Four years after being kidnapped and changing her name to keep up the ruse of her death, Serenity is forced to return to her old life by her overbearing father Unfortunately for her, along with her dysfunctional Mafia family comes the once love of her life; Alexander Moretti and a mysterious threat intent on killing her Facing an unknown enemy, Serenity and Xander must find a way to navigate the complicated waters of their relationship and keep her alive long enough to get to the bottom of it, but what happens when her family is destroyed leaving Xander no other option but to become the Don of the Mafia? Will Serenity stick around even after she finds out his part in her family's destruction? *** Serenity exited the bathroom clad in a robe with a towel in her wet hair when a chill ran down her spine. The barrel of the gun against her temple made her freeze and let out a shaky breath as the towel dropped from her hands when they raised. Turning slowly, Serenity came face to face with Alexander and just as quick as the panic came, it subsided. Serenity released a heavy breath and Xander's gun fell. "Serenity!” He stared at her with wide eyes
Lihat lebih banyak“Don’t touch me.” Serenity hissed, pulling back when Giovanni reached for her arm.
“Stop this nonsense, Alessia. I am your father, you will respect me.” Giovanni’s eyes narrowed, the insolent girl before him wasn’t someone he recognized.
“Father?” Serenity scoffed, like the very idea of the word was bogus, “You’re nothing but a captor.” Her face contorted in disgust.
A few years ago she wouldn’t have dared to speak a word out of turn, let alone look the man in the eye, but a lot has changed in four years. Giovanni Lombardi no longer frightened her.
“How dare you?” Giovanni’s face contorted with rage and Serenity felt a chill run down her spine when he advanced towards her.
“What are you going to do? Hit me?” Serenity challenged, spreading her arms out boldly.
Giovanni blinked, the action sobered him up, but before he could refute her claim her brothers entered the room and stopped short.
“Is everything okay?” Lorenzo questioned, looking between them.
“Everything is fine.” Serenity seethed through clenched teeth and turned to leave the room, but Lorenzo’s voice once again stopped her.
“I’ve made a reservation at Lucio’s to celebrate your return, be ready at six.” Lorenzo stared at the back of her head, wishing she would turn around.
“Guess I don’t have a choice, do I?” Serenity scoffed and continued her escape. She could stand being in the same room as them, she had no idea how she’d survive dinner around the same table.
“She hates us.” Darrio stated, watching his sister ascend the stairs with sad eyes.
“This is for her own good, she belongs here. At home, with us where we can protect her.” Giovanni stated, leaving no room for argument and pinned Lorenzo under his gaze, “Is he here?”
“Yes, he will join us at the restaurant.” Lorenzo nodded curtly.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, I won’t lose my daughter a second time.” Giovanni warned and Lorenzo’s jaw tightened.
Swallowing his retort, Lorenzo acknowledged his father’s comment with a begrudging nod. The words weren’t said aloud, but they all knew who was responsible for her leaving the first time.
Serenity walked into the restaurant with Matteo as her escort, she'd chosen to ride with the brooding brother for obvious reasons and the silence that filled the short ride was just what she needed. She caught sight of the dark haired men long before the host pointed them out, but the three men she'd been expecting weren't alone.
Nearing the table, Serenity felt her heart stammer and her footsteps faltered when her eyes landed on him.
Alexander Moretti.
"Good you're here, I was starting to think you weren't coming." Lorenzo smirked and Matteo nudged her towards the chair Lorenzo pulled out for her.
She could feel his eyes on her and it took all her willpower to avoid his gaze.
"Don't make me regret not taking a wrong turn." Matteo glared and took a seat beside Serenity.
"Serenity, you look beautiful." Darrio complimented, sending her a hopeful smile, which Serenity responded to with a tight one of her own.
"Thank you." She nodded curtly and opened the menu to distract herself from their obvious stares.
"Alessia, it's nice to see you again." Alexander cleared his throat and Serenity had to hide her surprise, she hadn't expected him to address her directly.
"Serenity,” she corrected, "It's good to see you're alive and well too, Alexander. " She regarded him coolly before settling on the menu once again, willing her heart to thud a little softer.
"Are we ready to order?" An upbeat Italian man sidled up to the table with a pot belly and notepad in hand.
"I'll have the prawn Alfredo with garlic bread." Serenity rattled off without hesitation.
"Shall I pair that with a glass of white wine?" The man smiled widely.
"Sparkling water is fine, thanks." She nodded and turned her attention to the soft music that emitted from the piano on the stage.
Long fingers danced across the keys with confident powerful movements that captivated her. The soothing melody he created was easy to get lost in, but it was his delivery that she found most fascinating.
"Serenity?" Hearing her name, Serenity's gaze broke from the musician to Lorenzo who had his eyebrow clocked in question.
"Excuse me?" She blinked.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to have a glass of wine with your meal?" he repeated patiently.
"I don't drink." She stated, staring him directly in the eye for a second before turning to face the pianist once again.
“He’s good.” Matteo commented and her attention flew to him.
“Do you play?” She frowned, no matter how much she wracked her brain, she couldn’t come up with an answer to her own question.
“No, but mom used to, remember?”
At the mention of her mother, Serenity froze, no one had dared breath a word about her since she came back.
“Used to?” Serenity choked out, her mind was filled with questions and accompanying them was fear.
“Yeah, used to.” Matteo commented calmly and turned away from her, signalling the end of the conversation. His tone gave nothing away and Serenity felt the fear grip her tighter.
The men kept conversation light till their food arrived, the tension around the table was palpable and though Serenity could tell they itched to include her in their talks, her eyes remained trained on the pianist, only moving when his song came to an end and he slid from the bench.
“How are your parents, Alexander?” Giovanni asked out of the blue, addressing the younger man for the first time that evening.
“They’re well, enjoying their retirement.” Xander offered curtly. The two men hardly ever saw eye to eye in the past and she was glad to see nothing much had changed.
“Your dad retired?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and the surprised looks she received from everyone at the table matched her own.
“Yeah, just a few months ago.” Xander’s eyes bore into hers, like they were a window to her soul and held the answer to the world’s greatest mysteries.
“The right hand man to the Don, who would have thought?” She hummed, taking a sip of her water, loving the way it fizzed on her tongue.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Giovanni’s eyes narrowed at her mocking tone and Lorenzo’s shoulders tensed, sensing a fight about to break out.
“It’s ironic, don’t you think? Mafioso usually don’t live long enough to see retirement. I’m impressed.” Serenity failed to hold back the sneer in her tone.
“Serenity.” Lorenzo warned.
“What?” She hissed, glaring daggers at him, “If you think it’s fair to drag me out here against my will, I get to say what I want.” Her eyes dared him to argue, but Lorenzo’s eyes darted around them. Despite the hushed tones they used, their argument had attracted the attention of patrons around them.
“Not here.” Lorenzo gritted.
Serenity dropped the fork in her hand and pushed off the chair, before anyone could say a word to stop her she was weaving between tables.
The cool evening air caused goosebumps to rise on her skin, but Serenity kept putting one foot in front of the other trying to get as far away as possible, but her escape was halted when a hand wrapped itself around her wrist.
“Serenity-” Alexander’s words were cut short when a loud explosion sounded in the air and the force sent them flying backward.
For a moment the world turned silent, as Serenity’s body flew through the air she felt nothing and suddenly that ended.
Her body crashed into the pavement with a startling crack and just as the pain registered, the ringing in her ears grew softer.
Before the world turned dark a single word tumbled from her lips as history repeated itself;
“Xander…”
FIVE MONTHS LATER “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Lorenzo Lombardi and Olympia Harper Ruiz.” Serenity shifted uncomfortably in her chair as she listened to the minister speak of the beauty of marriage. “Are you okay?” Caterina whispered to her heavily pregnant daughter beside her. “I’ll be fine.” Serenity whispered back, she somehow had to make it through the ceremony. “Are you sure?” Caterina frowned at her knuckles that were turning white on the armrest of the chair from the fierce grip she had on it. The little princess in her arms stopped her from reaching out to Serenity. “I’m fine.” Serenity gritted out. The strain of the day had finally caught up with her and the pain she woke with was steadily growing worse. From his position behind Enzo, Xander was sending her worried looks, he looked seconds away from marching across the room to her side. “Oh God!” Serenity groaned when she felt wetness trickle down her legs and all eyes turned to h
Serenity browsed through the grocery store without much care in the world as she decided on what flavour of ice cream to buy. “You should get both.” A timid voice muttered behind her and Serenity spun on her heels. “Ivy.” Serenity breathed and her eyes widened. The young woman looked worn out and altogether a shell of the person she remembered. “You look good, how far along are you?” Ivy’s eyes flitted to her protruding belly with a small smile. “Four months. How have you been?” Serenity asked with a tinge of worry in her voice. “Fine, I guess.” Ivy half shrugged, not bothering to hide the fact that she was lying and Serenity’s face contorted into a frown. “I’m just about done shopping, would you like to get a drink?” Serenity pointed over her shoulder at the tiny cafe at the front of the store. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Ivy’s eyes fell. “Please, I just want to talk.” Serenity pleaded, giving her the famous puppy dog eyes that Xander hated. “Okay.” She nodd
The courtroom was filled to the brim with spectators and media alike on the day the verdict on the case of Joseph Ledger versus The State was to be delivered. From her position at the front of the courtroom, Serenity could see the scores of Mafia associates and gangbangers lining the benches, but her eyes were focussed solely on her brother in the last seat of the second row.Matteo, unlike the rest of them, sat behind the defendant and only a few feet away from Ivy. His eyes hadn’t left her since he entered the room, and if it hadn’t been for the tensing of her shoulders when he sat down, Serenity would have thought she didn’t know he was there by the way she skillfully ignored him.“Relax, he’s a big boy.” Xander’s hand around her’s tightened, though his gaze was focussed
Serenity and Xander grinned when they entered the Lombardi Estate, after a long month on honeymoon they had tan lines and large smiles.“Oh my God, you’re back!” Selena rushed to hug Serenity as soon as her eyes landed on her best friend.“I missed you too.” Serenity giggled, stroking her hair softly.“Finally! For a moment I thought you guys decided to settle down there.” Darrio joked when he came up to greet them, followed by the rest of their rather large family.“Hi.” Ivy was the last to greet the pair and the moment Serenity’s eyes landed on her she instantly knew something was wrong.“Hey you, is everything okay?” Serenity frowned.“I’m fine.” She forced a smile, but the bags around her eyes were a sure sign that something wasn’t quite right.“So, how was it?” Olympia wrapped her arms around Serenity’s and walked with her into the house, once again the group was gathered at the Lombardi household for dinner, and it seemed the occasion would become a regular one.“It was wonderfu
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could please have your attention. Will the bride and groom please make their way to the dancefloor for their first dance as husband and wife!” The MC announced with vigour and the crowd erupted in applause. The beginning notes of “From this moment” by Shania Twain played through the speakers as Xander escorted her to the makeshift dance floor set up in the backyard of the Moretti Residence. “Finally.” Xander whispered in her ear when he took her in his arms and began swaying her to the beat of the music. Serenity smiled up at him with a perfect brow cocked in question, “Finally, what?” “Finally you’re all mine and no one can take you away from me.” He pulled her impossibly closer and tucked her head under his chin. Serenity felt her heart flutter, “Do you remember the last time this backyard was donned and decorated?” Serenity’s eyes travelled to the surrounding trees all draped in fairy lights. “My birthday?” Xander frowned questioningly. Seren
The door to Serenity’s room was pushed open, in the reflection of the floor length mirror she saw her family walk through the door one by one.“Mia Figlia, you look so beautiful.” Caterina brought a hand over her mouth to cover the gasp when she laid eyes on her only daughter in a wedding gown.“Hey guys.” Serenity spun on her heels and looked at them with a nervy smile.“You’re gorgeous, Sis.” Darrio looked at his baby sister in awe, she made a radiant bride.“Aww, you guys are gonna make me cry.” Serenity’s fists balled at her sides to avoid rubbing at her eyes where tears were already pooling.
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