Lucy POV"Can I have my keys now?"I had spent the whole night avoiding him, but I finally gathered enough nerve to confront Michael. The second his dark blue eyes flicked to mine, my confidence completely disappeared. Why did he have to be so intimidating?"The night isn't over. Cake is about to be served." His voice was dismissive, and posture tense, like he'd rather be anywhere but here.I sighed in frustration just as Marie stepped onto the patio, balancing the enormous rocket-shaped cake. I stepped closer to the crowd, excitement bubbling inside me. Everyone began erupting into song, and I moved closer, smiling at Mikie's wide-eyed amazement.Amy should be here. She would love this.I scanned the yard, singing along with everyone else, but something felt off. My stomach twisted in discomfort. Where was Amy? Movement from the back patio caught my eye. It was Zander shoving his way through the crowd, his face twisted in panic.My brows knitted together. What in the world was he do
Michael POVSmoke curled through the air, thick and suffocating, the heat of the explosions still searing my skin. I barely stumbled back to my feet before the chaos truly set in. Screams. Gunfire. The acrid scent of burning flesh.Lucy had run inside, slipping through the smoke before I could catch her, but Amy, where the fuck was Amy? I couldn't remember the last time I saw her. I had been distracted, caught off guard, and now I was lost, unsure of my surroundings and who was accounted for.My eyes darted to Niko, who was struggling to extinguish the flames on his arm. Panic started to crawl up my spine, but I shoved it down, forcing myself to focus. Viv was on the ground, her kids huddled beneath her, half her face burned.I grabbed her chin, not the injured side, and forced her to look at me. "You good?""I'll live," she rasped, her wild eyes locked on Niko. "Where's Amy?"My gut twisted as I scanned the wreckage. "I don't know." I admitted with fury. It was like I was in a haze
Michael POV All my blood rushed to my head, pounding my skull and demanding someone's death. The car ride was a blur of suffocating heat and clattering metal, the trunk a tomb I could barely breathe in. As the minutes dragged on, I listened to the men up front talk about the so-called "fun" they would be having tonight, including the twisted plans they had for the girls they'd taken. Every vile word sent a shiver through me, but it was the sharp intake of breath from the other captive that made my rage boil over. The sound was small, weak, pathetic. I clenched my fists, resisting the brief, irrational urge to silence her myself. It seemed easier than listening to her cry. The voices around me blended together, Irish accents thick with mockery, and Italian tones that made my stomach churn. A few of the voices were even familiar. This wasn't just the Irish attacking Niko. It was a joint effort from the Irish gang that had set up shop here a few years ago, and men from my own blo
Lucy POVI thought I was brave, running after my best friend, trying to save her life. I was just stupid though. My face stung from being punched by a large man, my eyes burned from crying for so long, my heart ached both from the fear inside me and the fear I had for Amy. To top it all off, my savior in this horrible mess, was Michael. The one man I feared more than anything else in this world.Michael searched the dead men that took us, the men he killed. He flipped their bodies like they were just piles of blankets, pocketing their cash and credit cards. "Find me and pick me up!" Michael barked into one of the phones then dropped it on the floor."Are we going home?" I asked shakily. Michael seemed to be in the zone. It was like I could actually see his mind weaving his next move, and it terrified me."No speaking!" He ordered, grabbing my wrist to head out the only door this dark cold place had. For a brief moment my body relaxed. His large hand wrapped around me, tightening to
Amy POVI woke to a pounding skull, my limbs sluggish, my tongue thick in my mouth. A chemical taste clung to my throat.My eyes blurred in and out of focus, a soft leather beneath me, the scent of wood and whiskey in the air. Memories hit me like a slap to the face. The party. The Irishman. The rag over my mouth.My stomach twisted. I wasn't home. I wasn't safe. Why was I so reckless?"You're awake... finally." Kyle mumbled as he ruffled through papers on a dark oak desk. "How long have I been asleep?" I glanced at the window, the sun hidden in the sky. I needed to get a grip of what was happening. I didn't feel in danger, but I wasn't stupid either. This wasn't my house and I was drugged and dragged away in the middle of the night. Kyle glanced at his watch. "Almost 5 hours."I took a moment to take in my surroundings. Michael always taught me to know all possibilities. My mind tried playing out different scenarios, different approaches and outcomes, but I was too impatient for ga
Michael POV "Holy crap! We are actually alive." Lucy's hands carefully touched every little detail of the dashboard.I let out a slow breath, my grip tightening on her waist before I even realized it. It wasn't intentional, I just needed to feel something solid.She was solid. Alive. I hated how much relief that gave me."Who's the chick?" Vinnie chuckled, amusement in his eyes as he watched Lucy drool over his pride and joy. "No one important. Drive!" I ordered him, sliding my hands off Lucy and grabbed his phone from the middle console and began typing away. I needed answers, and I needed the location of my sister."Are you going to fill me in?" Vinnie questioned after ten minutes of suffocating silence."My Uncles aligned with Declan. They attacked Niko's mansion and took Amy." My grip tightened around his phone. "We need to move fast." The phone rang through with five messages, giving me a moment to relax the homicidal rage I fought to hold back. One of my contacts replied that
Lucy POV My stomach twisted the second we pulled up to some building that was barely standing, the streetlights flickering like they were moments from dying, and the eyes. Too many eyes. People on the sidewalk slowed as they passed. Some whispered. Some just stared, their faces unreadable. We didn't belong here. I sucked in a breath. "Michael, this... this doesn't feel safe." He didn't even look at me. "We're fine." "Are we?" My fingers tightened around my dress. "Because everyone out there is staring at us like they want us dead." "That sounds racist," Vinnie chuckled, unbothered. He popped open the door like we were in some friendly neighborhood. I grabbed Michael's wrist before he could move. "Don't. Please. We should go home." Finally, he looked at me. A smirk played on his lips. "Jesus, Lucy. You shake like a leaf every time you step outside your gated life." "This isn't paranoia," I hissed. "It's common sense!" He exhaled, glancing out the window. A few men had stoppe
Michael POV"Any leads?" I asked Vinnie, walking into his room that was across from mine. "I think you're right about your Uncle in Texas. He has been hosting a few Irish at his house the past few months. And get this," he turned his computer to me. "Killian arrived here months before you met with him, and guess where he flew into?" "Texas." I clenched my jaw. Every move I made was one my Uncles pushed me to make. I was so focused on killing Niko that I lost sight of everything else. I had never imagined Amy to be alive this whole time though. I was so fucking blind. I let them guide me, let my own thirst for revenge cloud every instinct I had. And now? Now my sister is gone, and I have no one to blame but myself."Yup!" He spun the computer back around and began clicking away. "We will be there in three days and he will tell me everything." I shook my head, pissed I missed all this. "I'm not sure if Amy is there though. My gut is telling me Killian has her." Vinnie eyes were sc
Michael POV"Lucy," her name slipped right off my tongue like it was the only word I should ever speak. "I love you Michael, and I don't understand why." She roughly shoved my chest, forcing me to lay back down. Her long legs moved to straddle my waist, those thick thighs flush against me. It was sexy, but the look in her eyes was a little scary. Was she pissed? Horny? "Lucy, I...," It wasn't even a thought of how I felt, it just was, but she didn't let me finish. "No, don't say it. I can't hear it, Michael. I just need to tell you how frustrated it makes me. I don't understand how I could love you. I don't understand why I can't walk away and it pisses me off." Her tone became sharper."This isn't sounding like compliments, baby." My eyebrows knit together, a little unsure if I should move or say something to defuse the situation. "It's not! I'm mad at you and I want it to stop! I want my life back." She shouted even louder, confirming this was definitely a hostile situation. He
Michael POVI didn't know how I was going to let her go, but I knew I had to. Our time together was running out, and I wanted to stretch every moment until my last breath, maybe even beyond if that were possible."They so grown!" Viv cried on the large iPad Paul held up to watch the kids all get their diplomas. Dylan made a bit of spectacle, hugging the principal and jumping with his fist raised as he walked back down the other side. That one had me a little worried about the true value he had in my world, but Amy trusted him. She needed as many friends as she could get right now. "They sure are. It's only been ten years. How does that feel like both a lifetime and barely a year?" Paul wiped a few tears from his eyes and I gave him a look of disgust. This man was supposed to be my Second."Damn! Are we sure that one is really in high school?" Vinnie googled-eyed some girl with long tan legs in very high heels walking the stage. "Technically, no, since she just got her diploma," I sa
Lucy POVIt was a quiet and very awkward ride to School. Zander tried making conversation, noting how this was our last moment as Seniors. It felt more surreal than anything to me. Almost as if I was brought back in time to relieve this day. I was no longer a Senior or teenager the day those men snatched me up. "Where is my brother?" Amy asked Paul with scorn."He is resting but will be there before it starts. I got Viv on standby too. All the kids are excited to see you get your diploma." Paul spoke cheerfully but it was met with nothing but hate from Amy. She didn't say anything else about it because I don't think she could be mean to her Aunt and cousins like she has been to all of us. "I can't believe I'm graduating again." Dylan laughed and we all looked at him confused. "I'm ordered to stay close to the package." His knee tapped Amy's and she turned to look out the window. "I thought I would at least get a smile. You're really that pissed about going?" He said, sounding annoy
Amy POVI hated that everyone tried to calm me down. I had every reason to be pissed, and every reason to keep them at arm's length. "Amy, this is our day. I don't want to leave and I don't want to walk down that line without you and Lucy at my side. Can't we just pretend we are still friends, just for today?" He gave me those deep brown puppy dog eyes. Zander had a clean-cut navy suit on, his hands in pockets, and his hair purposely styled that cute bedhead look. "I can't." I fiddled with my dress on the bed. "I just want to be alone. It's easier that way." I admitted. "You've been anything but alone lately." Zander jabbed at me, and I knew it was about me sleeping with questionable men. "You know what I mean." I sighed and turned to him. "Can you please just go home? I don't want to go tonight with you or Lucy. I don't want to go at all." "I know you miss them, Amy. Niko and Viv would be here if they could. They weren't your only family though." He tried reasoning with me."It
Lucy POVWatching Michael at dinner was both terrifying and exhilarating. He held so much sway over hundreds of people. And now he held all their money too. I don't think I would have the balls to do what he did, and I definitely wouldn't have helped hack so many accounts if I knew this was the end game. I had to trust him though. We were in this now, and there was no turning back."You should get dressed." Michael appeared behind me, his hand smoothing over my dress. "I don't think I should leave. It feels wrong." My body trembled slightly. I was afraid to leave his side. I was afraid of what waited for me beyond his protection. He declared war, and I was an easy target."Paul will be with you every second. My men are already positioned at the school and have eyes on every inch of the stadium. Go, graduate, and enjoy this moment. I'll make sure you are safe." He promised and I did truly feel safe knowing he was watching out for me."Are you coming?" I looked back to him over my sho
Michael POVI pulled out the chair positioned to the right of mine. "Lucy," I nodded for her to come. Not only was it polite and damn swoon-worthy to hold out her chair, but putting her on my right gave her a higher position than some damn mistress I knocked up. Plus, that move should remove any chance of Jared so much as trying to speak to her again. She was mine and no one touched her.Vinnie moved to my left and I gave him a cross look. He can't take the position of my Second, not yet at least. Vinnie cracked a smile and pulled the chair out for Paul. I turned to my seat, half rolling my eyes that Vinnie was still being a wise ass. The games needed to end.I stood behind my chair, waiting for everyone to settle. Only those officially in the family were in this room. All the others had a more party-like setting outside. Amy stood at the door, arms and ankles crossed, daring me to kick her out. I didn't miss the glances at Lucy from her either. "Thank you everyone for joining us to
Michael POVThe tension from everyone around me was thick, and suffocating, but I had to ignore it. We all had our positions and if we didn't make every move exactly right we could all end up dead. Paul spent the next hour spreading whispers of betrayal, he conveyed his absolute disgust of my decisions to any that would hear. It would grab the attention of Niko's men and start a small riot within their ranks. Vinnie was the smart-ass jokester both unwaveringly loyal to me, and crazy enough to start a blood bath in my honor. Niko's men would never align with him, or trust him with a plan. But that would open the door for those disloyal within the Grasso's to take him under their wing. Amy played both sides by acting as the scared lost girl, someone tough who wanted revenge even at the cost of her life, but also someone who loved her brother dearly. She should be removed from all sides and none will be able to fully trust her. Last was Lucy, the one person in all this mess who was i
Michael POVI don't know what this woman was doing to me, but I didn't want it to stop. I needed her in a way I never needed anyone. She was always in the back of my mind, for months I found ways to single her out in my torment, but then it turned into something more, a touch, a kiss, a need. Now, since I woke from that night my whole world flipped upside down, I wanted her in a whole new way. "Help me get dressed?" I said casually as I grabbed my suit from the chair. Her dress was under mine and I couldn't wait to see her in it."Of course." Lucy jumped right up and followed me to the bathroom. I definitely didn't need help getting dressed, but I definitely needed to see her naked again."You like?" I watched her unzip the bag, revealing a sophisticated but sexy white dress. The neckline was to her collarbone, concealing those beautiful babies in her chest. I knew she didn't like revealing too much skin, and I preferred it that way too. I had enough jealousy swarming inside me with
Lucy POVThe moment I walked inside there was chaos everywhere. It seemed like hundreds of workers were renovating the house and I really just wanted some quiet. "I'll head upstairs. Maybe he won't wake until 3." I looked to Vinnie and Paul."I already sent him a text you were on your way because the dinosaur failed," Vinnie said and I closed my eyes. "Are you that afraid of him or just want us to get our asses handed to us?" I shot back at him. He was annoyingly loyal to Michael."Hey, I'm just doing my job. I don't need to get shot over this crap." Vinnie put his hands up in defense."No one is getting shot!" I yelled back, frustrated and so damn tired of this life. I half ran up the stairs, preparing my body for a fight that I didn't want to have. If I wanted to come home, I should be able to come home, and no one gets shot because of it.But the second I opened the door I froze. Michael was sound asleep in my bed, with no shirt or bandage over his long scar down his chest. I do