The Mafia's Mercy
The darkness in his eyes, the dangerous smell of in his breath, and his deathly grip keeping me bound to him made my heart pound in my chest and my body quiver beneath him. Shamefully, it wasn't anything that I wasn't used to, because…the things I let him do to me?
When he was frustrated, annoyed, and angry at the world, I was here to be his pound of flesh. In return, he masked the void of my loneliness because for months, that was the transaction of our relationship. He'd pin me to the wall, bend me over the counter, pull my hair, slap me, choke me, and I enjoyed every second of it because in that moment, it finally felt good to be powerless.
Irony is a funny thing. I enjoyed being in pain because it made me forget how much I was hurting.
***
"I warned you, doll." His voice strikes a string of chills down the base of my spine, a reminder that all of the time in the world could pass, and he's still not letting go.
This is where the good girl in me dies.
"You're mine now," he whispers.
***
My name is Mercy—Mercy Carter. I went to college. Got myself a useless Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree.
His name is Marcel—Marcello Saldívar. However, at the time, I didn't know that he, the heir to the Saldívar Mafia empire, was the man that I had blindly offered myself to.
As smart as I am, I was stupid all the times when it actually mattered. After all, he did warn me he was dangerous. I just didn't think he could be much worse than my thug brother.
I was vulnerable—naive.
I belong to him.
My name is Mercy, and I am the Mafia's Mercy.
Basahin
Chapter: Epilogue⊰ Marcel ⊱The steady beep of the vital signs monitor echoes through the sterile hospital room, a constant reminder of the fragile life hanging in the balance. I sit by Mercy’s bedside, my hand clasped tightly around hers, my eyes fixed on her pale, still face.It’s been a month. A month of watching her chest rise and fall with the help of machines, a month of praying for a miracle that never came. The doctors say there’s little to no brain activity, that the chances of her waking up are next to none.I can’t let her go.Everyone has already come to say their goodbyes. Levi, his eyes red-rimmed and his voice hoarse. Alessandra, her sobs echoing through the hallways. Even Santiago, clinging to Alessandra as she fell apart in his arms.And now, it’s my turn.With a heavy heart, I sign the papers to withdraw medical care, my hand shaking so badly I can barely hold the pen. The doctor gives me a sympathetic look, his hand resting briefly on my shoulder before he moves to remove the tube f
Huling Na-update: 2024-06-30
Chapter: ⊰ 29 ⊱ In His Arms: Part 3The cold metal of Luciano’s gun presses against the back of my head as I lead him, Fabio, and two of his other men to the parlor. My heart hammers in my chest, each step feeling like a mile, my legs threatening to give out beneath me.I can’t believe this is happening…But it is. It’s real, and it’s terrifying.In what feels like only a matter of seconds, we reach the safe, installed into the wall at the far end of the room, right behind one of Marcel’s antique paintings. With shaking fingers, I input the code, the buttons blurring through my tears.01-29-93Marcel’s birthday.As the lock clicks open, my mind drifts back to the day he told me about this safe, just a few days after our first ultrasound.I had gone to his office, wanting to see him, to be near him. The memory of our baby’s strong and steady heartbeat was still fresh in my mind, filling me with a joy I couldn’t contain.When I walked in, he looked up from his desk, concern etched on his handsome face. “Is everything okay
Huling Na-update: 2024-06-30
Chapter: ⊰ 28.5 ⊱ House of Cards⊰ Marcel ⊱We take out Catalina’s men swiftly and efficiently, our synchronized movements honed by years of working together. In mere minutes, the only sound is our own controlled breathing and the distant crackle of flames where Rick set the charges.I stride into the house, my footsteps echoing on the polished hardwood, the metallic scent of blood hanging heavy in the air. Slumped bodies lay strewn in our wake, crimson pooling beneath their still forms.Catalina sits on a chair in the center of the room, flanked by Santiago and Levi, their guns trained on her. Even disheveled and terrified, her beauty is coldly arresting—high cheekbones, full lips, the slash of dark brows over glittering eyes.And still…she resembles my Mercy.I lower myself into the chair across from her, gun in hand, and studying her face. “Your face healed up nicely,” I remark casually, as if we’re old friends catching up. “Considering our last encounter, I mean.”She glares at me with pure loathing, her red lips
Huling Na-update: 2024-06-30
Chapter: ⊰ 28 ⊱ The Devil's Game: Part 2I sit at the dining table, my hands flat on the polished wood, just as Luciano ordered. The surface is cool beneath my palms, but I can feel the sleek layer of cold sweat beneath them, a result from the fear that burns hot in my veins. Around me, Eboni, Alessandra, Juanita, Salma, and Maria are in the same position, their faces pale, their eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears.We’re surrounded by five of Luciano’s men, their guns trained on us, the metal glinting coldly in the light. The rest of them are still searching the house, their footsteps echoing like a drum of doom.We’re going to die…Luciano stands at the foot of the table, across from me, his dark eyes glittering with malice and triumph. He looks like a king presiding over his court, but there’s something twisted and wrong about him, something that makes my skin crawl and my stomach churn.“Marcello thinks he’s a king, bombing my merchandise, vandalizing my homes,” he scoffs, his voice dripping with venom and contempt. “
Huling Na-update: 2024-06-30
Chapter: ⊰ 27 ⊱ A Day Like Any Other: Part 1As I stand in the foyer, watching Marcel command his men with a sense of effortless authority, I can’t help but feel a mix of pride and apprehension. There’s an intensity in his eyes, a focus determination that I’ve never seen before. His voice is low and authoritative, each word carefully chosen, each instruction precise and unyielding. He’s in his element here, every inch the powerful mafia boss.This is what he was born to do.The thought hits me suddenly, unexpectedly. For as long as I’ve known him, Marcel has been a leader, a protector, a man who commands respect and loyalty from those around him. But seeing him like this, effortlessly taking control, the way every man in the room hangs on his every word, I can’t help but wonder…What will life be like when this is all over?Will he be able to leave this world behind, to adapt to a life of boardrooms and business deals? I can picture it so clearly in my mind—Marcel in a tailored suit, sitting at the head of a conference table, hi
Huling Na-update: 2024-06-30
Chapter: ⊰ 26.5 ⊱ The Hunt Begins⊰ Marcel ⊱The first rays of morning light filter through the curtains, casting a soft glow over Mercy’s sleeping form. I stand by the bed, buttoning my shirt, my gaze lingering on her peaceful face. She looks so innocent, so pure, her dark lashes fanning out against her cheeks, her lips slightly parted in slumber.Why is she so fucking beautiful?It’s no wonder Ben fell for her. Hell, I can’t blame him. From the moment I met her, I knew she was special, a bright little light in the darkness of my world. But that doesn’t excuse what he did. The thought of his lips on hers, his hands touching her…it makes my blood boil, the anger I’ve been trying to suppress for Mercy’s sake simmering beneath my skin.I knew it. All along, I fucking knew it.…I should’ve confronted him a long time ago…before he tried anything.I played it off last night, tried to reassure her that everything would be okay. But the truth is, I wanted to kill him. I wanted to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze
Huling Na-update: 2024-06-30
Chapter: ⊰ Epilogue ⊱ Made to Kneel⊰ Mikhail ⊱The request came without fanfare, delivered in my father’s steady voice across the marble expanse of his office two days ago. Not a demand. Not a plea. Just one line that carried the weight of more than twenty years serving as Mustafin’s Military General.“I want you to meet with him. Just listen.”That was it. No explanation of why the most powerful man in the Mustafin Ring needed my audience, no elaboration on what listening might cost me. But the pause that followed—the careful way my father set down his pen and met my eyes—told me everything I needed to know.This was about the daughter.Elani Bea Mustafin had crossed my mind more than once in the years since I’d first seen her at formal gatherings. Not for political reasons—though her bloodline carries complications that would require careful consideration. No, my interest is far more primitive than that. In a world where women are trained to look away, to defer, to disappear into the background of more important conv
Huling Na-update: 2026-08-16
Chapter: ⊰ 28 ⊱ InheritanceThis chapter transitions back and forth between both POVs.⊰ Efrem / Alaki ⊱| 15 Years Later |The formal dining room has always felt too large for our family of four. High ceilings, crystal chandelier, a table that could seat twenty—but tonight, like every other night for the past fifteen years, we occupy the same four chairs. Efrem at the head, me at the other end, our children between us.Everette sits to Efrem’s right, shoulders squared in perfect posture, his sixteen-year-old frame already carrying the weight of legacy like a well-tailored suit. Even in casual clothes—jeans and a button-down—he commands attention. The same quiet authority that radiates from Efrem, the same calculated stillness that reeks of power held in reserve.He may not share his blood, but he carries his shadow.Beside me, Elani picks at her food with the kind of delicate disinterest that would be charming in any other fifteen-year-old girl. But there’s something too alert in her pale blue eyes, too calcula
Huling Na-update: 2026-08-16
Chapter: ⊰ 27 ⊱ The Girl He MadeContent Warning: This chapter contains emotionally manipulative behavior, psychological abuse, coercive control, and trauma-bonded intimacy. Reader discretion is strongly advised.This chapter transitions back and forth between both POVs.⊰ Efrem / Alaki ⊱I stand in the nursery, watching Alaki settle into the rocking chair with Everette cradled against her chest. She’s been in there for over an hour now, the same ritual she’s followed every evening since our return from Santos territory.Fourteen days.Fourteen days since I brought her home, and she moves through our house like a ghost haunting rooms that once brought her joy. She tends to Everette with the same gentle care as always, but there’s something hollow in her eyes—a distance that has nothing to do with physical space and everything to do with the chasm that’s opened between us.She won’t talk to me.In fourteen days, she hasn’t said a word to me. She won’t even look at me. I’ve had nothing to gauge except hums, nods, and a
Huling Na-update: 2026-08-16
Chapter: ⊰ 26.5 ⊱ Pyrrhic VictoryContent Warning: This chapter contains themes of emotional trauma, coercion, and psychological distress. Reader discretion is advised.⊰ Alaki ⊱ The car hums beneath me, vibrations traveling up my spine and settling at the base of my skull. Beside me, Kane sits in silence, his profile illuminated by the glow of passing streetlights. Every so often, he raises a glass to his lips, the clink of ice against crystal sharp the only sound. It’s not whiskey in that glass. The scent is wrong, medicinal almost. I catch it every time he brings the tumbler to his lips.Where are we? Where’s he taking me?Questions burn in my throat, but I swallow them down. I know better than to voice them.Instead, I focus on the change of clothes they gave me. The soft navy blue fabric feels foreign against my skin after so long in rough gray garbs.They wouldn’t have dressed me up for nothing. This can only mean one thing: the exchange must be close.“We’re approaching the Santos border,” the driver announces
Huling Na-update: 2026-08-16
Chapter: ⊰ 26 ⊱ Signed in BloodI lean back in my seat, chin tucked between my fingers as the car winds through roads that leads to Haden’s territory. Each mile reminds me of the distance between me and Alaki. My mind churns with strategies, contingencies, the delicate dance of power that has consumed me since Kane took her.Just a little longer, little Bea.But even as I plan for her return, new threats simmer beneath the surface. Haden’s summons carries the stench of a trap, a ploy to exploit the chaos Kane and I have created. I suspect his end game—forcing my hand, making me trade Nana for some fleeting advantage in the endless game we play.He underestimates my resolve. I’d watch the world burn before I bargain with what’s mine.I’ve fortified my defenses, doubled the guards, prepared for any attempt to breach the walls that protect my leverage. Konstantin’s forces stand ready, an unbreakable line between Kane and the prize he seeks. Let Haden distract me with politics; I’m keeping my eyes on the queen.When we
Huling Na-update: 2026-08-16
Chapter: ⊰ 25.5 ⊱ This Is LoveContent Advisory: This chapter contains intense depictions of emotional and psychological manipulation, obsessive behavior, themes of coercive control, and emotional trauma. Reader discretion is strongly advised. ⊰ Alaki ⊱Something’s wrong.I’ve been listening to footsteps in the hallway for hours—pacing, stopping, starting again. The sound is different from Kane’s usual measured stride. Erratic. Agitated. Like a caged animal wearing a path on the floor.A sickening feeling sits at the pit of my stomach. My hand moves instinctively to my belly, fingers splaying over the curve where my baby grows. She—or he—has been active all night, responding to my anxiety with movements that feel like warnings.Whatever has Kane unraveling, it can’t be good for us.For a moment, the steps cease completely and it’s quiet. But then the lock disengages, a sharp click echoing through the room. I force myself to sit straighter despite every instinct screaming at me to make myself smaller.The door swin
Huling Na-update: 2026-08-16
Heartprints in the Void
I reach for the door handle, the cold metal biting into my skin as I press my thumb against the latch. Before I can pull the door open, Cade's arm shoots out from behind me, slamming it shut. My body jolts, my heart leaping into my throat as I feel the heat of his body against my back.
He lowers himself to me, his breath fanning my ear. "Are you walking out on me again, Elysian?”
A shaky breath parts my lips, the hair on the back of my neck standing on its ends. "I never walked out on you, Cade…" My voice falters, betraying me.
"Don't lie to me." His tone is aggressive. "I told you a long time ago never to walk away from me again. Are you always so careless?”
I try to swallow, but my throat is too tight. "I'm sorry," I manage, the words barely audible.
"You said that already," he challenges me, warning me to choose my next words carefully.
But I can't. I can't think. I can't move. As his grip on the door tightens, I realize he's not giving me a choice.
⊰ Heartprints in the Void ⊱
My name is Elysian Reign, and I'm not extraordinary.
His name is Cade Sinclair, and unlike me, he is extraordinary. At the age of 25, he inherited billions from his trillionaire father—David Sinclair.
You never imagine that the love of your life's own father would manipulate his son's life to get rid of you—even if it means forcing him into an experimental hypnosis treatment.
After three years, you'd think I'd have learned my lesson. You'd think I would've changed my identity and left the country after walking in on my first day at my new and finding out that Cade is now my boss.
Basahin
Chapter: Epilogue⊰ Keegan ⊱Six years.Six years of playing the long game, of carefully maneuvering myself into position.And finally, it’s about to pay off.I stand in Cade Sinclair’s opulent office, my face a mask of professional concern as I listen to James deliver the news about David’s disappearance. The tension in the room is heavy, thick enough to cut with a knife. The scent of expensive leather and polished wood fills my nostrils, not exactly the grimy back alleys and smoke-filled rooms I’ve spent my most of my life in.I’ve been in this game for nearly half my life. The mafia has been my only family since I was eighteen, a scared kid with nothing to lose and everything to prove. Now, twelve years later, I’m Levi Carter’s right-hand man, trusted with the most delicate operations.Like this one.“What do you mean he’s disappeared?” Cade’s voice is low, dangerous. I’ve seen that look in his eyes before—it’s the look of a man ready to burn the world down to protect what’s his. It’s a look I know w
Huling Na-update: 2024-07-18
Chapter: ⊰ 14 ⊱ For a Better FutureThe soft afternoon light filters through the gauzy curtains, casting a warm glow over the living room. I'm nestled into the plush corner of our sectional, the fabric cool against my skin. Naomi is curled up beside me, her small body radiating heat like a tiny furnace. The rhythmic sound of her breathing is punctuated by the occasional soft snore, a sound that never fails to make my heart swell.I run my fingers through her silky hair, marveling at how something so simple can fill me with such overwhelming love. The scent of her baby shampoo—a mix of lavender and vanilla—wafts up, mingling with the lingering aroma of the Ramen I made for lunch.I can never get enough of you.Just a month ago, I was sitting in a sterile hospital room, the harsh fluorescent lights burning my eyes as I waited, heart in pieces, to hear if my baby would survive. The memory of that fear, that soul-crushing dread, still haunts me. The beeping of machines, the hushed voices of doctors, the antiseptic smell tha
Huling Na-update: 2024-07-17
Chapter: ⊰ 13.5 ⊱ Family Ties⊰ Cade ⊱The leather chair creaks softly as I lean back, my eyes scanning the faces of the board members seated around the long mahogany table. A month has passed since the accident, a month of sleepless nights and tense days, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But there's been nothing but silence from my father.Now, as I sit in this boardroom, the empty chair at the head of the table looms large. David Sinclair's absence is a palpable thing, filling the room with unasked questions and uneasy glances.“Ladies and gentlemen,” I begin, my voice steady despite the knot of tension in my gut, “I think we all know why we’re here today.”There’s a murmur of agreement, a shuffling of papers. I can see the mix of emotions on their faces—concern, curiosity, and in some, barely concealed ambition.“My father’s… absence… has left a void in the leadership of Sinclair Enterprises,” I continue, choosing my words carefully. “A void that needs to be filled if we’re to move forward.”I lay out the si
Huling Na-update: 2024-07-17
Chapter: ⊰ 13 ⊱ Confronting GuiltThe harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital room bore into my eyes, amplifying the throbbing in my head. The antiseptic smell burns my nostrils, a sickening reminder of where I am and why. My body aches, each movement sending sharp pains through my bruised ribs, but it's nothing compared to the agony in my heart as I wait for news about Naomi.The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor feels like it's drilling into my skull, matching the frantic pace of my own heartbeat. Cade sits beside me, his hand clasped tightly in mine, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my skin. But even his touch can't calm the storm raging inside me.“What if she doesn’t make it?” The words escape me in a choked whisper, giving voice to the fear that’s been gnawing at my insides. “Cade, what if our baby doesn’t—”“Don’t,” Cade cuts me off, his voice rough but steady. “She’s going to be fine. She has to be.”But I can’t stop myself from spiraling with dark thoughts. Images of Naomi, broken and bleeding, flas
Huling Na-update: 2024-07-17
Chapter: ⊰ 12.5 ⊱ Heartbeats in the Dark⊰ Cade ⊱The hospital corridor is a blur of white walls and fluorescent lights as I race towards the emergency room. My heart is pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat, each beat a reminder of how quickly life can change.Elysian and Naomi. My wife and daughter. In a car accident.The words keep repeating in my head, a nightmarish mantra I can't shake. When I got the call, it felt like the ground had disappeared from under my feet. Now, as I burst through the ER doors, that feeling returns tenfold.“I’m looking for Elysian Sinclair and Naomi Sinclair,” I bark at the nurse behind the desk, my voice rough with fear and barely contained panic. “They were brought in after a car accident. Where are they?”The nurse, to her credit, doesn’t flinch at my tone. She types quickly into her computer, then looks up at me with sympathy in her eyes. “Mrs. Sinclair is in room 305. Your daughter is currently in surgery.”Surgery..?The word tightens the knot in my chest, making it hard to breathe
Huling Na-update: 2024-07-17
Chapter: ⊰ 12 ⊱ Between Anger and HopeThe shrill of my phone cuts through the quiet of the afternoon, startling Naomi from her play. I glance at the screen, my heart sinking as I see Ava’s name flashing there. Just like it has every day for the past two weeks.I've been avoiding her calls, still raw from the revelation of her involvement in Cade's hypnosis. But today, something makes me pause. Maybe it's the weariness of carrying this anger, or maybe it's the tiny voice in my head reminding me of all the years of friendship we shared.Whatever it is, I find myself answering.“Hello?” My voice sounds strained even to my own ears.“Elys?” Ava’s voice is hesitant, hopeful. “I… I wasn’t sure you’d pick up.”I close my eyes, fighting the urge to hang up. “What do you want, Ava?”“I’m in town,” she says quickly, as if afraid I’ll cut her off. “I was hoping we could talk. Face to face.”Part of me wants to refuse, to shut her out completely. But another part, the part that remembers late-night study sessions and shared secrets,
Huling Na-update: 2024-07-17
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