncertain about everything, and most nights when I was troubled by the man who had set my heart on fire, I was thinking of the future.Zaverio had said in no clearer terms that he wanted nothing to do with this baby, he didn’t even believe it was his ba
Zaverio's PovI stared dispassionately at the woman on top of me. Her big breasts were everywhere, and she held a hand over them to keep them in place. Her head was thrown back in what I assumed to be pleasure, but I wasn’t paying attention.She was one of the many women I had picked from the club recently, and brought back to the house. They loved the thrill of the night, the chase, the alcohol and mind blowing sex on their end.Von had said nothing to me since I began my sexual rampage, and the distance he put between us hurt, but I was back in a dark place. All I knew was sex, alcohol and cigarettes.Her pussy squeezed around my dick indicating she was about to cum, and I snapped back to reality, flexing my hips in a certain way until I threw my head back in pleasure, pouring my seed into her while she milked me dry.“Wow! That was amazing,” She said, pushing her wet bangs away from her eyes. “I need to pee then I’ll be solid enough for round two. Can you show me the bathroom?” I
Alma’s Pov“Excuse me?!” I stood with my mouth agape. I thought I had every angle covered, overthinking every question he would likely ask me, every tantrum he would throw, but this? How was I supposed to answer a question questioning my loyalty?“Did you ask me who the father of my child is?” I was beyond stunned by the audacity.Zaverio looked anything but disturbed or ruffled, he walked back to his desk and threw a piece of chopped liver into his mouth. “I believe you heard me the first time, am I supposed to accept that you’re pregnant with my child?”“You’re the only man I’ve been with these past few months; you’re the only man I’ve been with all my life. Who else is supposed to be the father of this child?”Zaverio barked out a harsh laugh. “Alma, I might be the boss, but that doesn’t mean I have no idea what happens under my roof. Sexual relationships are highly prohibited in this estate, as it curbs the mistake of reproducing.”“Do you think I don’t know almost everyone living
ALMA’S POVI rested my head on the cool tile in the bathroom. My vision was spinning and I had just finished puking my guts into the toilet bowl. I felt another rumble in my stomach and managed to push myself up in time to reach the toilet once more.“You look like shit.”“You don’t say.” My voice was weak, but I smiled at Nadine standing by the door. “I won’t be late today I promise. The morning sickness isn’t tiring me out much anymore.”“I can handle the task master if any questions come up, but I’m worried about how long you can keep up this secret.” Nadine handed me a towel she’d held under running water.“I have never been pregnant, and I haven’t had any pregnant friends, but I know the morning sickness is just the beginning. What happens when you start to show?”“I’ll start worrying about that when I’m four or five months pregnant. Right now, I am fighting to keep my internal organs in their rightful position, and trust me it’s a struggle.”“I saw that you rotated out of the ki
ZAVERIO’S POVI didn’t know what I was expecting when I opened the door to my home, did I think Alma was going to run down the stairs and jump into my arms like Bella? I had even imagined how I would sink into her softness and return her feverish kisses.The empty hallway erased the fantasies, knocking me down to cold, harsh reality. There was no one waiting for me, and if I had died a few weeks ago, I had no legacy to carry on after me.I nodded at the few staff loitering around, and they scampered off when I passed them, probably to hide in their rooms. The big bad Alpha was back, who knew what I had in store for them?It was too late to request a meal, so I opted for the salad sitting in the fridge. Nadine walked into the kitchen the moment I shut the fridge, she stopped in her tracks, staring at me with wide eyes.“Mr. Zaverio, I didn’t know you were back. Is there anything you’d like me to make for you?” She asked. I raised the plate in my hand. “I’ll manage this for the night,