CHAPTER TWENTY - FIVE: THE MEETINGROSE AMARA POVI hang my phone over my shoulder while putting on my pearl earrings. I'm getting a security update from Zeth on the breakfast security measures we spent two weeks implementing. I dialled and invited other mafia bosses' wives, sisters, and female followers to participate.Even Raven and Nathan agreed that the strategy was sound. Not that I needed him to; Ethan didn't mention that he plotted it and let me take all the credit. Still, having the initiative this time was comforting, since I frequently attribute my ideas to others—whether on purpose or unwittingly.Perhaps he did it on purpose, Eya even suggested.The future? The only thing I can be certain of is that nothing will go wrong today.After Zeth is done, I say, "Get the car ready.""Belle and I will arrive shortly."My muscles are sore even though I ran a considerable distance with Zeth and Eya this morning. We frequently work together to stay in shape, but even physical exercise
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: LILY, A FRIENDROSE AMARA POVHades converses with her guards while Belle relaxes on a sofa in the entryway. She is dressed in a stylish floral dress. Her hair looks untidy, and her shoes are just a few days old. She stands and spins around, beaming, as soon as she sees me."What do I look like? ”I smiled at her and allowed her to put her arm around me as I spoke to Hades."Perfect, as usual."With the guards, we went through the security checks. His eyes moved from me to Belle, then back to me."There's no harm in repeating them.""Would you like me to accompany you? ”Ethan's voice entered from behind us, saying, "No need. I'm going with the ladies."Fighting with him about this is pointless. I don't have time for another verbal conflict between him and Hades. I simply nodded at Raven's second-in-command to let him know I was cool with it, and I walked outside after that.A hand is placed on my lower back by Ethan. I recognize the possessive gesture. To let Hade
CHAPTER TWENTY - SEVEN: MYSTERIESROSE AMARA POVI was completely covered from behind by a big body, and for a split second, I was too dazed to understand what had happened. I can't smell or hear anything. I feel as though I've just woken up in a white room because my vision is so hazy.The familiar voice says, "Stay low," and all my other senses begin to awaken.It is like being yanked out of the ocean and receiving your first breath of fresh air. I became aware that I wasn'tbeen breathing when my lungs begin to burn. My tongue clings to the roof of my mouth, and my ears buzz.The entrance to the coffee shop, the concrete underneath us, the shot on the door..."Do you hear me, Rose? Are you alright? ”Over the continual ringing in my ears, I mumble, "I'm okay."I try to move out from under him, but Ethan holds me there by wrapping his hand around my nape. "Stay still."He has a solid hold on me and won't let me move, which is impossible because his weight is crushing me. He has ever
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: WHERE'S ETHAN?ROSE AMARA POVSerene seems to like me, unlike Emilia, as she talks to me the most out of all the women here. Serene came late and hoped she didn't know what was happening. Belle is the ideal co-host, since she is so endearing and lovely.She is superior to this world. Yet I don't know how I will make her the other side of the world. I check the messages in my group chat with my guards whenever I have a chance.No signs of Ethan. As of the moment."Where is Ethan? I asked calmly. Yet my heart beats faster."His guard must also learn where he went," Eya said."That boy with the bleached hair is useless."As Serene tells me about her grown sons and married life, I sneer before smiling. In the mafia, married people are typically treated with more respect. Only certain people are able to fulfill the task of starting a family.I quickly typed a message to Ethan."Ethan, where are you? Text me whenever you can."I put my phone in my pocket and focused on
CHAPTER TWENTY - NINE: I AM THE OWNER OF YOUROSE AMARA POVHe’s…back.As I turn around, my breathing gets slower.I look up at him, admiring how he has styled his hair back and how his shirt is still expertly tucked into his slacks just as it was when he left earlier. On his body, there are no obvious wounds, bruising, or even dirt. He comes across as perfect as always.Back he is.Those harsh, strong words spread through my body like wildfire. The impersonal communications I received from him in recent years were not the final communication I had with him today.As he moves his hand under my eye to remove moisture, his brow furrows. "What's wrong, you ask?"I want to stop the tears and the weakness, but I lack the ability to do so. They are stuck in my eyelids as a remembrance of the day I was left alone in this room because he failed to appear. He never approached me from behind and inquired as to whether I missed him.I mutter, "You left."He keeps wiping my tears as if, like me,
CHAPTER THIRTY: CAN'T RESIST HERROSE AMARA POVEthan removes his fingers from inside of me and lets me experience the euphoric feeling.He unbuckles his belt with one hand, sending waves of sound across the air. His boxer briefs and pants both fell to the ground in a whoosh. I can't help but stare down with heavy-lidded eyes. Even though I've seen his c*ck up close several times already, the thing continually surprises me.When Ethan mentioned he was gigantic, he wasn't joking. He is, and when he is completely erect, like he is now, the veins are evident from how hard he is working. It seems as though he is about to shatter something.Not me, please.One of my legs is raised and thereafter wrapped over his hip by him. Then, it dawns on me. I stutter against his fingers in an attempt to get him to let me speak, but he clamps his middle finger over my tongue.I nudged his shoulder while uttering incomprehensible sounds. I think I'm not breathing in enough oxygen because I'm feeling diz
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: DESPERATE OBSESSIONETHAN POVI woke up early.Not that I slept at all.I spent the entire night thinking endlessly about how to take Rose, since I was on an adrenaline high. After the third round, she passed out in front of me. Her body lost the stamina struggle after pleading with me to stop, then requesting more when I was inside her, and she ultimately drifted off.She is sleeping naked, and I lean on my elbow to take it all in. When she is sleeping, she has such a body of a goddess, and her thin frame and petite features seem so very delicate that they could easily break.But I don't have any negative thoughts, all I want to do is keep that vulnerable aspect of her safe—the side she only lets me see. \I want to be the go-to person for her when she wants to express that aspect. Because despite her outward appearance of toughness, she still has compassion. She still hurts excessively and feels too much.When I first saw the red dot on her back during the sniper
CHAPTER THIRTY - TWO: NEVER ENDING REALIZATIONROSE AMARA POVI lean against the door as it closes and allow myself to let go. My core continues to pulse after my terrifyingly intense release, and my legs are struggling to keep me up. I'm breathing forcefully, just like a zoo animal that is unable to escape. I covered my face with both of my shaking hands, trying in vain to calm myself.I have to stop it right away. I have to stop it.How could I have let that brute, that idiot, to so blatantly own me? How could I feel as though I had been looking forward to that pleasure for years?I haven't, am I correct?I lean against the door as it closes and allow myself to let go.I freeze when I hear rustling on the other side of the door because I can sense him even though I can't see him or hear him speak. Inexplicable forces are attuned to him, and unseen cords are always drawing me in his direction."What did I say about not isolating yourself from me, Rose?"His command to open the door i
CHAPTER NINETYETHAN’S POVHe really didn’t follow.I stand on the balcony for several minutes in case he shows up, but there’s no trace of him.None at all. No call. No text.I stare at the letter he left me that I tucked in my bag. Is that the last I’ll see of him? Really?I ought to kick his ass for everything he made me go through. I gave him all the reasons to come back and at least talk to me. I went to him. I didn’t remove the wedding ring. I didn’t tell him he was an idiot for thinking that leaving is the solution.I did it all, but he didn’t even follow.Fvck him.I’m about to go take a shower when commotion comes from outside my room.My heartbeat skyrockets and I nearly trip over my feet as I swing the door open.It’s not Ethan ’s face that greets me. Instead, it’s Zeth and Eya arguing with Lia, telling her she can’t go inside.“What’s going on?” I try to hide the disappointment in my tone.“You said not to disturb you, miss,” Zeth says, “but Mrs. Volkov insists on seeing y
CHAPTER EIGHTY- NINEETHAN’S POV“Fvck!”I kick Rolan’s lifeless body. Even the arsehole’s death doesn’t feel as victorious as I thought it would.Rose disappeared down the hall with that fvcker Vladimir. He’ll have even more of an opening to be beside her now that I’m not there, which has been his purpose all along.Motherfvcker.“She has you by the balls. I’m disappointed.” Fire leans against the doorframe and places a cigarette in his mouth, but instead of lighting it, he keeps flipping his lighter on and off. His Beware of Fire Hazard tattoo peeks out from underneath his sleeve with the movement.“Shut the fvck up, Fire. He almost clipped my nails from my sniper hand, Godfather!”“It didn’t happen.” Fire pauses flipping his lighter.I narrow my eyes. “You wanted to do it.”“But I didn’t. And stop moaning to Ghost like a little kid.”“I’m going to—”“Enough.” Godfather sighs, staring down at me. “Do you have the time to bicker with Fire right now? Shouldn’t you go after your wife?”
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT ROSE AMARA ’S POVI did it.I’m in the Irish’s club, which Rolan has a back office in.It hasn’t been an individual effort. Thanks to Julian and his acquaintance with Ethan ’s insider with the Irish, we were able to figure out the location.While River was completely against handing over territories, he said he’d turn a blind eye if I took his men and came here.I had to beg Vlad to help, and it wasn’t easy since he doesn’t like Ethan . The growly mountain of a man only softened when I mentioned the baby and that I don’t want him to grow up fatherless.Damien agreed to help because, in his words, “It should be fun.”I asked Kirill for his intel help because he has the best spies. He was the hardest to crack, and only agreed when I gave him an oath in front of Sasha that no one except for the three of us will know of her true gender. Well, Ethan already knows somehow, but I’m not the one who told him.Igor sent men, too, but Adrian has been MIA today. Even his clo
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN ETHAN’S POVMum’s words from the nightmare slam back to me. Could it be a warning about the truth?“Who is he?” I ask Rolan. “Who’s my father?”He releases a long laugh that echoes in the space around us. “Ah. Isn’t this grand? Ye lived with the Russians for years and still didn’t recognize yer father? A bastard is a bastard, after all.”“Who the fvck is he?”“Don’t ye worry, my lad. I already called him and gave him evidence that ye’re his boy, so if he does want ye, he’ll show up. Though, I doubt anyone wants a filthy bastard whose only use is killing from the shadows.”“Was he the one from that night? The one who came when my mother tried to escape?”“Probably. Yer mother was smart, but not fast enough. My idiot brother promised to protect her and ye, but she knew I’d kill ye both the first chance I got, so she decided to leave. But that didn’t turn out grand for her, did it?”“I’m going to kill you,” I mutter through clenched teeth. “I don’t care how or when,
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIXETHAN’S POV“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”Mam? Where are you?The place is pitch-black like a cave. It smells rotten too, as if a dead animal is decomposing inside it. My legs get lost in something sticky underneath, but I can’t see it.I can’t see anything except for darkness.The sound of weeping gets louder the more I walk. It’s my mother. I’d recognize the sound anywhere, even though it’s been thirty years.“Mam? Where are ye?” I don’t know why I’m speaking in a Northern Irish accent, but all of a sudden, it feels as if I’m back to being that small boy. The only difference is that I’m trapped in a grown-up’s body. “Mam!”The only answer is the sound of weeping. It’s long and wretched as if her grief is clawing out from the grave.“Mam, come out. I can protect ye now. No one will hurt ye.”The weeping ceases and a rustle comes from right in front of me. I halt, the sound of the sticky mud under my feet stopping too.The darkness slowly dissipates like fo
CHAPTER EIGHTY - FIVEROSE AMARA'S POVAfter knocking on the office’s door, I open it and step inside. I pause when I find an unknown man sitting across from my granduncle.“Rose. Come in.” Uncle River motions at me to join him, so I close the door and do just that, bluntly watching the new man.He appears to be in his mid to late forties. His large frame dwarfs his dark suit. His brown hair is styled back, and he's sitting nonchalantly. It's not so threatening as to attract attention, but it's not slack either, like he's ready to jump up any second. It's so similar to… Ethan's.Tattoos cover the backs of his hands, and they don’t appear like the ones I recognize from the Bratva, the Triads, or the Yakuza.He's watching me as intently as I'm watching him, like we're two predators before a fight over who owns a territory.“This is Rose.” Uncle River introduced me.“So she’s the one Ethan married.” the stranger observes quietly. British accent. Wait, could he be…“Are you…Ethan’s…”“God
CHAPTER EIGHTY - FOURETHAN'S POVMiss Amber,I know you hate it when I call you that, but I need the distance right now to write this.The first time I met you, I thought you were just another spoilt mafia princess, but I found you to be a strict bean. You didn't let anyone tell you what to do and stood up for yourself. You didn't stop there and made it your mission to help those weaker than you, even if it meant going against people with more influence than you.Here's the thing—I didn't plan to get close or to learn about you as much as I have. My sole mission then was to use Nikolai's intel to watch my uncle's movements from afar.At one point, that mission started to blur. At one point, the only reason I looked forward to new days wasn't my grand revenge plan but you.The more time I spent with you, the harder you tore at my armor and engraved yourself deeper. The more I saw, the blurrier my purpose became, the more insignificant I felt. Watching you go after your goals without h
CHAPTER EIGHTY - THREEETHAN'S POVthe splitting headache is the least of my problems when I stare at the woman lying on her stomach on the bed.A galaxy of bruises covers her hips, arms, thighs, arse, and even around the snake tattoo on her spine.Fvck.I spring awake as memories of last night trickle back in. What the fvck have I done? If it weren't for her back's steady rise and fall, I would think I'd killed her or something.Bloody hell.I shouldn't have touched her when I was drunk. The reason I don't get drunk isn't only because I lose my inhibitions but also because I can't control myself. There's no stop or even pause button in that state.Not that I've ever had those buttons when it comes to Rose. Whenever I recalled my decision, I fvcked her more, owned her more, and was nothing short of a madman.I can’t believe I took her on the floor over and over like a fvcking animal. She’s already too fragile and easily bruises by a simple touch. How could I let my beast side take com
CHAPTER EIGHTY - TWOROSE AMARA’S POVI'm lying completely flat on the carpet with my back to him. I stare back at him as he yanks open his drawer. He'll bring out a toy, but I should've known better. Ethan might like to torture me with them, but he doesn't want them involved during sex. I prefer him to them, anyway.He retrieves a bottle of lube and a condom and doesn't bother to close the drawer. Wait. A condom? Ethan never used them, so I didn't even know he had one.Besides, what’s the use of a condom when he’s already gotten me pregnant?He removes his shirt, revealing his stiff muscles and the tattoos rippling on his abs. I don't dare look away or move. I'll be missing something crucial if I do.Ethan throws his shirt away and stalks behind me like a hungry predator about to devour his prey. I follow him with my gaze until he kneels between my parted legs.He places a hand under my stomach and lifts me up so I'm slightly bent over on my knees. The position differs from anything