MasukI know some of you might say things are dragging, but I promise there’s a reason for it. I can’t give you a satisfying climax if everything gets wrapped up in a chapter or two. I need to let the characters sit in the mess for a while so that when the resolution finally comes, it feels earned. I know it can be tempting to want everything solved immediately, but trust me, I want the payoff to hit just as much as you do. Please bear with me while I let the problems simmer a little longer. This is how I want to tell their story, I really hope you’ll trust me enough to see it through. And if waiting chapter by chapter is driving you crazy, you can always wait until the book is completed, which will be very soon, then binge the whole thing.
And just like that… Raphael and Gianna’s story is over. ❤️ I honestly don't know how to put into words what this book has been for me. There were points while writing it when I genuinely wondered if I was going to make it to the end. This book was incredibly difficult to write at times, and ther
Adriano had one arm around Maddie. Vincenzo and Claire stood near the center of it all, watching us. When our eyes met, he smiled, then he raised his glass. I nodded back. Gianna slipped her arm through mine, and I looked down at her. There were too many things happening inside me at once to
She laughed through the tears. “I don't know what the perfect marriage looks like. I don't think anyone does. But I know what I want mine to look like,” I squeezed her hand, “You.” My voice was steadier now, less shaking, less nervous. “You when you're happy. You when you're angry. You when y
I watched her walk toward me, and for once I didn't analyze anything. I didn't think about the people watching. I didn't think about the photographs that would be taken. I didn't think about what came next. I only watched her. She smiled. That smile was the one thing I had never learned how to
“And Gianna, when you look at it, I hope you think of me smiling. Goodbye forever, my darling girl. My firstborn. My first love.” The video ended, the screen went black. Nobody spoke. I stayed against Raphael, crying into his chest while his arms held me tightly. Jules came closer. I reached for
The room was completely silent. “Don't ever make her feel like she has to earn your love.” Raphael lowered his head for a moment. Mom continued, “Love her when she's strong. Love her when she's frightened. Love her when she's stubborn and impossible and convinced she can solve everything by he
Waiting. For heartbreak. For regret. For grief. Nothing came. Only relief. And for the first time since his name had appeared on my screen... I smiled. ──━⊰ 𓆙 ⊱━── The office floor hummed around me. Monitors glowed from every direction. Lines of code scrolled endlessly across screens. Pho
Gianna ━⊰ ❦ ⊱━ "We’re moving in with Salvatore," Mom said. She said it while pouring juice, like she was just talking about the weather. I froze, my fork hovering halfway to my mouth. I didn't say anything at first, I just stared at her, the heat rising in my face until my skin felt tight. "No,
Raphael ━━ ⛓ ━━ "Five minutes are up," I whispered, flicking the safety off my bow, "The Void is open. Happy fucking hunting, gentlemen." With a surge of adrenaline, the men vanished into the trees, disappearing into the blackness I controlled. I stayed on the terrace for a moment, watching the
Raphael ━━ ⛓ ━━ I leaned against the cold brick wall of the mansion, my arms crossed, watching the show. Our soldiers were busy dragging in the trash, fifty men, all bound at the wrists, their faces covered in bruises and tears. They were lined up like cattle ready for the slaughter. This was th






