★JANIE★I soaked myself inside the warm water tub, heaving a sigh for the umpteenth time. My mind kept screaming at me as I wondered why a relationship with a Mafia king would even work out. Damn, I couldn't believe my naivety got the better part of me. Not hearing Luciano's voice again meant he had left. And that alone was enough to spring up numerous questions in my head. Does he not care about me? Was he merely pursuing me for sex and now that he has gotten what he wanted, he felt there was no need to stick around again? You are so dumb, Janie Braxton. My subconscious screamed at me again. Our relationship wasn't even up to two weeks yet, just one week and some days, and we were already having issues. Dragging my knees to my chest, I buried my head and burst into tears. If only my mom was still alive to advise me. Sometimes, it felt like I was derailing off track and It seemed pretty difficult to keep my mind afloat. I could have called Mrs Isobel and let her advise me like a
★LUCIANO★ Getting irritated with our proximity, I peeled Mia away from my body. "Step back." A glint of hurt flickered through her orbs, but I didn't care. There were other things to deal with right now, Mia wasn't part of them. "Are you still mad about what happened in Italy?" She asked and my gaze narrowed into mere slits. "Mad? Did you just ask if I'm mad after you ratted me out?" "No, I didn't, Luciano. I have apologized to you tons of times." She rambled on and on. "I didn't know Luigi wasn't a friend of yours as he claimed." I huffed. "So because he claimed to be my friend, you told him about the hospital where my mom was receiving treatment? Well thanks to you, now she's dead!" I rumbled, my voice raising an octave against hers and she flinched. Tears welled up in her eyes, while I parted my lips in disbelief. Okay now, she was playing the pity card. But if only she knew I don't give a damn about emotions. Except for one person's. "Luciano, you know how much I cared abo
★JANIE★"Oh my fucking goodness, Janie... You are gorgeous! Mind-blowing! Straight out of the oven like a freshly baked cookie!" Sandra exclaimed as her orbs traveled my body from head to toe.I stood in front of the mirror, feeling quite unsure about my mode of dressing. Donned in a braless tank top exposing my stomach and a bum short, revealing the lower fraction of my ass, I felt somewhat uncomfortable."Don't you think this is showing too much skin? I feel like a whore." I expressed my displeasure, but it earned a snort instead."No, you are looking like a desirable snack." She countered. "Don't forget. We are going to the party to get you a good guy, remember. You need to look available."She was also dressed in something much more similar to what I was wearing. Although, hers had a more bitchy and slutty vibe."Common, let's go." Sandra urged. She shoved my cell phone into the back pocket of my bum shorts, and we headed out of her hostel room, straight for the stairs that led ou
★JANIE★"Ouch!"I groaned as my eyelids fluttered open. Instantly, a splitting headache created a throbbing sensation in my skull. I tried to move my body, but I felt too weak and sore, so I remained there, trying to gain momentum.Once I had managed to garner a little strength, I pulled myself to a sitting position. However, my headache worsened. It was as if someone was striking me continuously with a sledgehammer for trying to sit up.Damn! What the hell happened?Another groan escaped my lips as I looked around the pitch-dark room. My eyes had not adjusted to the darkness of the room, so I couldn't make out a single thing.Clutching my head with one hand, I scrambled to the edge of the bed and my feet touched down on the cold, tiled floor.I propped my other elbow on my thighs, still trying to catch a grip on myself. Right now, it seemed as though my body and mind were far apart, and it was taking forever to reconnect to each other.Seconds later, memories of everything that occur
★LUCIANO★“Now, Strip!”"No, I won't," Janie said with a tone of defiance, "Not until I know what happened to Noel and my friend, Sandra? Noel needs my help, Luciano!" She fretted."Relax," I told her in my most casual tone. "After I rescued you from the Ramo's henchmen, I made sure to check into the Club, knowing fully well that they couldn't have left without hurting someone. So Noel is in the hospital, while your friend, Sandra has been convinced that you are going to be safe and brought back to the hostel room, hale and hearty." I explained to her and the worried expression she previously had, morphed into something more relaxing."Thank you," She breathed.And the urge to kiss the lips those two words just emerged from, overwhelmed me.There was just something about this girl. I couldn't quite pinpoint my hand on it, something alluring, something that kept pushing me to her even after so long.Leaning towards her face, I asserted. "Now, are you going to strip for me?"I watched h
★JANIE★He pulled me tightly to him and crashed his lips hungrily on mine. The chemistry between us was undeniable as our lips moved in rhythm against each other. Gently, he raised one of my legs and wrapped it around his waist, without breaking the kiss.Being in such proximity with Luciano felt so good and it made my stomach dipped in ecstasy.I clung onto his solid shoulders, my limbs going weak and he pressed his hands to the middle of my back, wanting no distance between us at all.The feel of his chiseled body and the heat of his mouth on mine caused my world to spin, and I barely noticed anything except him.I moaned, parting my lips slightly while he teased my mouth with his tongue. Prompting me to taste the shots I consumed earlier through the kiss.My heart beat steadily.When I broke the kiss for a split second, my eyes lingered on his as we drank in each other facial features.Indeed, Luciano was one hell of a gorgeous man. Well-defined nose, thin lips, chiseled jaw, and
★JANIE★With my face huddled against his bare chest, I lay in his arms, sleeping peacefully. His arms wrapped around my waist in a possessive way and, the both of us fell asleep right after making love and having small talk."Hmmm." I wiggled my head from left to right, trying to set free from the hair disturbing my face. Then smiled in my sleep the moment Luciano's fingers curled around the back of my neck, pulling me closer to his chest.Just like this.I could stay like this in his arms forever. Yet, my subconscious kept reminding me that I had a school life to get back to and my assignments wouldn't do themselves.Letting out a low groan, I tried to shut those thoughts out and just enjoy this moment. His warmth, his breaths, the rise and fall motion of his chest against my skin.Suddenly a soft knock pounded on the door and I cussed internally, wishing the person would just go away. Luciano didn't make any attempt to move too, so I knew he wanted no disturbance just as much as me.
★LUCIANO★Holy crap! My eyes widened in shock as a loud gunshot resonated in the atmosphere, making everyone around scamper for safety.I was just about to take Janie and run when I noticed that the bullet had gone straight through her body.My woman was the one shot!Panic overwhelmed my guts as I tossed my cell phone away, and cradled her head in my hand before she could fall to the ground. My heartbeat raced a million kilometers per second, just by staring at her terrified face."L-e-a-ve. T-he. W-a.y." She wheezed then her eyes closed shut."No, no no! Oh my goodness, Janie!" I roared at the top of my lungs. "Please don't do this to me. Don't —" my voice trailed off when I noticed a warm moisture dropping on my other hand, pressing against her back.I brought my hand to my gaze and my breathing pace wavered. It was..... It was her blood.My eyes drifted from my bloody hands to her now paled face. "No, please...... Fuck it, Janie. Just stay with me!"My mind was running amok.Rais
SEBASTIAN’s POV“Now, the choice is yours. I want to leave here this instant with Janie or the van blows up and your girl alongside your right-hand man dies."The moment those threats left my lips, my heart jammed painfully into my chest and I did not know the reason why. Maybe because standing in front of Luciano after all these years brought back some nostalgia or because I wanted to see him cave in. I want to see him through defense. I want him to be broken up until the extent of going on his knees to beg for my mercy. But fucking Luciano seemed to remain unwavering despite being in a distressful situation. With a gunshot wound on his arm oozing out blood and running in fine lines down his arms and cascading in droplets to the ground, he still stood as though he had the whole situation under control. Fucking hell…I mean that’s what I have always admired in the man. All those times I worked alongside him, I wanted to be him so bad. However, when I realized I’d never measured up t
*LUCIANO*As I stepped out of the van, I dipped my hand into my back pocket, ready to pull out my pistol and start blowing off the heads of these motherfuckers obstructing my way. But before I could, a voice cut through the atmosphere. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Immediately, I froze.Even without seeing the face of the person who had just spoken, I knew. That voice was all too familiar for me to miss. I grew up with him, dined with him, joked with him, cried because of him when he lost his parents, and mostly especially tortured myself for days after supposedly ending his life. I clenched and unclenched my jaw as I sharply got a grip on myself and looked around, searching for the face of the bastard who intended to stab me in the back years back but he was nowhere to be found. Not in the mood for silly games, I hollered. "Come out wherever you are and face me!" With my fingers still curled around my gun, I waited hoping little Sebastian would be man enough to stand in fro
“But Sir-" The nurse began to say only to shut her mouth as she noticed the dead gripping glare Luciano issued her. She seemed perturbed. She didn't feel it was right to move someone who had just regained consciousness, and for reasons she wasn't sure of."Why are you still standing there?" Luciano growled, "Get her dressed, I am moving her now!” He commanded before lowering his head back to the cell phone in his hand and typing ferociously on it. Still, the nurse stood her ground. She did not make an effort to move. Deep down, I could have warned her not to mess around with Luciano, but I did not understand the situation also and was as confused as the nurse. A few seconds later, Luciano raised his head from the phone to look at the nurse. When he noticed she hadn’t made a move yet, he clenched his jaw and reached for his back pocket. Before I knew it, he brought out a pistol, cocked it, and then aimed it at the nurse. “I do not like to repeat myself over and over again.” Terri
*JANIE*My eyes flung open to the blinding light in the room but I was forced to shut them back momentarily. Letting out a small groan, I let my mind dwell on my Parent's disappearance and then Mr Luciano being shot. "Mr Luciano?" I tried to say but it came out in a hushed whisper. Tears gathered in my eyes as I tried to move, but found it quite difficult. Have I been shot too? Am I going to die? "Janie!" I heard someone's voice call out to me. It was a familiar one. Straining my neck toward the direction of the voice, I saw a worried Mr Luciano walking across the room to me. But. . . But he was just,Was that all a dream? His hand touched my arm and it was surprisingly soothing. "Don't try to move, just lay down," he urged me, as I lay down trying to comprehend what was going on. "Luciano?" I found myself repeating, obviously surprised to find him in good shape when he had just been shot a few minutes back. "I'm here," he said, his hands squeezing mine softly.For some reaso
*LUCIANO*For every second I pondered on it, I felt more confused than the last. The truth is, I barely know what to believe. As I paced around in Janie's room, thinking about the letter I had received. The thought of Sebastiano being alive was something I couldn't understand. "It can't be him," I mumbled to myself, trying hard to disregard the fact in front of me; his letter. His death was something I could vividly remember, and it had no survival plot, no means of escaping death.I remember never wanting his death to occur, never wanting to path ways with him being family, but his jealousy was something I couldn't comprehend. He changed overnight, or maybe I didn't notice on time. Sebastiano was a lying, sneaky, and cunning bastard who wanted to take over my empire, disguising himself as a trusted ally.Three years ago, Seb, as I liked to call him, and I worked hand in hand. He was my cousin, and a trusted accomplice. Apart from Romano, I could count on him whenever I needed some
*JANIE*Exhausted from another day at school, I rushed back home. My dad was sitting in the living room, on the black couch that I had dribbled writings on as a child. He said he wasn't going to get rid of it because he wanted a lasting memory. Cute. He had his eyes fixed on the TV, perhaps watching the ABC Entertainment channel he loved so much, with the remote in his hands.He greeted me with a smile on his face the moment he realized I was at the door, and with that I quickly rushed over to where he sat and gave him a hug, a nice warm embrace."So, how was school today? Any trouble?" He asked, as we both pulled apart from the hug "It was fine," I replied with a little smile on my face. I guess it wasn't that convincing because he decided to ask me again."Are you sure?" I could notice the hint of worry on his face."I'm being serious Dad. It's actually going well. The school's environment is unique, and blending in has really been good," I explained, but he still shot me a weird l
*Luciano*I stared at the evidence in my hand continuously, finding it hard to agree that my most vile enemy had nothing to do with Janie's situation. There have to be some loopholes. I killed Ramos Ashton's henchmen a few days back for attempting to kidnap Janie, and this must have been the way he decided to get back to me after all. After moments of silence, I watched Romano pace around the room, probably thinking exactly what I was. It was very simple. We were trying to figure out what other rivals I could have. One who was as smart as to aim from a long distance, whose contentment was my death. Even though I had few other enemies, none seemed to match my description of ruthless killing. I had considered this rival a coward because he was scared to come out and face me. Pfft."If he wasn't the one, then who the fuck is?" Romano voiced his thoughts aloud, asking rhetorically."Another rival that we barely know about isn't good, but I will find him and make sure he pays for everythi
LucianoStaring at Janie as I sat on the chair next to her bed, I could feel my heart ache even more. Three days had gone and she hadn't moved a muscle, different from her usual persona of running away and making sure her presence was known. Ramos Ashton was going to pay for his carelessness, and I was going to make sure of it. For every single day, she laid on this bed without a movement, it would be the same amount of bullet I'd put through his chest the moment I saw him.For a couple of minutes, I looked at every inch of Janie's body, hoping to get a sign of her body moving at any point, but I couldn't. I had seen in movies where a patient or loved one would move their fingers after the patient's loved one beckoned on them to get better and they would, but I had been waiting relentlessly for the past three days, hoping she would do the same, an act I had never done for anyone in a long time."It's been three days Janie, please open your eyes," I spoke as I squeezed her right hand s
★...X...★"Boss, please please I'm begging you, I didn't mean to shoot the young lady, she just popped out of nowhere." The idiot begged profusely. Saliva oozing out of the corner of his mouth, irritating the shit out of me. Cocking the gun, I placed the metal on his skull and spat without remorse. "Say your last prayers.""Boss, please... I'm begging you with everything I own. You know I've been serving you for quite a while now and I won't just slack off, but the whole thing was a miss calculation. I had my gun out for Luciano. I was aiming for his chest as you instructed before she emerged out of nowhere and got in the middle of it all." He cried helplessly. My chest tightened. How could this idiot ruin the plan I've been strategizing for months? Months! What was so difficult in shooting someone? Aim, pull the trigger, fire. And down, the person goes. Fucking asshole, I cussed at him. These past few months, I have spent it, cooped up in my hole, strategizing on ways to make L