Vivian’s POV
As promised, Tommy snuck in my bed last night and made me orgasm so many times I lost count. He was so skillful with every part of his body. I often wonder how he learned everything he knew. Was there some class men can take somewhere? He would have aced every one of those lessons.I had one exam today that I knew I passed with flying colors and was now all giddy to meet Tommy for dinner. I needed some answers and last night we did everything but talk. When I woke in the morning he was gone, like most mornings.At first it was perfect. I didn't want any relationships and I loved that he didn't press any boundaries. I was here pursuing my medical degree, far from home and with no family or friends close by.My parents were both lawyers, but died when I was only ten in a car accident. I was in the back seat unable to do anything but watch them bleed out. I knew that was why I wanted to be a doctor. I never wanted to watch helplessly while someone I loved died.Of course, I never loved anyone after I lost my parents though. Tommy was the first person I let get close to me. It was by pure accident too. We hooked up at a party last year, then kept finding each other, mostly in bed. I can't even recall exactly when it happened, but I was finding myself counting down the minutes until we saw each other again.Tommy was so free with a wild spirit. His best friends Danny, Paul, and Gio were always at his side that sometimes they seemed more like bodyguards than friends.Danny and Paul were like annoying, foul mouth brothers, and Gio was the serious one. He didn't like our relationship and made it very obvious with his stares and comments to me. I didn't understand, but we were just casually hooking up in the beginning so I didn't care either.Then something happened, somehow we became inseparable. Every night he snuck into my bed and I found myself unable to fall asleep until he came to me.My 21st birthday just passed and Tommy threw me a huge party on a boat. A boat he rented! No, it was more like a freaking yacht. He went all out for me. He even gave me a bracelet as my present that was probably more money than everything I owned combined.I knew Tommy came from old money. He didn't hide his expensive clothes or shy away from flaunting the fact he could have anything he wanted. We rarely spoke about our family, so I wasn't sure what his dad did for a living. I just knew they were loaded and his mom had passed away a long time ago.His father became stone cold to him after his mother's death. I was sure that was why he was so rambunctious now. He was off on his own without daddy's strict gaze to tell him he was doing everything wrong.I didn't know what it was like to have any type of parents growing up. I was sent to live with my aunt after my parents died. She was an unloving woman who seemed to be afraid of me. I was only ten at the time so I never understood her problem.I was given everything I needed or asked for, but once I turned eighteen, I just left. There was no love at home, no close friends to miss, and I needed to find out who I was on my own. That's how I ended up in New York with barely two pennies to my name."You look stunning dear." Tommy pulled me from my thoughts as he stood over me. I had been sitting with Gio at a fancy restaurant for at least an hour waiting for him to arrive. All Gio would tell me was that he was late. He wasn't much of a talker."You look delicious." I responded, standing to hug him. His lips found mine instantly, taking an aggressive kiss right there in front of all these strangers. I shyly pulled away with a blush. I loved how he overwhelmed me, but I didn't like everyone else seeing it."Don't be modest now babe, we both know you are a wild one." He teased, making me smack his chest."What is wrong with you?" I laughed with an even deeper blush. I can't believe he just said that.Our sex life was definitely more than I ever experienced with anyone else before. He was gentle but dominating, and he had no shame in devouring every part of me. Tommy definitely woke a part of me that I didn't know existed.He was never rough or called me anything but sweet pet names though. My mind sometimes wandered into being a little more submissive or us role playing in some crazy fantasy. I mostly blamed porn for that. It was not realistic, yet made me curious.Gio nodded to a man next to Tommy then left. My eyes drifted back to Tommy then moved slowly to the large presence in the room. Why was this man so scary looking and why was I afraid of him?"This is my cousin, Niko. We have a meeting soon so I hope it's ok if he joins us for dinner." Tommy guided me to sit. I took a hard gulp looking back into that man's eyes. They were so intense I felt a chill run through my body. Did he kill people for fun? He definitely had that serial killer look down perfectly."It's nice to meet you, Niko." Once his name left my lips his eyes looked over me, then his jaw visibly clenched. Was I not supposed to address him by his name?He just nodded to me then called over a waiter to order some drinks. Drinks for him and Tommy, not even bothering to ask if I wanted anything. That wasn't rude at all!"How was your exam today?" Tommy asked, grabbing my hand to get my attention back on him. I'm sure he could sense my disapproval of his cousin."It was easy!""Easy? 60% of kids fail that class because of that exam.""Well, I had an amazing study partner." I gave him a sexy smile. He came over a lot to study, but that was not what actually happened.He chuckled with the same lust filled eyes as mine. "I love studying this body." He replied as his hand went to my thigh and squeezed."Tommy!" I quietly scolded while biting my bottom lip. This man had no decency, especially when it came to me."You promised an explanation last night." I quickly said before he distracted me any further."I thought I explained myself very, very well last night." He winked at me then addressed the waiter to order me a drink and all of our food. He had never ordered my food before. Luckily, he got my favorite on the menu so I didn't argue."You didn't explain anything and since when do you order for me?" I folded my arms disapprovingly. Ok, maybe I was a little mad about it."Are you serious with this woman?" Niko spit out with pure hatred. Somehow his eyes grew even darker. He definitely didn't like me or that I was with Tommy.What was everyone's problem? I shrank under his hard gaze then looked back at Tommy. I can't handle that man. He would strangle me before the night was done if I spoke to him."Are you in trouble?" I asked him."Impossible." He replied with a huge smile."In danger?""Always!" He wiggled his eyebrows at me like it was a joke."I'm serious, Tommy. I know we said no relationship, but this has definitely become more than just fuck buddies. You walked into that club last night like a man on a mission to kill any male that dared touch me. It was just a strip club for a bachelorette party. I wasn't even drinking. Then that man showed up and ordered everything to stop with these big scary men." I pointed to Niko, as he was one of those big scary men."I may have slightly overreacted. That is not how bachelorette parties are back home. Those men that showed up would never hurt you so there is nothing to be scared of. Can we enjoy our meal now? I don't want to speak of this!" His last sentence was all command. There was that tone I didn't know was possible to come from the Tommy I knew."No, we cannot! You gave me no explanation. What did you think bachelorette parties were like anyway? It's the twenty-first century, Tommy. We aren't little servants to men. Women's rights, remember!"Tommy smiled at my little outburst then leaned close to me. "I know about women's rights. I also know you are mine!" His eyes stared at me so possessively it was a little scary. I thought I was his, but I never thought it would mean he tried to own me.I took a hard gulp then diverted my eyes to Niko. His cold blue eyes bore into my skull like he wanted it to just combust. What the fuck was his problem?I felt Tommy's finger graze over my skin. "Baby, I apologized many times last night. Can we drop this now? I want to know how my baby's day was, not speak about my family. You are not in danger, you would never be in danger by my side. I promise, ok?" His voice was soft as he spoke to me. His fingers slowly causing my skin to light up in pleasure. This was the Tommy I loved and wanted."Can you just tell me that everything is ok at home? I don't want to cause any problems or make drama for you. Was that man your father? Does he not approve of you being with me? Should we stop seeing each other?""No!""No what? No, he doesn't approve? No, he isn't your father?""Stop!" He ordered, making me jump."I don't like this, Tommy." I stood up suddenly."Where are you going?" He demanded."The bathroom you asshole. Do I need permission now?" My eyes were on fire at the way he was treating me. I didn't miss the little smirk on Niko's face either."No, I'm sorry." He sat back down taking a big chug of his drink. I rolled my eyes and walked away from the table.So far, I was not liking Tommy's family and I'm sure they didn't like me.Michael POVFor five days, I wandered through the old vintage town like a ghost with nowhere to be.I visited the same church where my Nonna and Nonno had made their vows nearly eighty years ago. I ate too much pasta. Drank too much wine. Bought loaves of bread I didn't even finish. I did everything... everything except go to the damn airport.The anger still burned in me, slow and constant like embers that refused to die out. But I couldn't bring myself to leave.I told myself it was Lucy that kept me here. That it was her voice, her touch, her absence that chained me to this place. But it wasn't just her. Not really.It was the idea of something better. A life I could still claim. A family I could build from the ashes.But how the hell do you just forgive? Forget?How do you move past the fire inside you that wants to turn everything to dust?"You look a little fat," Niko said as he strolled into the tiny apartment I'd rented for the week.I didn't even look up. Just buried my face
Michael POVI woke up cold. Not from the temperature, but from the absence of her. The bedsheets still held her scent but the warmth was gone.Why did I let her leave? I sat up slowly, every muscle in my body stiff, every scar louder in the silence. My hand reached for the space beside me and landed on nothing but crumpled linen and regret.God, I was tired.Not the kind that sleep fixed. Not even the kind that war demanded. It was deeper. A rot in the bones. A slow bleed.She loved me. She'd said it again. Said it like it hurt.And then she walked away because she had to.Because I couldn't give her peace without burning down the part of me that still knew how to survive.Instead, I sat there, looking at the scar she kissed like it was the end of a story we both knew we could never rewrite. A knock came at my door and I let out an exaggerated moan. I knew it wasn't the only person I wanted to see. There was a whole house full of traitors and any one of them was behind that door. "
Lucy POVHe shoved me against the wall, mouth crashing into mine like he was trying to drink me in. His hands tangled in my hair, rough and shaking. My fingers clawed at his back, dragging over the planes of muscle and old scars like I was trying to scrape away the months without him.There was nothing soft about it. No slow buildup, no teasing. We weren't making love, we were clawing our way out of the wreckage we left behind.Buttons tore. Fabric ripped. My dress pooled around my ankles with a whisper I barely registered over the sound of my pulse hammering in my ears.His pants were half undone, hanging from his waist, and my hands were pushing them down before I even realized what I was doing."Tell me to stop," he rasped against my neck, his breath hot and uneven. His lips ghosted over my skin, not a kiss, a threat. Maybe a plea."I can't," I gasped, my nails digging into the thick muscle of his shoulders. "I don't want to."He groaned low in his throat, like the sound had been c
Lucy POVI had spent the last year haunted by the things I'd done.Haunted by the blood on my hands. By the weight of Vito's last breath choking the air in my lungs. He had it coming, I know he did, but that never made it easier to sleep.I thought time would fade the burn. That distance would be a cure. I enrolled in college. I bought pretty mugs and organized my bookshelves. I made playlists that didn't sound like war. I kissed Jared when I needed to feel normal, and I smiled for Amy because she deserved to believe I was okay.But nothing could prepare me for seeing Michael again. Within a split second, everything I buried clawed its way back to the surface. One jagged edge at a time.He looked like stone. Like vengeance and grief molded into flesh. All hard lines and hollow rage. But behind the fury, behind the gun he almost didn't lower, he was still him.And somehow, still, everything in me ached for him.The man. The monster. The memory.I should've run the moment he raised th
Amy POV"That didn't go anything like I planned," I said, watching my brother stomp down the church steps like a storm in a suit."I think it went better than expected," Uncle Niko shrugged, his hand tightly clasped in Aunt Viv's. He looked entirely too smug for someone who nearly got his head blown off."You deserved to be shot," I muttered, wrapping my arms around his other one. "But I'm glad he didn't kill you.""Michael wouldn't hurt me." He said it like it was fact, not hope. "Let's get to bed. We can fix this tomorrow."Fix this tomorrow? I love my Uncle, but he can be incredibly stupid when it comes to human emotions. Michael had nothing but death in his eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if he just started walking to the airport from this church."Uncle Niko, he just pulled a gun on half the room and put a chokehold on Jared. He's not sleeping anything off. He's packing a bag... or making a hit list."Lucy lingered near the altar, fingers playing with the chain around her neck. She
Michael POVSmoke curled from the barrel, bitter and silent, as the echo of the shot settled into the stone walls around me.I didn't hesitate. Not even a second.My rage had been sitting in my chest for a year, like a second heartbeat pounding, waiting, begging for release. So when that bastard stepped out of the shadows, I did what I had to do. And I didn't regret it.He deserved to die. No! He deserved to be tortured for such a betrayal. I could see the blood spewing from his head, his lips, a swollen eye as my fist wailed on him over and over again.That piece of shit, fucking bastard. God, I wanted to scream.All I could feel was fury; the kind that grinds through your molars and numbs your fingers. The kind that blinds you to the fact you're in a goddamn church.The sound of hurried footsteps quickly filled the nave behind me, heels clicking against the marble floor. For a moment, I almost fired again. That's how wired I was, how ready for blood my soul yearned for."Michael!" G