Carlo's POV:5:17 AM “This is ridiculous!” Enzo snarled as he continued to stare at the text on his phone. “The ransom is fine, I mean, money isn't our problem but asking for fifty percent of the drug and weapon business, and asking II Porto del Diavolo is too much! He's crossing a dangerous line!” He was. Not just because he was asking for a huge part of my business—he won't be getting that not while I breathe and eat. But he was also asking II Porto del Diavolo. That territory might be mine but it was just mine, I had partners—not the friendly ones. But because of a peace treaty years back, we've all learnt to share it despite not meeting eye to eye we figured it was better than shedding more blood for that land. And the fact that this man was asking for it, wants it… that could only lead to a war that'd been long buried….“We can't give in to this, boss,” Enzo said again, his voice firmer and angrier this time. “Fine, we'll give him the monet he is asking for but we have to find
Natalia's POV: I didn't know how long they'd been driving. Minutes? Hours? It felt endless in the dark, cramped trunk—for some weird reason, it had a little bit of ventilation so I wasn't exactly suffocating but wasn't entirely comfortable either. My legs and back ached from the position I'd squeezed into and I was too scared to adjust, or keep changing position lest I get caught and sent back home cause I could really picture a fuming Carlo making an order for a car to take me back and I can't let that happen. The car suddenly lurched forward, and forced me to move too, making me bump my toe and the handle on the gun dug into the skin of my stomach in the process. I had to bite my tongue to keep me from crying out. Just great. It was already a long and uncomfortable ride and I definitely didn't need anymore suffering. I was just wondering how far the location was. Then, finally, the car slowed, rolling to a stop. I was really doing this. I thought, gently brushing the
Hi loves ☺️💗I wanna say thank you so much for sticking with me this long. I'm beyond grateful. Really 💗 The story of Natalia and Carlo will be coming to an end soon🥲💗 (Will miss them so much)I’ll be completing it by March (before the month ends) And just to show how grateful I am and how much I appreciate you all, I will be uploading a short novel at the end of this book and it will be free. Yes, free ☺️💗SNEAK PEAK: Kalila's POV:~Today, you looked like a fucking wet dream covered in the bubbles from your body wash-ha! Wet dream. Ironic, seeing as I did in fact jerk off to the image of you underneath the shower spray.I couldn't resist it, especially when you cupped those heavy tips as drops of water trailed down your skin-I wanted to lick them off you but I settled for taking out my cock. It was weeping for you, you should have seen it! Don't worry, I will send a picture;) ~And as if on cue, my phone chimed, startling me as my heart skipped so hard, it hurt. My pulse roare
Carlo's POV: ‘That would have been boring.’ The asshole said casually, his lips curling into a smile. I still couldn't recognize him, so I couldn't exactly why he was doing this—not like I gave a fuck about that, I was just here for the girls. But I'm sure our host was more concerned about irrelevant things like talking and feeling good about himself for bringing me to my ‘knees.’ “Maybe telling you my name will make you remember,” he suddenly said in that weird voice—at first, on the call, I thought it was just a means to disguise himself but no, his voice was terrible. “My name is Levi.” I couldn't care less about his fucking name. Couldn't he see that? “Okay, then, Levi…” Enzo began, sounding bored. “Can you—” “Boss!” A voice called, cutting Enzo off as footsteps on gravel got closer. “I caught this one sneaking around!” Great. More drama. “Shit!” Enzo swore and I stiffened, frowning, I turned to my left and the sight before me had my stomach caving. “Natalia
Carlo's POV: I didn't move a muscle as I watched Levi pull out his phone, received the call and raised it to his ears. I knew exactly what the call was about thanks to our plans earlier. I shared a look with Enzo, hoping that for whatever reason, we share some sort of telepathy and he'd know when and how to move.We've worked together for years, it should work.Levi's wide eyes snapped to mine, his phone still glued to his ear. “I do not understand!” He barked, eyes still fixed on mine. From his expression, anyone could tell he was going through various emotions, shocked, confused, anger, fear… My lips twitched. But now was not the time to dwell on that, I still had to get to Natalia. I just needed the right moment.And that right moment came a second later. As soon as Levi turned away from me, clearly devastated from whatever was being said on the phone, it all happened so fast I barely had enough time to register it.One second, a loud, pain-filled groan ricocheted in the air and
Natalia's POV:I'd fucked up. I knew that much as I sat in the passenger seat, shaking against it like a leaf. I couldn't breathe, couldn't get my heart to stop pounding painfully. Even my hands kept trembling on there own accord so I clasped them together, hoping to keep them steady. It was useless...Everything that'd had happened, felt like a terrible nightmare, those kinds you couldn't wake up from, couldn't move or scream.Except it wasn't a nightmare, it was real. And I'd witnessed it all...Carlo had been shot. To the stomach and it looked really fucking bad and it was my fault. I was supposed to be the one with a bullet to my stomach but he'd pushed me out of the way, taking my place.What if he'd died! Why would he do that. It was my fault, I'd distracted him with my stupidity!Every loud bang that rang out sent a cold shiver down my spine. What if they didn't make it out alive? Fear had me in a chokehold, suffocating me as more gunshots rang out in the air you would th
Natalia's POV: When I got to Ava's room, I was shocked to find Angela there. Seated on the bed beside Ava who was fast asleep and had an IV drip connected to her little hand. Caterina was on the other side but on a chair. “Natalia?” Caterina rose to her feet as soon as I stepped in, locking the door behind me. I moved across the room to her.Caterina took both of my hands in hers. “You had us worried! Why did you sneak out of the house? You could have been killed!” She scolded and for the first time, I didn't have a response to fire back.Like I'd said earlier. I fucked up. Big time.“You can't do something like this,” she continued sternly, eyes hard. “What you did was wrong. Totally wrong!” “Zia,” Angela's voice dragged our attention to her. “I'm sure she knows how dangerous her actions wh where but can you blame her? Her little sister was taken.”“But still—”“She's alive and well, isn't she?” Angela asked softly, her fingers still moving in Ava's hair.“Fine,” Caterina said
Angela's POV: The shocked expression on Natalia's face would have been hilarious under a different circumstance but not now. Yes, I had been trying to play it cool, act like what those monsters did to me was nothing, like it didn't bother me. I didn't even want zia to know but since Carlo knew about it, I knew it was only a matter of time but when zia spoke to me after my return, I was relieved to find out that he didn't tell her the full truth and made it look like those men had just groped and beat me up and threatened to rape me. Even more relieved to find out that he hadn't said a word about it to Alessandro. Left to me, I'd rather none of my family found out but with Carlo, it was inevitable since that disgusting pig felt like it was a thing of honor to brag about it to Carlo… Bottom line, Aless and zia can and should never find out. So, yeah. I'd decided to act like that was all it was until Natalia had to go and put me in my feelings.. I thought I was strong enough but
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY-TWO: Angela's POV:No water.No food.No light.No human interaction.How original.I don't know how long I've been in this smelly, fucked up cell but if my guesses were correct, it's been more than three days.Sure, my throat felt parched, and drinking my saliva for relief was no longer working, my stomach had growled for hours, and my intestine had probably eaten the walls of my stomach until it gave up torturing me but it's nothing I can't handle. Really.That whore thinks she could break me easily. So this was her grand plan? I could still remember those silly words leaving her lips, ‘There are other ways to make a cruel bitch suffer.’ A small laugh escaped my lips. Was this suffering?Hunger pangs? Parched mouth? A little discomfort and dizziness from lack of food or proper sleep?Pathetic.Hell, if they'd even ordered some guards right beat me up or something, torture me in the worst ways possible, I would have applauded her. Even that, I could
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY-ONE: Natalia’s POV:It’s been five days since the whole incident and everything seemed a bit better now. I hope it was.Sadly, dad’s condition is the same, and in trying to not show how much it was affecting me cause Carlo might stop me from going with him next time. I keep praying in my heart for a miracle, that something should drastically happen and he wakes up….I know it's not that simple or easy but a girl can only dream…On the bright side, Carlo and Luca talked. They mended their relationship and Luca seems more comfortable around his father now. And Caterina? She'd been beyond shocked to find out what Angela had done. It tore my heart when the old lady broke down in body-wracking sobs, you could tell it hit her really bad… She kind of blamed herself for not raising her right but that's totally bullshit. Everything that happened was all on Angela. No one else was to take the blame.Period.When I'd called Tanya to dump every single detail of the
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY:Carlo's POV:I walked blindly to my room.Later, I might wonder how I got to my room safely without hurting a toe or bumping my head into a wall… Later…I slammed my door shut behind me and my legs were able to carry me some seconds more… Just enough to lead me to the edge of my bed and I fell to the cold, hard marbled floor.I failed.The first drop of hot tear dropped onto my sleeping pants as I drew my knees up to my chest, my elbows leaning on each knee as my head dropped into my palms.I failed everyone.I kept the enemy so close, that it had endangered everyone… especially my son.How could I have been so blind? How didn't I see it? Why did I think we were all one big, loving family?Why didn't I protect my son better?Why didn't I pay closer attention to him? To the things happening in my own home?!Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?????No matter how many times I asked myself that, I came up with nothing!!!No answer. Nothing!!What kind of parent let
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY-NINE: Natalia's POV: The guards took her out kicking and screaming. Soon, her shrill screams died out and the room fell quiet. Too quiet. The tension and unspoken words hung heavy in the air like the stench of cow dung.Soon, Enzo saw himself out of Carlo's office, muttering something about being needed in the hospital and I vaguely recalled myself replying as I watched my heart broken man standing rooted to a spot, unmoving….I'd never seen him like this. It made me sad.Luca stood off to the side, probably hoping he was invisible—he looked so small in my eyes it was painful. I think—know—they really needed to talk…What Angela did was unacceptable!When Luca's bloodshot eyes met mine, a sad smile stretched my lips and I urged with a slight movement of my head for him to speak to his father… They both needed it…Luca seemed to contemplate, the fear in his eyes was too sad to look at. I didn't even care that he'd hurt me in the past, he was hurting way
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY-EIGHT:Natalia's POV: You know those moments when it feels like you're dreaming but you're sure you're wide awake… or like in movies where the actors are like dumbstruck or something…?All that paled in comparison to how I was feeling. It made no sense… Angela? Angela turning out to be the one who shot my father was crazy. I told her things about me, confided in her… she knew just how much I'd longed to see my own parents…. It hurt, it really fucking did.I almost couldn't breathe as my chest tightened.My nose tingled as I blinked back tears. Seeing my dad hanging on by barely a thread made me miserable, it had torn me and now, knowing it was my friend who'd done it….Did she know he was my father?She had to. Sure, she had been distracted while nursing Rueben back to health but there was no way zia hadn't told her or she hadn't heard gossip from the maids from all the times Gianpaolo and Carlo had fought over me since the discovery.She knew and she
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY-SEVEN: Angela's POV:I'm furious. Enraged.Livid.Whatever. You fucking name it!Luca. Foolish, naive, insecure, Luca. Out bested me, outsmarted me…. Ruined my plans. Years and years worth of plans, hardwork, blood and sweat down the drain and all because of that bloody fool!!!But it seemed like it was all worth it in the end if the expression on Carlo's face was any indication. His powerful hand pressed down even more tighter ony wind pipe, robbing me of air, my eyes water and stung. My lungs burned and felt too big for my chest as I struggled. Everything hurt but the pained expression on Carlo's face made it hurt less.A little reward. But still a reward.For years, I'd wanted him on his knees before me, right before I take his life but who knew a man didn't have to kneel to look so… broken, so hurt and mad with anger. I could die like this…. I didn't want to. I still want my revenge but if it was time for me to go, I'd do it. Wherever Alessandro
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY-SIX: Carlo's POV: While paying close attention to Luca, I almost missed two of my guards standing on the other side of the room, each of either side of a kneeling Angela. She had her arms behind her and her lips sealed shut with a tape.My first reaction was anger.Why on earth was she being manhandled this way? And where the fuck was her wheelchair?I dragged my attention back to Enzo. “What is the meaning of this?” I snapped at the same time Natalia, gasped…“She can kneel…” That made my brain stop for a brief second and my narrowed eyes were on Natalia. Of course everyone could see Angela was kneeling— Wait….“She told me she was paraplegic,” Natalia voiced the thought that rang in my head at the sudden realization.My eyes darted from Angela to Enzo and back to Angela. My stomach felt cold, tight, way too tight for comfort… “Take the tape off her mouth,” I ordered and one of the men moved to obey. “Angela, explain yourself, what's going on?”Silen
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY-FIVE:Carlo's POV: 4:16 PMI squinted at my screen, blinking sleep away as I rose to a sitting position careful not to wake Natalia up.Alarm bells went off in my head as I realized what had woken me up; A series of phone calls and texts from Enzo. That could mean only one thing. Trouble.Frowning, I unlocked my phone and scrolled through his messages. Enzo: I've been trying to call you. Enzo: This is frustrating. You usually wake up as soon as your phone rings.Well, he wasn't wrong about that but Natalia had cried for hours—an exaggeration but you get the point. And she'd been so sad it had taken longer than expected to get her to sleep but at least she was eating so that's a win… Bottom line…. I was exhausted.I kept scrolling…Enzo: So I've tried calling Diablo to come get you and he just told me you gave an order to not wake Natalia up. This is fucking serious, Carlo.I exhaled deeply, rubbing the bridge of my nose. I needed her to rest, that was
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY-FOUR: Luca's POV: FLASHBACK.. THE PREVIOUS DAY… Taking my phone out, I typed out one last text message and I hit send. I stared at the text I'd just sent to Enzo. Me: I know who shot Gianpaolo. Call me. As I waited for a reply or his call, I had time to reflect on my decision. There was no going back now. I thought as I drove back home. I was being fooled by Angela and it had to stop. I loved her. I really did but I know better now… She didn't love me. Not one bit. I was nothing but a tool and yes, years ago, when it all started, I knew our relationship was forbidden but something about the genuine love and care she'd shown me made me say, ‘fuck it.’ There was a time where I thought only she understood me. That her love was special. Sure, papà loved me, zia too but with Angela, it had been different. I'd shared my problems with her and she'd done the same. She'd told me the story about her mother's death and I really wanted