EmmaTonight is Bianca and Niko's wedding rehearsal dinner, and I'm petrified to travel to Dimitri's home in my current condition. I haven't stopped hurling into the nearest toilet or trash bin for days, and I can barely stand for any amount of time before feeling exhausted. This pregnancy really has taken hold of me, and fast. It is making me feel like a ten-tonne truck has dropped on me. The heartburn, the nausea, the muscle aches and blinding headaches. Not to mention the vitamins that make me feel utterly worse on top of everything else.And then you have the insatiable appetite I have for sex, which isn't a bad thing. But it isn't very pleasant at three am when I wake from a wet dream and need Luca to finish me off.Luca and I agree, though; we wish to conceal our pregnancy for as long as possible to protect our child and our future from outside influences that may wish to harm me and our child. We also have talked long and hard about me taking the role of leader, and now we are
I suppose for me, she's always been the one to look up to because my mother never had a say or knowledge of half the things my father had gotten up to. She just turned a blind eye and ignored the bad because the good was good enough to be stupidly in love. Obviously, over the years, she realised what type of man she married, but even then, she stayed.Maybe if she had left, our lives would have been different, or perhaps they would have been worse. We'll never know now...which reminds me. I'm still yet to plan their funerals, and things seem kind of backwards marrying Niko and Bianca first. But I guess we can always pretend that their wedding was planned beforehand. This is definitely something we need to discuss tonight."Come, let's get the dinner party started," Dimitri grins.We do indeed get the dinner party started. His grand dining room is fit for kings and queens. The table is plain with the best silverware and plates Dimitri probably owns. And there in the midst of the table
Dimitri nods to me, a smile spreading deeply on his lips as he seemingly looks at me speechless."I see you've had a lot of time to think about this, Emma; I see now why my son wishes for you to take the lead.""I—.""Save it, Emma. I think we both know it's easier if we get along. I wouldn't want to be just as disappointed in you as I am, my son.""Luca's done nothing wrong," I tell Dimitri firmly."Shall we agree it's a matter of opinion? He's my only son. I had wished to pass along my title to him as any father would," he tells me."Matter of opinion, father. I do not wish this life on my child," Luca rumbles beside me.I look around the table to note everyone has fled. Did I miss something? When did they go?How did I get so lost in this conversation that I missed them, leaving us in privacy?"This life has been tough on Luca. It's only fair for him to be able to feel the emotions the toll of killing people and selling women creates. But despite that fact, he has worked tirelessly
Six months later LucaAs I stare at Emma sitting in our garden with her stomach round and protruding, one hand rubbing it absently, I think over the events that led up to this moment.Things haven't always been easy for us, far from.Falling in love with her at such a young age gave my father the weakness he needed to exploit to keep me in check. He had his gun trained on her one too many times with only our knowledge to make me do as he wished. Taking her away from me made me thicken my skin; that was the most suitable decision he ever made and probably will ever make regarding me and my future. Without that singular choice, I don't know if I would ever have become the man everyone fears. The loss of Emma was monumental in creating the drive I lacked beforehand. I suppose I should be thankful to my father; without his input, Emma's and my child's safety would be at risk more than it is.The sun shines down on her as if telling me to watch my beautiful wife as she walks alongside t
The petite blonde, blue-eyed, screaming doll had me hooked. She held my finger and soon babbled up at me as if her world had already revolved around me. Christ, I hope our daughter looks like her mother and equally looks up to me like that. What I'm trying to describe is how fate had me fall for her even then when she was a newborn baby, and my love has lasted this long.Emma turns to me, looking up as she has on so many occasions before. She seeks my gaze on the balcony, and I hold hers for a long moment. A smile spreads on her face, and she summons me, taking my breath away.She's forgiven me yet again, not that I deserve her forgiveness after treating her so demeaningly. Holding one finger up, I back away, turning into the bedroom before floating toward her. And then through the house and down the hall. I walk through the open patio doors and down the steps into the garden and stalk towards her fervently. Her hand is outstretched at the very moment I grab her waist, pulling her
EmmaAs I look down into my baby's eyes, I forget all the hardship her labour created only moments ago. She has the deepest shade of mahogany brown hair that covers her head and curls by her ears, yet her eyes seem somewhat light—perhaps they'll be a shade of blue like mine or a deep shade of marbled grey.Her looks remarkably resemble both of ours, yet it seems she favours her father more. It's in her straight nose, sharp jawline, and chin that resembles his. I know this might change; in fact, there's a sure certainty that my daughter will evolve rapidly, but right now, I couldn't be happier to meet her, especially to have her resemble her father in such ways. My world re-centres around her, making everything else seem dim in comparison to her. I've never felt love like this. It pulls my insides as something imaginary envelopes the pair of us. It feels like a bubble, one that's missing one person—the very man waiting to meet his daughter properly. "Hello, my darling," I hum quietly
"Take your T-shirt off?" I request with a beaming smile that sends tingles through my veins at the thought of gifting this invaluable gift of life to Luca after so long."O—Kay," he replies with confusion but does it anyway. His shirt goes over his head, and he dumps it with his shoes on the floor. I lay our daughter, who is just as naked as his chest, on him. The doctor raved about skin-to-skin, so surely that extends to her father, too? I gently press her head sideways so she can breathe, and I watch with amusement as Luca holds his hands out as if he thinks he might harm her if he moves. "Here," I smile, moving his hands to cradle her before I cover the pair of them with the blanket around my legs.It's an instant connection for him, his eyes close as he presses his back into the lifted mattress, and he leans down to smell our little girl's head. A sound somewhere between a moan and a groan exits his mouth, and tears fall through his closed eyes."Congratulations, Papa," I whisper
EmmaIntroducing Aria to our men—our family was exhausting, but at least we could keep her birth a secret from the outside world with them.Luca and I have been in this quiet, subdued, and fabulous bubble, but just as with everything, Dimitri is not out of the know. The plan was to call him the day after the birth, but we put it off and then again the next day and the one after that. It turns out he made the first move. He called just this morning, six days after her birth, to ask why we were keeping his grandchild away from him and Lucia and if we knew there were protocols in place to pass over the information. The call was scary; I watched the version of Luca, who had been around me for days, turn into the man I came home to over a year ago. Honestly, we didn't call to prevent the rest of the world from knowing. There's this deep-rooted need to protect my little girl; no, that's not right. It's not a need; it's a must. In answer to his question, we knew we would only need to mak
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
Bianca The house stands unchanged, familiarly quiet amidst the dawn's soft golden light. However, outside, a group of men now loom on the beach, pacing restlessly in the early morning glow, moving as if under some unseen directive. Sven strides into the kitchen, getting straight to work, giving Lucia exactly what she suggested down at the safe house. The scent of brewing tea mingles with the salty air wafting in from the open window. He carefully prepares the steaming pot of tea, then digs out a tin of biscuits from a shadowy cupboard that looks empty and unused. Their sweet aroma tempts me as he delicately places them before Lucia. I watch him amused. He's so attentive to her needs, and it's obvious they are very familiar with one another. They share a delightful smile before she speaks. "Thank you, Sven," she replies, her smile radiating warmth that brightens the dim room and my otherwise dark mind. "I'll head out and keep an eye on things with the others," he says, nodding tow
Continued:"Do you want to go home?" I inquire, curiosity mingling with concern. I don't want that, not yet. It's too soon.She nods reflexively, a flicker of hope in her eyes, only to falter and lie by saying, "No.""A honeymoon should surely extend beyond just a few fleeting days," Lucia interjects."The moment they depart, they'll never see each other again," Alexandra adds bitterly, her words sharp and laden with an underlying want."My word, you truly are remarkable, Alex. I wanted to resist believing Dimitri—nor anyone else—but you've really slid down the slope, haven't you?" Lucia's tone mingles exasperation with disbelief."I," she stutters. "I just want to belong," Alexandra insists, her voice trembling with raw vulnerability as if she's revealing a secret she's hidden for too long."Don't we all?" Sven chimes in, his Russian accent thicker than usual, his eyes glinting dangerously. "That doesn't mean we'd stoop so low as to sell out those close to you," he adds, integrating
NikoLucia holds Bianca close; her evident need to protect Bianca radiates from her every gesture. I can see the depth of her concern that she holds, and it tugs at my heart to know Bianca has someone who cares beyond me. It's comforting, in a way, for if anything happens to me, at least I know there's someone else to be Bianca's pillar. Still, I can't shake the longing to rudely intervene and take Bianca aside, not to diminish Lucia's care but to provide her with a different comfort in a more private manner, where she might feel free to express herself without restraint just as she has done in the days before this evening. Most importantly, I need to assess her emotional turmoil.Instead, I refrain from intervening. I watch silently as Lucia gently guides Bianca toward the sofa. They settle down together, the cushions moulding around them, creating a cosy nook where their conversation can unfold."And at last, she shatters," Alexandra cackles, her voice slicing through the air like a