LOGINLuciano’s jaw clenched, his eyes burning with anger when he heard her absurd reason.
“You’re very adventurous, Rosie,” he gritted out with disgust, and Rosa smirked, sensing the hatred in his tone.
Well, yes. Hate me and get lost from my life again, she spoke in her mind.
But outwardly, she just shrugged, making an innocent face.
He snorted, making a sarcastic expression, and spat out, “You want a different man every night to sleep with? Not even for double the payment?”
“No, Mr. Mancini, not even triple payment will work. I work on my conditions,” she said with an impassive face.
He glared at her for a while. She knew who he was and what he was capable of, yet she still dared to piss him off. The little Rosie had surely become very bold. But Luciano Mancini wasn’t used to taking a no.
“Well, it wasn’t a proposal. I want you in my bed for two weeks, and that’s not negotiable.”
Rosa’s mouth dried, and her heart sank with her sense of doom. Fuck—she had never thought he would be so intrigued by her after one night, when he had never paid attention to her even while living in the same house for six months.
What an idiot—an absolute masterpiece of idiocy and assholeness.
She masked her terror with feigned confidence and spoke in a calm tone. “No, Mr. Mancini. I’m sorry, but I don’t take week-long bookings. I only work per night. If you want a two-week booking, find someone else,” she stammered, trying to come up with a quick excuse.
God help her escape this ruthless mafia boss.
Luciano’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t pull away and remained hovering over her face. His expression remained unreadable. “You work only at night, huh?!”
“Y-yes,” she mumbled with nervousness.
“Alright then, I will book you for every night for two weeks,” he said with an intense, dark expression.
Rosa’s face turned pale with nervousness despite her efforts to remain composed. And now the Italian don became very angry.
Was he really that bad in bed that she was making excuses not to be with him again, and was that one night really a mistake? Now he wanted answers, and the only way was to take her to his bed again and see whether she screamed in fake pleasure or reached a real orgasm when he buried himself deep in her dripping pussy.
“But Mr. Mancini—” she tried to make another excuse, but it only seemed to fuel his frustration.
Without warning, he crashed his lips onto hers, kissing her hard—rough and punishing. One arm locked around her slim waist, pulling her against him, while his other hand tangled in her hair, holding her in place.
Rosa’s eyes slid closed, and an involuntary moan left her mouth when he thrust his tongue between her lips and tangled it with her tongue.
Her body surrendered in his arms, and her hands unknowingly clutched the suit jacket of her ex-husband as his passionate kiss made her knees weak and her legs turn to jelly. But the next moment, he broke their kiss, panting and breathing heavily, his lips still hovering above hers. But Rosa didn't open her eyes. She didn't dare to.
“What’s your rate?” he asked, remembering what she had told him. “Ten grand? I’ll pay you double,” he murmured, his voice low, hoarse, and dangerous.
Though the offer was tempting, the risk was even greater, and Rosa was unwilling to give in.
“No, I…” she began to reason. But again, he caught her lower lip between his teeth, biting hard and pulling roughly, making her gasp and close her eyes again before he released it with a pop and whispered, “Fifty grand per fuck. And there’s no limit to how much you can make in a night.”
Her eyes fluttered open in shock. Why was this cruel mafia ex-husband of hers so desperate to torture her in his bed? Yes, torture—that was all he wanted to do to her for having sex with him last night by fooling him. And she knew that if she refused his offer, he would surely suspect her motives. No, she couldn’t take that risk. She couldn’t let him find out.
So she curled her arms around his neck and arched her back sensually before smiling sweetly.
“Wow, I didn’t know you were so happy with my service, Mr. Mancini,” she said. “Is it because no woman has ever pleased you in bed the way I did last night? I mean, seriously… you must have had countless women in your bed, but none of them compares to me, right?”She batted her lashes at him, feigning innocence, though her taunting tone betrayed her amusement.
“Don’t be so happy about it. I only like to own things, and now I want to own you for two weeks,” he said in his deadly cold voice, and Rosa shivered at the effect of his icy tone. Of course, she was right—he wanted to torture her, and now nothing would work on this devil who seemed determined to ruin her soul, as if he hadn’t already ruined her life.
Luciano removed her hand and slid his palm into hers, pressing it against his chest.“Hey, hey... baby,” he murmured, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.Rosa closed her eyes, leaning her face completely into his touch.“Relax. I’m fine, I’m right here,” he said, letting out a dark, mocking laugh at his own expense. “It takes a lot more than a few bullets to put me down. God knows I’ve survived worse than this.”But Rosa stared at him in disbelief. He was telling her about a near-death experience as if it was nothing at all.“No, it’s not fine,” she snapped in a harsh whisper, mindful of Renzo sleeping beside them. “You didn’t tell me you were fighting for your life in the hospital, and you even made your men lie to me that you were on a business trip?”Rosa’s anger resurfaced all over again, and she gritted out, “I’ll deal with Luca later, but first you tell me—why would you do that?”Luciano had never seen Rosa this angry before. This time, she looked like she wouldn’t let this
Rosa sighed, gesturing toward the middle of the mattress. “Renzo throws his arms and legs everywhere in his sleep. I’m afraid he’ll hit you and your wounds will open up.”“Then you can sleep between the two of us and protect me from our little son,” he said. That amused, effortless tone was back, making Rosa want to roll her eyes.“It’s better if you sleep separately. It will be much more comfortable for you,” she insisted.“But Luciano wouldn’t budge. ‘No, Rosie. My comfort lies with you. And what if I’m in pain in the middle of the night and need something? I don’t want to be alone,’ he said with such sincerity, wearing an innocent expression—as if he wasn’t the intimidating, control-freak Italian Don.”Rosa could only shake her head in disbelief. When on earth had the ruthless Don become such a drama queen?“How can we all fit in there without you pressuring me?” she protested again.Luciano only smiled. “I know you can take care of me. Right, baby?”Rosa felt irritation rising at
“Yeah, piccola,” Luciano murmured.He slowly wrapped his fingers around her wrists, pulling her even closer to where he sat. Then, keeping his grip gentle, he wound his arms around her tiny waist and pressed his face directly against her stomach. “I’m in pain. And I need you to make it go away.”Rosa’s heart skipped a heavy beat. His proximity had always affected her, but this… this vulnerable demand for relief from her was entirely different. He had never broken down like this before. Without overthinking it, she wrapped her arms around his head and held him tight against her. Letting out a long, shaky exhale, she leaned down, resting her face against the top of his head.“Then why didn't you tell me when you were in the hospital?” she murmured softly. “I would have come to take care of you.”“Would you?” he asked.He pulled back slightly, tilting his head up to look at her. Rosa looked down into his dark blue eyes, and her heart melted the way it always did. She swallowed hard, a qu
Luciano startled, his shoulders tensing. “Rosie? Weren't you sleeping?” he asked in a low, gravelly voice.He quickly began pulling his shirt back on—the very shirt he had just taken off to clean his wounds. The dark crimson blood was already beginning to bleed through the white gauze, a direct consequence of him overexerting himself earlier.“What happened to you?” Rosa murmured in sheer shock.She stepped closer, cutting off his movement. Before he could slide his arms into the sleeves, she snatched the shirt from his grip and threw it aside, letting it drop carelessly to the floor. Her breath hitched, her eyebrows drawing tightly together as she stared at his exposed torso. The raw sight of the medical tape and seeping blood reflected the phantom pain she felt twisting inside her own chest.Her throat worked as she slowly lifted a trembling hand, reaching out instinctively to touch the edge of the bandage.Before her fingers could make contact, Luciano caught her wrist, holding her
After dinner, Renzo padded into the living room and tugged on his father’s sleeve. “Daddy, are you gonna give me a bath tonight?” He was looking forward to splashing around like they had the other day, but Luciano hesitated, his expression tightening.“No, Renzo. Let Mommy handle bath time tonight. It’s getting late.”Renzo’s face instantly fell, his eyes darting to the floor.“Daddy, please?” he pouted, his voice dropping into a dejected whine. “I want to play in the bathtub like last time, and that bubble bomb was so fun. I liked how that duck came out of it.”Luciano let out a heavy sigh before kneeling down to kiss the top of the boy’s head. “Please, little man. Not tonight. I promise we’ll do it another day, okay?”Before Renzo could protest any further, Luciano stood up and walked out of the room.Rosa, who was loading the dishes into the dishwasher, watched the exchange from the kitchen, a small frown creasing her forehead. She shrugged it off initially—Luciano had always been
Rosa only stopped when she entered the bedroom, where Renzo was sitting quietly at the small table and chair set aside for his studies, coloring in a picture book. The moment he saw his mother enter the room, his blue eyes lifted to hers.Rosa closed the door behind her and looked at her son, who still seemed nervous. A wave of guilt crashed through her for scaring him. But she had been terrified when she saw that gun in his hands. He didn’t deserve any of this.He deserved a healthy environment and a happy home—not mafia chaos, guns, and the toxic atmosphere that surrounded his father’s world.She hurried to him, kneeling in front of him before pulling him tightly into her arms. The tears that had been burning behind her eyes for so long finally spilled over as she lost control of her emotions. The overwhelming pain in her heart had become too much to keep buried any longer.“Mommy?” Renzo whispered the moment he sensed Rosa crying. He gently caressed her head like a little adult try
As Rosa hurried out of the building, her vision blurred—her tears spilling before she could even take a breath. And as if the sky itself felt her despair, the clouds opened, rain pouring down in heavy sheets, weeping with the mother who refused to stop fighting… even when she had no strength left.
Rosa didn’t say a word.It was known across the world that Luciano Mancini was rumored to be the Italian Don—but there was never any proof, nor was it ever made official. He owned countless legitimate businesses, charity organizations for noble causes, schools, and hospitals that served people for
Panic surged instantly, flickering across Lucy’s features.“Who is he?” she whispered, her breath hitching as her eyes darted across the lobby. She quickly zeroed in on three men who had entered the hospital in Rosa’s wake.“I don’t know,” Rosa murmured. Her voice remained steady, yet an underlying
The hum of the jewelry store lights was the only sound in the shop as Lucy’s shift came to an end. She had already cleared an early exit with her manager, as Renzo was with her today. A younger girl was already stepping in to take over her station at the counter.Lucy walked into the back office—th







