EmmaDespite feeling reluctant, I wake up feeling groggy and cold. My teeth chatter, and my headaches with a dull pulsating pain that I can only compare with the first time I was drugged in the same way.At first, I was trying to remember exactly what happened. It's there in the back of my mind—just out of reach. But as soon as my eyes snap open, I'm rendered anxious at the reality I've found myself in.I was so sure dropping my sister home would go along without a problem, and it did—until it didn't.Begging my eyes to focus, I look around my surroundings. I'm in a cell. The walls are dark and wet, as I can tell from the smell that seemingly comes from the eighteen hundreds, and the floor is equally as wet beneath me.I know this place...I hate this place.Gritting my teeth, I sit up, scooting back out of panic, expecting someone to greet me. But all that welcomes me is pitch black and the howl of silence as my back hits a hard surface damp with trickling water."Hello?" I call out,
"Basta, Bianca. Controllare." Enough, Bianca. Control, my father spits at her as he holds her back from moving to my mother."Papa," she cries, making him twitch with his first sign of emotion.Her wild and frightened eyes catch my own, yet I can't find an ounce of empathy for her.It's her; she must have crossed me. She's the reason I'm here, and it seems Luca knew all along that she was bad. He felt that something was off. But if that was the case, how the fuck did I find myself here and not at home with him?Pushing aside thoughts of Luca and our men and their whereabouts, and with despair weighing heavy on my heart, I slowly stand on the spot I was cowering in. My father smirks, lifting the gun to point towards me."Oh bambino, vuoi giocare?" Oh child, do you want to play, he asks.Trembling, I choose to act upon impulse rather than think over his question. Running towards my father, I fling my whole body weight into disarming him.I'm successful but not efficient enough because h
LucaThe pendulum swings in the clock on the bookshelf opposite my desk. It's a tiny family heirloom passed down from my father and his before him. Inside, there's gunpowder hidden in a small compartment, something insignificant unless you know its meaning. With each swing comes a tick, which signifies another second Emma is not standing beside me where she belongs.A cleared throat over the mobile's loudspeaker reminds me that Theo is awaiting a response to his revelation that Niko and Emma have disappeared."What the fuck do you mean the pair of them are missing?" I suddenly screamed down the phone to Theodore, who had strict instructions to drive them to the pharmacy before bringing them home safely, in one piece. The drop-off of Bianca to Rossi went without a problem, just as Emma had promised it wouldn't, but now it seems the pair of them have vanished into thin air, never returning to the car from the pharmacy, which is not fifteen minutes drive from our home. I have confirma
I've felt divided about Bianca for days now. I had never imagined she would be so bold as to take her own sister from right under my nose.Fuck, I've failed. Failed yet a-fucking-gain."I should know these things," I admonish Angelo as my mind races. He nods but doesn't comment on the matter, so I push aside his secrecy and yell to make myself feel better. "Get out there, find my wife, and BRING HER BACK TO ME!"There is no time like the present to see if these men are genuinely loyal to only Emma. And if they don't help, then they'll die by a bullet before they step foot inside my compound again."Yes, sir," they all shout in unison before piling out of my office.Chewing glass, I pick up the desk phone, ringing Mass first, but get no answer. Then I try Niko, who goes through to answer the phone immediately. Emma has no phone to call, making me wonder why the fuck I haven't supplied her with one yet.I've lost so many men over the last few days that I'm running low on reserves. Tea
BiancaEmma falls back on the floor, clutching at her chest as she coughs, then gasps for breath. Her skin is slick with sweat, her lips tinged red and dried with blood.Panic sets in her face before she begs me for help.She's been stabbed by a seven-inch blade. What type of damage does that do?"Emma," her name tumbles from my mouth as I panic about how to help her. I leave my Mama's side to tend to her because right now, there's nothing I can do for my Mama, but Emma isn't a lost cause just yet."He—lp," she begs.Feeling utterly lost, I promise to do just that, but I've no clue about how to help her. My hand presses against the wound that's seeping blood, the red fluid staining between my fingers. God, I hate blood—its texture and smell.She needs a doctor, B."I'll get help; stay here," I nod to her, holding my hand with direction for her to stay put as I stand up. I take in the mess of the room around me as I circle away from my sister. Both of our parents are dead, lying beside
Again, I'm not entirely sure what key opens his cell, so I try all of them, only getting the right key when I use the last one.I swing the door open, letting in a stream of light from the narrow hallway I'm standing in.At first, I don't see him, and it's eerily quiet, making my heart jumpstart with the possibility my father had killed him whilst I was dragging the men's bodies from their cars, so I step inside to glance around. I wouldn't put it past him; he was miserably upset that Emma's other sibling was on his property.A hand wraps around my throat, my back hitting the wall to my right as a cold blade presses against my jugular."I should fucking maim you and send you to your father in pieces," Niko's hot breath fans over my face. I'd laugh if I could—I'm not sure hell accept parcels.His breath is minty sweet, and I genuinely fear for my life. But I do not struggle; it would be justified if he decided to kill me here. I could lay to rest or burn in hell, I guess, with my mothe
TRIGGER WARNINGS - EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE.LucaMy wife is fine, I keep telling myself. She's in the basement level of my home, in the fully stocked hospital bay, not a few doors down from the very room I've set Bianca in. I've ensured it's solely used for Emma, and I've sat beside her, waiting for her to wake for what seems like an age.In all honesty, I should still be sitting by my wife's bedside now, watching her breathe to reassure myself that she's very much alive after they had to perform emergency surgery upon her arrival home because of a ripped muscle allowing air to crush her lung and seep within her abdominal cavity.Niko did his best, by the looks of it, in a shit situation, but even that didn't help for long enough. Emma crashed in the car over here, and their unexpected arrival, with Niko pulling her out of the car to lay her on the driveway, had me racing outside in a panic. We were gathering the things we needed to turn up to my father's when alarm spread throug
"You belong to me now, Bianca. You'll learn I get off on punishing naughty girls like yourself. Every man to touch you, to see you from behind, will be reminded of that. There will be no more crop tops, bikinis, or low-back dresses. Think about your wedding day, being claimed by a man who has another name besides this one scarred into your flesh," I tease, holding the branding iron for longer than necessary. I have no doubt there's enough burned tissue to keep my name scarred on her for eternity. She whimpers, finally shedding the tears I was searching for. This emotional deprivation is how to conquer a woman being tortured below you. But I'm far from over my anger just yet. This is just the beginning. I lick the side of her face, collecting her salty tears, swallowing the sadness I created within her.Pulling back, I stare down at the name 'Moretta' stamped at the base of her spine. "Mine," I murmured, standing up.Dumping the branding iron in a small puddle in the corner. I walk a
Continued:Sven turns back to rejoin Bianca and me by the bed, and as I stand, I peep out the small window to my right. My heart races as my eyes dart across the street below, searching frantically for a way to get Bianca down and into another building safely, away from the danger lurking just beyond that door. Each hotel looks inviting, but just as with this one, its buildings are tall and overtly open."Not going to answer the door, Niko?" Densel's voice booms, dripping with mockery. I can almost envision the twisted grin on his face as he twirls his gun, the metallic glint reflecting the darkness of his intentions. The threat is unmistakable, hanging in the air like a storm cloud, and I brace myself for what comes next.Laying on the floor, hoping to crawl out of sight to the balcony door, I move precariously. Climbing the wall, with my back flat against it, I extend my hand toward the door, carefully unlatching it to avoid making a sound that might alert anyone nearby. As the door
Niko A profound sense of connection envelops us, and a look of mutual respect passes between our eyes. We've worked together long enough to know how each other thinks, which can only be helpful for the pair of us.In the background, I hear Bianca let out a soft sigh, drawing my attention back to her. She remains frozen in place, her expression a mix of tension and confusion. What is troubling her so profoundly that she feels compelled to stay anchored there, motionless?"I need a favour," I whisper."What is it?""I need you to go down to the Western to collect whatever Luca has just sent over." I showed him the phone, and a one-word message from Luca remarked, 'Done.'"You owe me," Sven chuckles dryly before picking his weapons out of the bag, ensuring they are full before he turns to the door, his hands on the chain, it hanging open between him and the door when suddenly, a sharp knock echoes through the room, jolting Bianca out of her reverie. She springs up, darting to my s
Continued: "Do you have money?" Sven barrages me with questions. "Yes," I nod, but in the same instance, I frown. It's all fucking digital, every last penny. "What?" they both mirror my horror. "Applepay, it's traceable," I mumble. "May I?" Bianca asks for my main phone, and I pass it to her without question. Only a second later, she turns it back to my face. She's downloading a banking app, and I'm not sure where she's going with this. "Use that," she stipulates with indifference as I glance down at the phone, reading her father's name on the card now residing in my wallet. I nod, but I'm not sure I will use it. There has to be another way; I think to myself as we walk in unison to the counter, Sven standing on our six until I ask him to step closer. "Do you have any cash at all?" I request eagerly. "No," he shakes his head. Swearing softly to myself, a profound sense of unease settles in as I contemplate the idea of using Bianca's father's money. The truth is, it feels li
NikoThis morning, an unsettling instinct crept into my mind—a gut feeling or perhaps a sixth sense—that today was poised to take a dark turn. With this foreboding hovering over me, I pulled Sven aside before Bianca even woke up. The weight of unpreparedness settled heavily on my shoulders. I had nothing that I usually had at my fingertips, and I couldn't shake the echo of Alexandra's words: living without permission but forever at the forefront of my thoughts.When I arrived on this isolated island, I came armed with the weapons that had adorned me on my wedding day—two knives and two guns with only one round in each, reminders of a day when I was meant to be the groom, not the protector. It wasn't until just a few days ago that I finally reclaimed my phone, another lifeline to reality.A wave of unease washed over me as I stepped off the boat. It felt as if I was walking into my impending fate. I turned to Sven, my voice low and steady, asking him to gather everything we needed to e
Continued: As I sat there, my mind wandered to Alexandra. Would she be joining us on the flight home? The mere idea of enduring her incessant chatter for an entire journey left me feeling uneasy. I could already imagine her animated and unrelenting voice filling the cabin as we soared through the clouds, unable to escape one another.My thoughts then drifted to Niko and how the familiarity of home might alter our dynamic. Would the ease we shared during this honeymoon transform back into the more complex opposition we had previously experienced? It would be disingenuous to say these questions didn't preoccupy me. However, Niko kept his silence, and I found myself caught in the web of my own musings, choosing not to voice my uncertainties. The air around us was thick with unspoken words, and I remained wrapped in quiet contemplation as we readied ourselves with Sven on his boat.The journey to the mainland was tumultuous, with the ocean raging against the boat's sides as we travelled
BiancaI hate to admit the days pass with blinding speed, but we fit as much sex and physical touch into them as we possibly can, and in the times between, we do a lot of talking, exploring one another and our future and how that might look upon leaving this island. We fuck in the hot tub, on the kitchen counter, with hushed giggles at the thrill of potentially being caught, fucking against the window I can't help but stare out of when I'm standing in the bedroom. Soft sensual sex in bed, hard fucking from behind when I tease him about something, and he just can't keep his hands off of me. That has got to be my favourite, but I've not voiced that to him.My sexual appetite has doubled, if not tripled, in such little time that I wonder where my need has arisen from. But similarly, our need to explore what one another wants to uncover itself.As our conversations flowed seamlessly from one topic to the next, we found ourselves wrapped in a captivating exchange that lasted two days. It
Continued:My previous thoughts of not forcing this on her and making her happy in our forced marriage chose this exact time to crop up, my teeth grinding in annoyance as I looked at her thoughtfully."Niko," she breathes my name, making me move to sit up further. Our chests come together as I reach to kiss her neck.I reach around her waist and pluck the bottoms bows just as she had the tops so they float off in the water as the bubbling swirl that's them under their wings."You're beautiful," I murmur against the skin of her neck."Please," she begs. Fuck the beg is almost my undoing; in fact, my cock pulsates at that one word, and yet I find myself exercising complete control to elongate this as far as I can.Instead, I kiss along her collarbone before moving down her breast, sucking her nipple into my mouth to pebble it. I rhythmically lavish it with attention before I release it with a pop so I can move on to its twin."Bianca." I grin when I pop the second one from my mouth. Her
NikoThe morning unfolds with unexpected tranquillity, the sun streaming through the windows and casting warm golden rays across the room that was yesterday shrouded in intense darkness. This ease, however, only amplifies my thoughts, drawing me into a spiral of self-doubt and guilt, haunted by the reality that Bianca faced danger because of my actions.As evening descends, the sky blushes with hues of pink and orange, and we find ourselves ensconced in the soothing embrace of the hot tub. The gentle warmth of the water contrasts with the cool air, wrapping us in a cocoon of serenity while Sven eagerly busies himself, constructing a makeshift bedroom for his stay. The humid air carries the faint scent of cedar and the distant sounds of nature, creating a false sense of security.Our trio had engaged in deep discussions about Sven's plans as we ate breakfast, each idea shared like a lifeline, reinforcing the belief that having another person around would heighten our chances of safety.
Contained: "Sure," Niko nods, touching his mug on the counter with a soft clink. "We'll try," I agree, though the truth looms heavily in my mind: a bond can only deepen with time, and it feels like we've had too little of it. I keep this to myself, reluctant to acknowledge that a part of me senses a wedge still exists between us. However, once we're back home with Luca and Emma, I'm confident we won't get close enough to others for them to attempt to pull us apart anytime soon. "I'll walk you out," Niko offers, trailing after Lucia as she strides towards the front door. The moment she reaches it, her men snap to attention, bowing their heads in unison—an unspoken testament to the respect she commands. Stepping outside onto the already warm, sun-kissed sand, I cast my gaze toward the water and see her boats bobbing gently in the surf. A few small vessels equipped with retractable engines lurk close to shore, while a larger yacht lies further out, seemingly calling for Lucia to ret