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All Chapters of The Billionaire's Love Game: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

101 Chapters

Chapter 81 An Emergency Call

Thorton Gallardo POVThe golden light of sunrise filters in through the crack in the curtains, filling the hotel room with warmth and the promise of a new day. Beside me, Zandra’s red locks have curled slightly in her sleep, spilling out like tendrils of copper. I spend a little too long drinking in the sight, her beauty unmatched in all things worldly or otherwise. I silently pray for time to stop. I want to capture this moment for all eternity and bask in it, breathing in the scent of vanilla and admiring her pretty face.But my phone goes off, vibrating angrily on the bedside table. She stirs, eyes fluttering open. When she realizes where she is, Zandra sits up quickly with a gasp.“Oh my God, I need to go,” she says, hurriedly throwing the covers off to climb out of bed. There’s no time to appreciate the love bites I’ve left all over her body. There’s no doubt in my mind my own back looks like a warzone.“What’s the hurry?” I ask her, reaching for my phone.“My guards are waiting
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Chapter 82 Failed Transaction

Thorton Gallardo POVRome, ItalyThe city is built on a river, a mosaic of the old and the new. The centuries-old cobblestone streets are lined with modern lamp posts, and the exterior walls of buildings are painted in an array of muted beiges and pastels. On the surface, it’s a quaint riverside city. A perfect vacation spot for those who don’t mind the year-round cold.But I know the truth. Just below the surface, the capital city of Rome has a swarming, thriving criminal underbelly. It’s simply a matter of knowing where to look.“They’re late,” Samuel grumbles. He cracks his knuckles, then his neck, then his back, the loud popping similar to squeezing a fistful of bubble wrap. It’s one of his biggest tells when he’s nervous. If there’s a joint he can crack, he will.“Have a little patience,” I remind him as I fiddle with my lighter. “They’ll be here.”“What if it’s some kind of trap?”The possibility this meeting might be a set-up did dawn on me, but we’re not in a good enough posit
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Chapter 83 A Trap

Zandra Valderrama POVI need to see you. It’s urgent. I stare at my phone, mildly confused. Isn’t Thor out of town?Is something wrong? Can’t tell you over text, our usual spot at the Crown Hotel. Tomorrow morning by nine.A strange, sinking feeling grows in the pit of my stomach. Call it intuition. A sixth sense. If this is Thorton, then whatever he has to tell me is clearly something big and sensitive in nature.I’ll be there.“Sweetie?”I look up to find my mother stepping into the kitchen. She wears a soft smile, bundled up in one of Dad’s sweaters. It’s surprisingly drafty in the house today, and I frankly don’t blame her for stealing one of Dad’s comfiest cashmere knits.“Is something wrong? You look troubled.”I shove my phone into the back pocket of my jeans. “It’s nothing. Just… work.”Mom joins me by the counter, reaching for a mug to make herself a cup of tea. “How are you handling things? I know it must be such a huge responsibility.”“Nothing I can’t handle. I’m getting u
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Chapter 84 Misunderstanding

Thorton Gallardo POV“What the fuck is going on?” Samuel roars after me as we rush into the taxi depot.It’s a lot closer than driving all the way to my place for an emergency meeting. Besides, if the Valderrama decides to come after us in retaliation, we have no shortage of taxis to use as escape vehicles.“You drove us right into the middle of an ambush!” Leo grumbles. “What the hell were you thinking?”Damien remains calm and collected. “Let’s just take a minute to breathe, okay? Is anyone hurt?”“No,” Samuel growls as he cracks his knuckles. “But someone’s about to be if I don’t get some fucking answers!”“They’re going to come down on us after that,” Roman points out. “We managed to strike a balance with them. A temporary truce. Now that’s gone out the window!” My brothers shout at each other. At me. It’s damn near impossible to think.“What the hell happened out there, Thorton?” Damien asks. “You should have told us if you were planning to go to war with the Valderrama Mafia.
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Chapter 85 It's Detective Rossi

Cassandra Valderrama POV“What were you thinking?” Dad asks me. He doesn’t shout, doesn’t raise his voice. In fact, his tone is perfectly calm and level, like this is just any other run-of-the-mill conversation.And that’s how I know he’s pissed.I sit across from him on the living room couch, rubbing my hands together. They’re stained red with my brother’s blood. Somewhere upstairs, I can hear him groaning and wailing in pain. Aunt Natalya is with him, tending to his injuries. Nothing too serious, she told us. All he needs is a couple of stitches, some antibiotics, and some rest. The bullets had gone through and had hit nothing vital. But her prognosis does little to settle my fried nerves.“Did you see the shooter?” Uncle Craig asks me. “Can you give us a description?”I nod numbly. “He was an older guy. Thinning white hair. A mustache, very bushy brows. His eyes were blue, I think.”“Did he say anything?” Uncle Montero presses on.My response sits on the tip of my tongue, but I hes
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Chapter 86 Very Anxious To See Zandra Valderrama

Thorton Gallardo POVWe’re holding our own. As a matter of fact, we’re doing phenomenally on the war front. No major losses, and my brothers and I have even managed to gain traction in the east, driving back Valderrama's presence long enough to swoop in to claim their abandoned territory. I should be over the moon about this…I’m nothing but bitter, angry, and anxious.My attempts to track down Rossi have been fruitless. I’ve turned over every stone, checked every dark corner—nothing. The man vanished like the wind and is probably hiding for his life.Which is smart, considering I’m going to kill him.The Valderrama Mafia have gone into hiding, too. Not the entire Mafia, but the core family. My network of informants can’t seem to locate Manfred Valderrama, any of his relatives, or Zandra. They’re operating from the shadows—a distinct advantage where they’re concerned—but in a strange way, I’m almost glad. I can breathe a little easier knowing Zandra is far from the violence.But soone
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Chapter 87 Mafia Management

Zandra Valderrama POVAt the Valderrama Mafia Meeting Greggy slams his fists against the table, his grim expression made much more bitter by the harsh light overhead.“I lost an eighth of my men last night to those Gallardo dogs!” he seethes. “And they’re disrupting my businesses. I’ve seen an almost fifty percent decrease in profit since this war you started.”I let the old man finish, frankly too irritated to trust myself with a responsible follow-up. The family heads and I am gathered today in the private backroom of one of my family’s restaurants—a front for smuggling weapons in and out using the clever disguise of food crates—for an emergency meeting. My uncles and even Dad are here to sit in on the meeting, a testament to how serious things are getting. We’re all flabbergasted at the amount of progress Thorton has made in such a short amount of time, and he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.“This is your fault,” Greggy continues, the vein in his temple popping as he point
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Chapter 88 I Want To Talk To You Personally

Zandra Valderrama POV“It’s most likely stress and exhaustion,” Aunt Natalya says as she stands up from the edge of my bed. “You should be fine with an aspirin and some much-needed rest.”I shake my head, struggling to sit up. “I can’t. There’s too much work to do.”Mom rests her hands on my shoulders and practically pins me to my pillows. She’s frighteningly strong when she wants to be. “Oh no you don’t. You’re going to listen to Nat, or so help me God I’ll tie you down and knock you out with a hammer.”“Don’t be so dramatic,” Alessandra sighs. She’s seated on the stool in front of my vanity table.“You weren’t this rough with me when I tried getting out of bed,” Jovito points out. One arm is in a sling while his other is thrown over a crutch to support his injured leg.“Because you were shot,” Mom points out.I throw my head back and groan as my family squabbles. What I wouldn’t give right now for a little peace and quiet. I love them all to death, but good grief we’re a loud bunch.
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Chapter 89 Surprise Meeting With Alessandra

Thorton Gallardo POVFor a man who works in law enforcement, Detective Rossi sure knows how to hide like a criminal.I’ve scoured every inch of Italy for even a whisper of the man’s whereabouts. There’s a chance he might have left the city altogether, but my gut tells me he hasn’t. Rossi was so determined to see the Mafia shred itself to pieces. Wouldn’t he want to be nearby to watch the madness unfold? He has to be here somewhere; it’s just a matter of narrowing down possible hideouts.If I were a disgraced detective hell-bent on avenging my dead wife and daughter, where would I be?There has been relative peace on the war front, a temporary lull I’m taking full advantage of. It was a massive risk trying to get to Zandra, but it was worth it. Getting to see her beautiful face again was all the motivation I needed to keep going. The sooner I find Rossi, the sooner we can put all this behind us.And maybe—just maybe—Zandra and I can turn over a new leaf.“Anything?” I ask Leo as I pace
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Chapter 90 Hunting Down Detective Rossi

Zandra Valderrama POVSt. Augustine Cemetery. All things considered, it’s a really lovely spot, with lots of trees, plenty of flowers, and clear blue skies above. The gravestones are lined in neat rows and columns, some decorated with bouquets and candles, while others lie empty and forgotten. A small building sits in the far corner of the cemetery—likely the groundskeeper’s office.“Ma’am?” Vincent calls, subtly clearing his throat. “May I ask what we’re doing here?”“Just… paying my respects to someone,” I reply. “Can you wait by the car? I shouldn’t be too long.” “I don’t know if it’s a good idea to leave your side, Ms. Valderrama.”As inconvenient as Vincent tagging along would be, I can’t exactly fault him for his diligence. Tensions are running high on all fronts. I doubt he’s willing to ever let me out of his sight.“Alright,” I say. “Tell the rest of the men to stay with the car.”“How long do you think we’ll be here, ma’am?”“A couple of minutes. Not too long, don’t worry.”
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