πππππππVANESSAMy tears threatened to escape, and I had to bite the inside of my mouth to keep myself from crying. "What did he do to you, Vanessa?" I heard Antonio ask softly, his eyes wide with concern. I couldn't look at him, so I let my gaze drop to the ground beneath my feet and wrapped my arms around my chest. I knew what he had to be thinking, and it was nothing like that. It was worse. For three years, I carried this burden, knowing my mistake would one day come out in the open. And here I was, unable to keep my secret any longer. Antonio moved closer. "Vanessa did heβ" "No," I interrupted him. "No, he didn't." I still couldn't look at him. The guilt was too much, tearing at my soul. Admitting this to Antonio was almost as bad as it would be admitting it to my father. "Then what did he do?" Finally, I gathered the courage to look up and glanced between Daniel and Antonio. A tear slipped down my cheek, and I took a deep breath. "Enzo d
πππππJAMESThe moment Vanessa wrapped her arms around my neck, weaving her fingers through my hair, pulling me closer to deepen our kiss, I fucking lost it. My hands started to go everywhereβher sides, her ass, her thighsβlike I couldn't touch all of her fast enough. Her clothes and her skin were soaking wet from the rain, but it felt fucking amazing to finally touch her like I wanted to touch her. I kissed down the side of her neck, loving the way she smelled. Her vanilla and Cinnamon scent was sweet and so damn tantalizing, that I could have gotten high on her smell alone. "James, thisβ" "Unless you're about to tell me to rip your clothes off, I suggest you shut the hell up." "I'm serious." I ignored her by letting my lips travel down over her naked shoulder. Thank fuck for the strapless dresses. Every inch, every curve of this woman felt like it was carved out of perfection. If perfection could have been bottled, I would have shoved her in a vial and kept her on m
πππππJAMESI crouched behind Vanessa and stared at the sexiest motherfucking booty I had ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. I didn't know whether I wanted to fuck her assβ¦or worship it. The strip of her thong disappeared through her ass cheeks, the little triangle of black fabric just above it teasing and taunting me. I wanted it gone. I slipped my finger under the thin fabric. "Vanessa?" "Yeah?" "How attached are you to this thong?" "Umβ" "I was hoping you'd say that." With a twist of my finger, I easily tore through it. The little gasp she let out made me smile. "I've always wanted to do that." Vanessa glanced down over her shoulder. "You've never torn a woman's panties before?" "Oh, I have, several times." "Then why did you say you've always wanted to do that?" I straightened behind her, pushing my body flush against hers while I leaned closer to her ear. "Because it's your panties I've been dreaming about ripping to
πππππJAMESI was sure the neighbors could hear us. Damn, I was sure the entire building could hear us. Did I care? Hell, no. While I was buried balls deep inside her, I didn't care if the whole goddamn city heard us. All I cared about was feeling this woman come all around me, and then finding my release deep between her legs. "You have no idea how good it feels to be inside you." I nipped the skin on her shoulder. "I could stay inside you forever, Vanessa." She pressed her nails deeper into my skin, and I was sure she drew blood. Don't care. "I knew it would be good, but I didn't think it would feel this amazing," she whispered against my ear. "Tell me, princess. Tell me what feels amazing." I kept moving in and out of her. "Your cock, the way you move inside me, claiming me. It's better than I imagined." Holy fuck-balls. Her words pushed me to the edge, and I was close to blowing but wasn't ready for this to be over yet. There was still so much mo
πππππππVANESSAIf he weren't so damn hot, and the best lay I'd ever had, his arrogance would have been extremely unattractive. But, unfortunately, he was both those things, which was why I was currently clenching my thighs againβ¦while still feeling the traces of my recent, mind-shattering orgasm between my legs. "Don't call me princess." He grinned. "Oh, that's right. You have a thing for people thinking you're a princess." I crossed my arms defensively. "A thing? What are you, twelve?" "Did I feel twelve when I pushed my cock inside you when you told me I was big?" He slanted his head, his inky black hair a complete mess, yet damn perfect. I cleared my throat uncomfortably, trying to ignore the sensual pull between us. Thinking about what it felt like, being impaled by his huge cock, had my heart jackhammering inside my chest, and my body aching for moreβwhich was a bad thing. It was so damn wrong wanting more of him, wanting to feel him inside me aga
πππππππ VANESSAThe moment James slid a finger between my legs, finding my entrance, I moaned while my legs weakened. I felt his mouth curve into a smile against my cheek and knew I was fucked. Literally. "You see, Vanessa? I fucked you less than an hour ago, and you're already soaking wet for me again." He pushed a finger inside me, and I tightened my grip on his shoulders, spreading my legs wider. "Tell me you don't want to feel my cock inside you again." He continued to work his finger in and out of me. "Tell me you don't want to have me inside you while you come." "James," I breathed, and I moaned when he pulled his finger out of me. Chills wracked my body when I heard the sound of his zipper. God, the anticipation and desire threatened to incinerate me into nothing but ash. My body longed to be completely consumed by him, to belong to him just one more time. At this point, I was sure my body would be able to survive on his touch alone. Screw water and fuck food when yo
πππππππ VANESSAJames lifted his arm from his face and looked at me. "You okay?" "No." "Liar." He looked up at the ceiling, and I pushed up on my arms. "I'm not okay, James. This wasn't supposed to happen." He snorted. "Which one? The first fuck, or the second one?" I slapped him on the chest. "It's not funny." "Oh, come on." He turned on his side, his dark eyes filled with mischief. "We're having fun. Just go with it." "It's not that simple." I moved and got off the bed, taking the sheet and wrapping it around me. "Why? Because you're the daughter of a mafia boss, and I'm a cop?" I pulled my hand through my hair as I paced his room, clutching the sheet between my fingers. "You say that like it's no big deal." He sat up. "So, you are the daughter of a mafia boss?" I paused and glared at him. "Don't. Don't you dare?" "What?" "You're doing that whole reverse psychology thing on me, trying to get me to admit my father is a criminal." His dark eyebrows
πππππJAMESThe damn phone continued to ring, and I started tossing shit around looking for the thing. Finally, I found it under the couch, and honest to God, I had no idea how it got there.I lifted the couch and grabbed my phone. It was Roman. Why the hell was he calling me at-I glanced at my watch-four in the morning. Why the hell was Roman calling me at four in the morning?"It's a little early for a booty call, don't you think?""Gunner, cut the crap. Where were you last night?"I frowned. "I'm sorry, but how is that any of your goddamn business, partner?""Were you in Bolivia?"Instantly, there was a prickle of warning in the back of my skull. "Yeah. Why?"Silence."Roman, what the fuck is going on?""Get your ass down to Bolivia ...now.""What's going-"He hung up. I stared at the phone, thinking the fucker hung up on me. I swore under my breath and headed for the shower. And here I was thinking it wasn't possible I could dislike the man even more. Right now, I did.Within
ππππππ DANIEL Antonio took a seat beside me, his eyes fixed on Luca chasing the birds. "You two have been spending a lot of time here lately." "Yeah. Luca loves the garden." Antonio placed his hand on the bench and then glanced around. "I love what you did with it. You know," he waved around, "the whole re-doing of the back garden." I snorted. "Re-doing?" "You know what I mean." "Yeah, well. You should thank our little sister for that. She did all this." "Our sister will make a good mother someday." "She sure will." Vanessa was a godsend through all this. Luca had immediately taken to her, and even though she couldn't fully take his mother's place, she had done a fine job being a substitute while he adapted to his new surroundings. New family. "How is he doing?" Antonio asked while watching Luca play. I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees. "He misses her." "That's to be expected." "I just wish I knew how long it was going to take." Antonio placed his hand on
ππππππ DANIEL "Dad!" Antonio yelled. "Dad, no!"Thunder. Lightning. Gunshots. Mayhem.All I could do was watch as my father let out his last breath, life being ripped out of him within a single moment. And then I howled. I fucking cried out as reality slowly started to infuse me with the excruciating pain of watching my father die. This was not how it was supposed to go down. My father dying was not part of the fucking plan. I was the one ready to die for the people I loved. I wasn't ready for anyone else to die except the fuckers who thought they had the power to play God with all our lives.I looked up, sound starting to return, the chaos and mayhem pulling me back to the here and now. And then I saw her. Layla. Her limp body was being dragged by the man who is about to die by my hand."Mato!" I roared, and then I was on my feet, running toward them.He struggled to get Layla in the car, and when he aimed his gun in my direction, it was too late. I was already there, knockin
ππππππ DANIEL The sound of an approaching car momentarily grabbed my attention, and I bit down on my cheeks as I watched it near us. Even though my attention was on the car, I was hyperaware of every man currently taking part in this standoff.Stefano righted himself and straightened the sleeves of his jacket. "It seems you're having difficulty accepting that Layla has moved on with my son. Maybe he can convince you."The car stopped, and my heart beat wildly inside my chest as I watched Mato get out. If hate had a moment in time, this would be it.The sight of his ugly motherfucking face made me want to rip out his goddamn spine through his throat. It took every shred of self-control not to end him right there and then.My hand itched, the weight of my gun at my back making me aware of how much I wanted to put a bullet in his skull. And the smug grin he had on his face as he got out of the car made the urge to kill him even stronger.Matteo inhaled deeply. "Ah. There's nothin
ππππππ DANIEL Harbawo wasn't a place I visited often. One thing my grandfather used to say was you never shit where you ate. Something the Morellos had no idea about. They still had a lot to learn.Our shipments never came through Harbawo Harbor. In fact, we never used the same port twice in a row. It was always scattered around. Different ports. Different shipping lines. Different times of day or night. And different routes.We'd never claimed to be saints. To some people, there was no such thing as a big or small sin. Wrong was wrong. But in my opinionβ¦ who in the name of ever-loving fuck thought that way? How could one argue there was no scale when it came to wrongdoing? That was like saying a rapist had done equal wrong as the man who cheated on his wife. Bullshit. No matter who said what, I believed sin could be measured. And it was because of this I knew the Morellos were far higher on the wrongdoing scale than we were.Yes, we bought illegal firearms.Yes, we sold illeg
πππππLAYLAI watched as Mato's smug grin turned arrogant. "See, I helped you, and I was smart about it too.""What did you pay him?" I glared at him. "What did you pay my father to write that fucking letter?"He cocked his head, his gaze sweeping from my neck, to my lips, to my eyes. "I paid him more than he would make in two lifetimes." He licked his lips. "And it was worth every cent because now you're mine. Mine to take care of, and mine to defile."Bile crept up my throat, and my chest burned with equal parts disgust and craving. "All you know how to do is destroy lives.""Sometimes the strong need to eliminate the weak to thrive."I almost laughed in his face. "Strong? Do you think you're strong? What, by turning an innocent woman into an addict? By taking her son away from her? Are those the actions of a strong man? An honorable man?"The corners of his lips twitched, a malicious sneer forming on his ugly motherfucking face. "Who said anything about honorable?"Disgust fil
πππππLAYLAMato and I sat silently as we drove to the Morellos mansion. The very thought that I was going back to that hell hole made me feel sick to my stomach.For the last three months, I had been held there against my will. None of this was my decision. I didn't want any of this. But my forced addiction hadn't given me any choice. Mato had dangled that needle in front of my face like a goddamn red cloth to a bull. And by the victorious smirk plastered on his face the entire time, he knew he had the upper hand."You knew I was with him." I didn't look at him."I did.""Why didn't you come for me?"He huffed out a laugh. "Oh, my dear Layla. I knew you'd come back." He removed a pouch from his jacket pocket. "I have what you need."My heart pounded against my ribs, every vein in my body swelling, craving, burning with the need for the toxin. I licked my lips as I stared at the pouch, sweat trickling down my back. The painful stomach spasms intensified, and anxiety made it incre
ππππππ DANIELMy heart was in my throat as Antonio swallowed as if the words were struggling to come out. "While he held herβ¦""Well?" I was growing impatient. "Spit it out!" "While Mato held herβ¦ he got her addicted to heroin." I thought my heart had stopped before, but I was wrong. Now I knew what it meant to have a heart eruption. I could feel the blast through every fiber of my being. "I don't understand," I whispered. My voice sounded broken. Kat stood. "My sister is now an addict, Daniel. He forced her to take the drugs so he could control her." For a few seconds, I allowed the words to sink in. I allowed it to settle in the pit of my stomach, to stew with the rage I had been feeling all morning. And then I grabbed the first thing I could find, a glass decanter, and threw it against the wall. The sound of my scream together with the shattering glass hit the roof with excruciating resonance. "Daniel, you need to calm down." I shot a warning glare at my brother. "Do n
ππππππ DANIEL My heart almost stopped at my father's words. "Is Layla hurt?""No. No, it's not like that."I scowled. "Then what?"The old man stopped and looked up at the roof. "Your brother and Lucio had a run-in with some of the Morellos men." He turned to face me. "It didn't end so well.""Meaning it turned into a bloodbath." It wasn't a question. When things didn't end well, it usually meant someone died. "Antonio and Lucio okay?""Yes. They're fine."Nothing about his demeanor gave me the impression that everyone was fine. The grim look on his face, the way his shoulders were slumped forward said to me that I wasn't going to like the next part of this fucking story."What happened?"He took a deep breath. "I think it best you wait for Antonio to get here."What theβ¦? "Are you telling me Antonio is on his way back here? Jesus Christ, the fucker has balls, I'll give him that." I stormed to the bedroom door. "He better has Layla with him if he wants to live to see another d
πππππLAYLAAntonio scoffed at my words before replying, "As my brother said the other day, we've been at war with the Morellos for years now." I turned in my seat, determined to get my point across. "If I don't go back, Mato won't stop until he's destroyed everyone I love." "But this isn't about you, Layla. It's about Daniel. About us. It's never been about you. You are just a pawn he's using to put our family in checkmate. It's Daniel they want to destroy. It's our family they want to wipe out. Even if you go back and give your life in order to stop all of this, it won't. It will never stop." "I know this war between you and the Morellos will probably never end, but I will no longer be used as a weapon to torture Daniel. You and I both know that Daniel will put himself in harm's way as long as Mato has me. Your brother will never stop, and I've been the cause of Daniel's pain for too long." I shook my head as tears welled up. "No more. No more, Antonio. I can't do it anymore