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A Time Ticking Bomb.
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2024-11-01 21:00:54Related chapters
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Fighting For Her Freedom, Craving For His Touch.
ALESSANDRA The next day, we flew back to New York City on the earliest flight we could get. Leonardo had not spoken a single word to me since he retrieved me from my father's house, and I was grateful for it. The smell of blood permeating from his black gloves made bile rise in my throat, but he insisted on interlinking our fingers together throughout the entire journey. When we finally reached the apartment, I immediately scurried to the kitchen without wasting another second. I washed my hands under the sink, trying to get rid of the blood stains imprinted on my skin but nothing could erase the memory in my head. My uncle was dead and now, his son was fighting for his life in California. Despite the fact that my uncle had never been good to me and my sister, he was still my family. Ilaro had taken care of me when I stayed in their house and the fact that I was responsible for his demise hurt a lot. As I sank deeper in my sorrow, I suddenly felt a pair of strong hands encircle m
Last Updated : 2024-11-02UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Finding Out More About his Betrayal.
ALESSANDRAA week passed by after my argument with Leonardo, each day stretching endlessly in the silence of his apartment. He hadn’t returned after that day, leaving me alone with Luigi, my bodyguard. Though I told myself to be grateful for the small victory I had won, the crushing boredom weighed heavily on me, gnawing at my insides and filling me with restlessness.After two more days, I decided that I couldn't continue like this. “Take me to Leonardo,” I demanded one night, my voice firm and unwavering as I addressed the six-foot figure, packed with muscles. With my arms crossed defiantly over my chest, I added, “He said I could go anywhere, as long as you accompany me.”Luigi studied me intently, his sharp gaze sweeping over my dress, and returning my glare with his own. The silence hung heavy between us, charged with unspoken tension. He replied firmly, “Leonardo doesn't want to see you.”I already knew that because I was there when he called, asking for permission but another
Last Updated : 2024-11-02UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) His Need For Her To Breathe Again.
LEONARDO What have I done?As I stared into Alessandra's eyes, all I could see was the pain I had caused her. She tried to look strong and unfazed by the discovery of my affair with her best friend but I knew deep down, she might never forgive me for this. I shot up from my seat immediately to reach her, knowing that she could disappear like the wind but she was already out of the door. “Fuck,” I cursed under my breath. I grabbed my gun from the table and caught after her just before she exited the VIP area. “Alessandra, please let me explain,” I pleaded. She jerked away from me like I was carrying a freaking disease that was contagious. I had never heard her scream until now, “Don't you dare touch me, Leonardo! Not with those hands you used to caress your whore!”“I did it all for you,” I knew how pathetic my words sounded, but I didn't know what else to say except the truth. She still had no idea about my hardships and sacrifices so I tried to tell her, “When I returned to the
Last Updated : 2024-11-02UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) A Surprise Visit From Her Sister.
ALESSANDRA After breakfast alone, I paced back and forth in the living room, scolding myself for being impulsive again. I should have never reacted that way when I saw Valentina and Leonardo together, but I guessed the pain of betrayal from a friend hurt a lot. There was no way I would care if my husband slept with another woman. In our world, men weren't usually faithful to their wives, but I always imagined that Leonardo would be different. I guess it explained the tightness in my heart, a feeling that was stuck in my chest like a hot knife. I was really naive in the past, wasn't I? The Leonardo I once knew as a young girl seemed like a completely different person now. Back then, he was quiet but reckless, often finding himself in the middle of fights for some unknown reasons. Despite his intense exterior, he had a gentle side when it came to me, showing a sweetness that made me feel cherished amidst his antics. But now, he had turned into someone I could hardly recognize. I ra
Last Updated : 2024-11-03UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) His Intentions For Mia.
ALESSANDRA I jolted from the bed, every fiber of my being protesting this absurd deal that had taken place without my knowledge. "You can't be serious! Mia is only 16, Leonardo!" I screamed with frustration and desperation. My husband remained unfazed by my outburst, flicking the edge of the cigarette onto the Persian rug. He seemed not to care about the situation at all and it made me furious how he thought he could acquire us so easily like we were livestock. He replied coldly, "I expressed my dissatisfaction about our marriage to your father and he offered Mia instead. He told me that I would have to wait until she was of legal age before I could have her so I agreed." My heart turned into ice after hearing his words. I had met many ruthless men in this world, some of them were even heartless to sacrifice their own mothers for their greed and ambition. But to see the man I once loved break my heart over and over again was a first for me. "You are talking about my baby sister,"
Last Updated : 2024-11-03UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Spoiling Her Younger Sister With Gifts.
ALESSANDRA “How could you do this, Patrizio?” I screamed into my phone, anger bubbling in my chest. I paced back and forth while speaking to my father, “I thought we had an agreement. How could you sell your daughter like she was one of the cargoes you traffick across the Atlantic Ocean?!”After my talk with Mia, she immediately returned to her room with the excuse that she wanted to rest. I knew she was disappointed in me but I didn't know how to tell her that she had been sold off by her own father. My father scowled, “It's your fault, Alessandra. Leonardo complained about your inability to please him and demanded your sister. If only you had done your job, this would have never happened-”“Did you know Valentina was sleeping with my husband?” I asked him, holding my breath for his response. My question caught him off guard, and I could tell that he was thinking about how to respond to me. After some quiet seconds, he replied flippantly, “Yes, I did. But I don't see how that woul
Last Updated : 2024-11-03UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Facing His Temptation On Bed.
LEONARDOAfter dinner, I lingered longer than I probably should have, engrossed in conversation with Mia, who had just arrived to spend some time with us. She radiated excitement about the vibrant city, her eyes sparkling as she shared her plans to explore the city. In contrast, Dante and Rocco sat nearby, expressions flat and disinterested. I couldn’t really fault them for it. We had just finished dealing with a few small-time troublemakers who had attempted to encroach on my territory. They turned out to be more resilient and cunning than I anticipated but I managed to make sure they won't forget my warnings again because I carved it on their bodies.“I think I'm going turn in for the night,” Rocco announced, after checking his wristwatch. As my most trusted Capo, he was the one who handled the aftermath of the mess I created. His tone dropped a few inches as he whispered, “Oh, that reminds me, Luigi told me he was taking a leave to see his sick sister this week. So I'll send someo
Last Updated : 2024-11-04UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Shopping With Mia.
ALESSANDRA I knew seducing Leonardo would come with certain challenges, but I hadn't expected it to be difficult. Since that day, he began leaving at dawn and returning early in the evening, devoting all his time to Mia. I noticed that he would only come back to the bedroom when he thought I was asleep, slipping silently into the shower.Frustration simmered within me concerning his iron-clad resolve not to make the first move, and the fact that he was blatantly ignoring me in Mia's presence grated on my nerves. My sister giggled bashfully whenever he was around, utterly oblivious to how her actions hurt me.Damn it. He was my husband, not hers. One weekend, I decided to take matters into my own hands and suggested a shopping trip. Mia happily agreed to it. I had secretly hoped Leonardo would join us, but to my disappointment, he sent Dante to escort us instead. It was obvious that he was avoiding me, but I was determined to end this cat-and-mouse game once we returned. I was goin
Last Updated : 2024-11-04
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UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Spilling The Truth To Dante.
ALESSANDRA By a few minutes before six in the morning, Henrietta finally emerged from Leonardo's room, wiping her hands with a white handkerchief. She and Cortez looked exhausted, though Cortez tried to hide it better than Henrietta.She yawned and said, “He's out of danger for now. But he still needs to be checked for any other internal injuries and broken bones.”I turned to Cortez. “Is there something you can do about this?”“I'll make some calls to find someone in the city to help us,” Cortez replied grimly. “But that means we'll have to move him if possible.”I suddenly understood why they had been beating around the bush when speaking to me. The thought of Leonardo not being nearby sent a cold shiver down my spine. I needed him close, and I couldn't trust anyone else right now. I didn't want him out of my sight until he regained consciousness.A undercurrent of tension and unspoken words passed between me and my enforcer as we stared at each other. Henrietta's eyes darted betwe
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Giving Her What She Wanted.
ALESSANDRA After what happened to Keith, Rocco and Cortez decided to conduct another identity check of every single person staying was in the private house. I stayed behind, personally watching over my unconscious husband alone while they carried out their operations.Although I had been very firm and strong on the surface when facing Keith, the truth was that I was extremely shaken by the extent of my Father's vicious plans. If I had arrived a second later, I would have surely lost Leonardo. So who could I trust now? Who exactly was my ally and my foe here?A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. Since the knocks were light and gentle, I already had an idea who was the visitor was so I called out, “Come in.”Isabella poked her head in and said, “Cortez wanted me to tell you that he's going to personally fetch a doctor to treat Leonardo.”“Alright, thank you.” I replied. After carefully examining Leonardo's injuries, Rocco and I had come to the conclusion that his life w
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Taking Care of Her Father's Mole.
ALESSANDRA When I finally arrived at the address Isabella sent me, I rushed into the house to see Rocco talking to Cortez. He leaned against the wall, one of his hands holding his abdomen while he chugged down large gulps of whiskey from the bottle. I approached them quickly and asked, "Where's Leonardo? I want to see him right now.”“He's now receiving treatment from Keith.” Cortez replied. With a single glance, he grew alarmed as he pulled me close. “Is something wrong? Were you attacked?”I shook my head. “Not me. But I think Leo's in danger.”Rocco frowned. “What do you mean?”I told them what my younger sister, Mia had told me. The expression on both their faces was not pleasant at all, but then Cortez finally said, “I have already tightened security around the place, but I'll do an extra round just to make sure no one sneaks into the place.”“I'm afraid that person is already in this building,” I snapped, running my hand in through my hair. My mind raced as I thought deeply ab
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Leonardo's In Danger!
ALESSANDRA I paced back and forth in the living room of my private residence that evening, waiting for some news from Rocco and the rest. As soon as Sofia gave me that address, we held a meeting as soon as I got home. Rocco folded his arms and stared at the note on the table. “How sure are you that this isn't some sort of trap? We can't afford to have them ambush us.”I smiled reassuringly. “That's why we have Cortez here.”“Yes,” My second mafia lieutenant confirmed, stepping forward. “I'll have a few police officers on standby for backup, so they don't have the upper hand over us.”“But that would actually leave us defenseless here.” Rocco protested. “Well, it's not like they know our new mafia headquarters, and I'll just hide here until you guys return, so don't worry about it.” I assured him. When there were no further objections, Rocco finally fell silent, so we were able to make a very meticulous plan to save Leonardo. That evening, I stayed at home with my phone glued to my
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) You're Not The Only One Who Can Resort To Threats.
ALESSANDRA On the last day of the ultimatum, I sent word to Sofia to come for a meeting. Isabella and Rocco tried to convince me to wait until the ultimatum was over, but I just couldn't wait anymore. The previous night, I had a frightening nightmare that the couple had delivered Leonardo's corpse to me. That dream had scared the shit out of me that night, so I decided to take care of this mess once and for all. “What am I here, Alessandra?” Sofia questioned. Apparently, she wasn't pleased to be summoned on a Saturday because she had plans with Giovanni to go shopping. “Did you call us to give some good news about our agreement? Where's Dante?”“He's not here, and I didn't tell him anything about the deal you offered me.” I said. The couple's eager faces instantly dropped when they heard my words, but I didn't care. I came here for a mission, so I wasn't going to rest until I fulfilled it. Sofia slammed the table and fumed. “Then it means you are prepared to see your husband again
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Finding Sofia's Weakness.
ALESSANDRA After waiting for several days, Cortez finally returned with news about his investigation. According to him, Sofia was an orphan from the city of San Remo who snuck out the country illegally through a stowaway. She was then caught by a prostitute smuggling ring and worked for them for four years before she met Giovanni, who paid for her freedom. “Are you sure that's all you have about her?” I asked Cortez. A wave of desperation and helplessness gripped my heart when I discovered he had brought nothing useful like I'd hoped. Today was the second day after Giovanni had given us that ultimatum, but I still didn't have anything on him or his woman. The clock was ticking, and I feared Leonardo's life would soon be forfeited if I didn't do something. Cortez glanced away before nodding, “Yes, that's all I could find. You can ask somebody else to search if you'd like.”I observed him for a few more seconds, trying to see if I could actually trust him. After the little disagreem
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Everything In Life Needs A Balance.
ALESSANDRA Silence enveloped the room after my confession. Cortez didn't look as surprised as I would have imagined while Rocco's expression darkened as he tried to process what this revelation would mean for his friends. “Your father killed his brother?!” Isabella half-asked, half-screamed. I understood her reaction the most because I had struggled to live with the secret for years. In the mafia, everyone did anything they could for power and money. But there was one concept that was sacred to all, something that allowed them to preserve their last sense of humanity. Family. Both betrayal and murder of one's kin were frowned upon, and if someone dared to touch another's family, then that person was definitely prepared to go to hell and beyond that. That's why most grudges were always settled with a person's death. "I'm so sorry, Alessandra.” Isabella wrapped her arms around me as my vision blurred with tears. Rocking me gently, she added, “Now it makes sense why you didn't wan
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Her Family's Most Dangerous Secret.
ALESSANDRA That night, another private meeting was held between all of Leonardo's mafia lieutenants. No one believed us about Giovanni's reappearance at first until we showed them the pictures he gave us. Some were still in disbelief, while the others were completely shocked that my ex-husband was the one behind Leonardo's demise. Cortez stepped forward and said, “I'll get a search issue for him and arrest him. It's best we use the police to deal with him since he might have other allies that we're not aware of.”“No,” Rocco growled, pacing back and forth in the office. “We both know that the police can't be trusted in this case. I say we solve this issue between us no matter what.”As they argued back between us, I remained stuck in my head, wondering how the hell Giovanni survived. Before my marriage with him, he had been very gentle and attentive, a stark contrast to Leonardo's intense personality. My mother even swore that I'd have a happy marriage, and I believed her. After a
UNDER LEO'S COMMAND (The De Castello Family #1) Striking A Deal With Her Ex-Husband.
ALESSANDRA “No,” My knees nearly buckled from shock as I stared at him with wide eyes. Disbelief clouded my voice as I whispered, “This is impossible. You are supposed to be dead.”Giovanni chuckled and wrapped his hands around Sofia's waist, pulling her to his side. “Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but a sexy angel barely saved my life. If Sofia hadn't persistently found me on that island and taken me to the hospital, I wouldn't be here today.”“Aww,” Sofia purred, running her hands on his chest. “You know how much I adore you, Giovanni. I'm not like your wife, who likes to give up on her husbands because she wants them dead.”Her words stung like a loud slap on my face, causing my muscles to tense before I reached for her again. I screamed angrily, “I dare you to repeat that again!”The men immediately whipped out their weapons at the same time I spoke those words. Everyone knew how much I adored Leonardo, yet she dared to tarnish my name by calling me a black widow. Rocco, who
