Vivian’s POV
"Work it, Tommy!" I shouted to my very sexy and about to be very naked boyfriend. He decided to intrude on my friend's bridal shower and is now being punished.The sly smile on his face shows me he is enjoying this a little too much though. My hazel eyes darkened as I bite my lip. Damn! He is so fucking hot and so fucking mine.Tommy is almost six feet tall and all muscles. Not overly large, but definitely toned with a nice six pack. With one pull of his hand, he ripped his shirt off his chest then twirled it in the air. "Like this baby?" He teased me as he continued his Magic Mike performance with three cops also stripping next to him."Hmm, needs some oil, baby." I threw a small penis shaped bottle at him and he chuckled."Really?" His eyes were filled with amusement at the shape of it. Then his eyes caught mine and it seemed as if everyone in the room disappeared.That's how it was with Tommy. Everything just stopped and no one existed when I was lost in his gorgeous blue eyes.He sauntered over to me slowly while undoing his belt. As he stood right over my body, which was planted firmly in a chair, he slid his pants off then kneeled at my feet and handed me the bottle."Can you help Ms. I need to be nice and oiled up for my girlfriend.""Well, I'm all about helping another woman out." I grabbed the bottle squeezing the penis shape in my hands to let out some liquid onto my hands. I rubbed my hands together to warm it up while raking my eyes up and down this gorgeous man's body.My hands washed over his defined pecs then down his taunt abs and teased at his boxers. "You think your girlfriend would be satisfied with this much, or do you need more?" I spoke low and seductive, but loud enough to hear over the erotic dance music and women shouting to the cops to "take it off"."I think she would want my whole body." His voice was husky and eyes filled with lust as he eyed his package.I burst out laughing seeing a large bulge in his boxers. What were we doing?"Wow! Never had that reaction from a woman before." He cupped his manhood, faking embarrassment."Please! You know you are sexy as fuck. I don't need all my friends seeing every inch of you though. Get dressed freak and take me to bed."He stood up with a smile on his face, lining his large package at my face. His fingers teased his boxer shorts to reveal what I wanted so badly. "Shouldn't I get undressed, then take you to bed."All I could do was bite my lip staring at this handsome man. I quickly stood then took his mouth to mine. Instantly his hands were running down my back, pulling my body to his. My tight blue dress was thin so I knew he felt my hard nipples against his chest. This man drove my body insane."Let's get out here." He whispered over my lips."Wouldn't your girlfriend be upset?" I teased.He dove his tongue straight through my lips with a grunt. He loved how playful and witty I was. Just as much as I loved his carefree attitude.His hands came to my ass, squeezing it tight and I instantly moaned, not caring one bit who heard me. He lifted me up and my legs wrapped around him. Fuck, I wanted him now.Would it be wrong to sneak into the bathroom? I never had sex in a public place before, but this man had my mind going so far in the gutter I had no decency left."Fuck, I want you." He grunted then attacked my swollen lips again."Then take me baby. I'm yours."He paused a moment, then pulled his lips off mine. My ass just landed on the bar top and I relaxed in his arms still wrapped around him. The look he was giving me was so intense I wasn't sure what he was thinking."You are mine!" He said with so much demand that although I was the one that said it first, I knew there was no other way he would allow it to be. His hand cupped my cheek and his thumb rubbed over my lips."Tommy? Are you going to take me home?" I asked a little shyly how deep his stare was on me."Yes!" He leaned into me again, then kissed me slowly. Our lips moved in sync, then our tongues danced a perfect waltz, savoring every emotion we were pouring into each other right now.Fuck! I'm falling for this man. It wasn't supposed to be like this. We were just messing around between exams and midterms. How did we end up here kissing each other like no one else mattered in the world?"Enough games!" A loud brute voice rang out. Six tall men in black suits were now in the room. The music stopped and everyone was frozen. Standing behind Tommy was an older man with light brown hair and dark eyes. He was powerful and I knew this purely by the way his presence dominated everything around him.My eyes drifted to the man next to him. Another oversized man with a chiseled face, stoned cold blue eyes, and thin red lips. He was absolutely gorgeous and absolutely terrifying. Whoever these men are, they were not people you messed around with."Tommy!" I whispered, digging my nails into his shoulder. I was scared out of my mind.He removed my hand gently, but gave me a look I had never seen before. There was pure hatred in those eyes. My eyebrows scrunched together, confused how such a fun and gentle man turned dark so quickly. What was happening?The older man took in Tommy as he turned around in nothing but boxers. "I let you leave to study here boy, and you have the audacity to skip out of a family meeting to play stripper for your little whore?"The man pointed at me and I instantly looked behind me. My mouth dropped. Wait! Did he just call me a whore? "Who the fuck are calling a w.." but before I could finish Tommy's hand slapped over my mouth."Don't speak!" He ordered in a tone I had never heard from those lips before. My instinct was to slap him, but my body was still frozen in fear. He turned back around to address these men."Leave! I'm right behind you.""Are you telling me what to do?" The older man's eyes got even darker. I swear they were going to start shooting each other with the death stares flying around."Don't make me repeat myself." Tommy ordered and everyone listened this time. His entire aura changed to a brutal dictator and I didn't like it. This wasn't my Tommy."Not smart Cuz." The gorgeous man that stood behind the older man commented as he walked by him."I don't care, Niko." Tommy met his gaze with an ice-cold glare."Relax! He is a dinosaur who hasn't had a good fuck in a long time. We can teach him his place if you want?" Niko, I think his cousin, gave him a devious smile that had me thinking they might actually kill that old man."I don't doubt you would enjoy that, Niko. Take my men home. I'll be right behind you guys." He ordered.My men? That was weird. Why were they his men? How were they his men? This wasn't making any sense.After everyone left Tommy turned back to me with that fun loving smile. Bipolar much? He saw the fear in my eyes and cursed under his breath."I'm so confused." That was all I could think to say."I'm sorry baby." His hand cupped my cheek and his eyes had so much love in them. They were soft and kind and I didn't understand who he was two minutes ago. "I need to leave. Can you let Paul and Danny take you home?""What? Why?" I didn't need to leave. This was my friend's bridal shower. Granted, I wasn't really that close to her. I still didn't need to leave."I don't like leaving you alone, especially with naked men dancing around. Can you just listen and I'll explain more tonight?" His eyes were pleading with me.I glanced around the room and noticed everyone was still frozen while staring at us. I got the feeling I wasn't wanted here anymore anyways."Fine!" I whispered, but the anger was clear on my face."Hey, you're my girl. Don't pout." He moved his lips to my ear. "I'll make it up to you when I climb in your bed tonight. I promise, baby."I couldn't help but let a small smile tug at my lips. He did always have the best ways to make me feel pure bliss when we were in bed together."We see how good you say sorry and maybe I will allow you some pleasure too." I teased, taking his lips to mine. He smiled while letting me kiss him then I nibbled his bottom lip."Fuck, baby! I need to go." His large hands squeezed my hips then pulled away.Michael POVFive days.That's how long it had been since Amy hugged me goodbye at the front steps of the estate, Zander's arm slung around her waist and a fresh scar peeking from beneath his shirt. The bastard had taken a bullet to the stomach and somehow lived to put a ring on her finger. Her car was packed with everything she cared about, and she didn't look back. Not even once. And somehow that hurt even more.I didn't blame her. Hell, I admired her. She walked away from the blood and the power and the legacy like it was nothing. Like she wasn't raised in it. Like it hadn't shaped her bones the same way it shaped mine.But she got out.Zander opened the passenger door for her, and I remember thinking how odd it was for me to be envious of a man like him. A man who didn't know how to hold a gun the right way, who'd flinched the first time he watched someone bleed. But he got the girl. He got the escape. He got peace.And I got this.Empty halls. Ghosts in every room.Paul was gone.
Amy POVJust as a crowd began to gather around the solarium, I slipped away.This world wasn't mine anymore. For once, my brother had no immediate threat looming overhead. He'd have hell to pay for everything that happened in the last few hours, but he'd get them all in line. One way or another, Michael would win their trust.As for me, it was time I started trusting myself, trusting the life I could have. A smile crept over my face as I walked back inside, back to the man I loved so we could get the hell out of this house.For a small fleeting moment, I really saw the possibility of a future we all wanted. That was quickly shattered the second I stepped into the kitchen.The tile was streaked with blood leading straight into the basement, a large pot of soup spilled over the stove, and one man stood there, hands folded in front of him. Dylan looked like he was waiting for something, maybe me."Are you really going to leave?" Dylan asked, his voice casual, but something coiled beneath
Amy POVWe said our goodbyes quickly. Nonna didn't need tears or fanfare, just hands held and hearts breaking. I kissed her cheek one last time and whispered thank you. Thank you for everything. Zander stood behind me, hand on my lower back, silent and patient. He didn't rush me. He didn't try to reason me out of what came next. He just... understood."I don't want you to go," he said softly as we stepped into the hall. "But I know you have to.""I do." I looked at him, really looked this time. Memorized the worry in his eyes, the way his thumb kept brushing over my hip like he wasn't ready to let go. "But I'm coming back. I swear it."He kissed my forehead, lingering just long enough to make me falter. Then he handed me my gun, no hesitation this time. "Then go."From the far end of the corridor, Dylan watched. His hands were folded in front of him, too casual, his face too unreadable. There was fear in him, but not of the war outside. No, he was afraid of me walking away. Afraid o
Michael POV"Burn it down?" Vinnie's voice didn't carry its usual swagger. No grin, no sarcasm. Just steel."Burn it down," I said again, and we both moved.We headed straight to the back gardens, where smoke curled like a warning and violence waited like an old friend."Of course," I muttered, clocking my gun, watching Irish swarm my backyard. "Declan was here the whole time. That Irish rat's been nesting in the Rose solarium like it belongs to him.""Your uncles probably planned an ambush while we slept." Vinnie crouched low beside me, his tone quieter now, sharper. "A setup. Pin it all on you and the Five Families."My jaw locked. I could already see the lie they'd have told. How I snapped, how I killed for power. How I wasn't fit to rule.They'd sell out the Grasso line just to pull the crown off my head."I count fifteen," Vinnie muttered, eyes narrowed through the glass."Seventeen," I corrected. "Half Irish, half Italian. Every last one of them dies tonight.""Jesus, Mikey. You
Michael POVI moved toward the gardens, toward the sound of death calling my name, and felt nothing. My world had ended the moment I chose to let Lucy go, but I wasn't cruel enough to let everyone else keep suffering. Whatever was happening out back, it would be over soon.I drew the guns from my sides, one in each hand. Fire first. Ask questions later.But something flickered out of the corner of my eye as I headed to the kitchen.Nonna's door. Slightly cracked. Just enough to let the silence bleed into the hallway. A silence that didn't belong in this house. Not now. Not ever.I pushed it open.Nonna lay still beneath the white coverlet, her hands folded over her chest like she'd simply gone to sleep. But the weight in the room said otherwise.This wasn't rest.This was the end.I said nothing. Just moved to the nightstand where a folded piece of paper sat beside her rosary. Her handwriting was sharp, slanted etched like every stroke meant something.Perdonami, mio amore.I had to r
Amy POVThe hallway was chaos, bodies moving like shadows, weapons drawn, shouts echoing down the walls, but all I saw was Paul. And in his arms..."Lucy?" My voice cracked mid-breath.I ran toward them, feet bare, jeans half-buttoned, heart somewhere between my ribs and throat. Zander was on my heels, but I didn't look back. I couldn't.Paul barely paused, but that was enough. I stepped in his path and my hands were already reaching for her."What happened?" I asked, even though I wasn't sure I wanted the answer."Michael ordered her to leave," Paul said, his voice tight and unreadable. "You should do the same." He stepped to move past me."Wait! What happened?" My fingers brushed Lucy's hair back from her face. She didn't even flinch. Zander came beside me, one hand gently pressing to her forehead like he could will her back from wherever she was lost."I don't know exactly," Paul muttered, adjusting his grip. "She was like this when we found her. And then Michael..." His jaw clench