NERO’S GAME

CHAPTER 1: Letting the devil inOlivia pulled the fresh batch of brownies from the oven and placed it on the counter,before pulling her buzzing phone out from her apron pocket. She smiled when she saw her boyfriend's name on her screen.“How is the most beautiful girl in the world doing today?” Connor's charming voice made Olivia blush red like a tomato.“Am doing okay, Connor.” She bit her lips shyly.“How has your sales been going today? Did you get a lot of customers?”Connor sighed. “It's going as good as it can go, Livie.” He was making ends meet by running the tiny cobbler's punch by the corner.“Oh Connor! Don't worry, it's going to pick up soon,” she encouraged.“There’s something I would like to tell you, Livie.”Olivia pushed off the table she was leaning on. She sensed that he was about to tell her something serious.“What is it? Is something wrong? Are you alright?” she asked nervously. “Am okay, love,” Connor quickly replied to allay her fears. He knew how worried she c

CHAPTER 3: A hell of a ride“Sul serio , Nero?”(Seriously)“I don't play games with my business,Marena.”Marena pouted. “I've been here since last night, and you have not given me your full attention,” she complained bitterly. She wanted to shut the damned device and drag him to bed, but she knew that he wouldn't think twice about putting a bullet in her head.Marena moaned at the sight of him, and what his hands, mouth, and the other part of him that she was obsessed with could be doing to her right now. She had to take action. Thank God, she came prepared. Nero was wild in bed, and had quite the stamina. But when it came to his business, and the mafia— the whore and stud in him disappeared. Well, not today. There in the kitchen, with a cold pitcher of pineapple juice in front of her, she poured all the contents of the vial of aphrodisiac,instead of two drops as directed. She couldn't wait to have him go mad and devour her.Thirty minutes later, Marena stomped out of the suite to

CHAPTER 5: Let's get marriedThe tremors in Olivia's hands did not cease even as she held firmly onto the cat on her lap. The flashes of her encounter with that stranger continued to plague her. Olivia had woken up confused and shocked, but when she remembered everything,she had panicked and fled in shame and fear.She remembered spending an hour in the shower trying to wash away his touch and scent from her body. Her tears had mixed with the water as she had cried her eyes out in the shower. Olivia felt ashamed and guilty of betraying and cheating on Connor with a man she did not know. Maybe her mother was right, she was really a child of sin.Connor stole a glance at Olivia, and finally concluded that something was wrong. She had looked very upset and visibly shaken, when she had arrived at their meeting point where they had boarded the train they were currently on,and she looked like she had obviously been crying. He knew making the decision to leave with him had not been an easy

CHAPTER 7: What kind of a mother?“And why should I believe that your information would be accurate or useful to me?”Despite the fear coursing through Maria's body, she curled her fingers tightly together and squared her shoulders. She could not show the man that she was scared shitless by him if she wanted him to take her seriously.“Because I saw Olivia leaving with Connor,and I know where they went.”Nico observed the girl and wondered whether they were to believe what she was claiming. Even the girl’s mother had no idea about her whereabouts. Everything had gone to shit. This was not what he envisaged when they had embarked on this trip.“What nonsense are you talking about, girl?” Grace, Olivia's mother, scolded Maria.“This is a place of work. If you want to keep talking to them, then you had better follow out because they are going to leave right now.”Grace glared at the two men—one so calm, his expression as blank and neutral, and the other with a demonic glint in his eyes

CHAPTER 9: Take a wife and produce an heirThe heavy iron doors to the council chamber swung open, and the low hum of conversation died instantly. Nero walked into the hall and wrinkled his nose in disgust at the pungent smell of cigars and cigarettes that hung heavily in the room. It mingled with the scent of aged leather, musky expensive colognes, testosterone, and something else far less tangible but very potent. Fear.The long, mahogany table stretched before him, lined with men who had sworn loyalty to his name. Yet, he knew that some of them would not hesitate… actually, they were waiting for an opportunity to stab him in the back. The fear they had for him would not allow them to put a bullet between his eyes or in his heart even if he even became incapacitated. They feared him that much.Nero moved with slow, deliberate steps, the heels of his polished shoes tapping against the polished marble floor. His presence commanded attention. His piercing gaze swept over the counc