LOGINSILVIO POV “Boss.” I looked up. A sigh escaped my mouth. “James.” I called my secondhand man who walked in. “You shouldn't refer to me as boss. Enzo is the boss.” How many times was I supposed to keep saying these things? Didn't they believe he would wake up one day? Was I the only one believing this? “I'm sorry. But I'm under you, that's why.” He had a point. It didn't stop me from feeling the way I felt whenever I heard someone refer to me as boss. It felt like I was betraying the real boss and I couldn't help it for a moment. “What do you have for me? Have a seat.” He sat on the chair that was usually meant for me, while I remained on the one that always belonged to Enzo and him only. I didn't feel good about the whole thing. Again, what choice did I have? Besides, it was just a chair. “Go on.” I picked up a glass and sipped from it. “What did you find?” “I'm afraid I did not notice anything.” What?! What the hell did he mean by that? “Are you joking?” I sat up, dumped
AMY POVI was out by the poolside, living life. Unlike before, I didn't have as many thoughts as before. How could I with everything before me? I had nothing - literally nothing to worry about. Why should I feel worried? Madame Loretta and I had something to eat together - about an hour ago. The oldie knew special delicacies I had never had - so many of them that existed I had never imagined existed. Now that I had my fill, the poolside sounded like the right place to be. So I stayed here. What now? What?After this vacation, what happens next? Low-key, I didn't want this moment to come to an end. Apart from the fun I was having, I knew I'd go back to that house and the next thing would be my departure to another country. Heck, I didn't want that shit to occur. But did I have a choice? I did not. I was still thinking about it when my phone beeped. Finally, a distraction. Maybe from Carlos, I was concluding as I picked it up. He was the only one who reached out to see how I was
ANTONIO POVNow that she was gone - they were gone, it was time for me to concentrate on what I needed to do. The things I left halfway because my brother would destroy them, I needed to complete them as soon as immediately. “What if he wakes up and continues?” This was Carlos's question to me. It made a lot of sense and I knew there would be trouble if the man woke up - something I wasn't ready for. “You have a point, Carlos.” I sat up in the chair. “This is why we must keep everything a secret. No one has to know it belongs to me, mm?” “Your brother is a smart man, Antonio.” Another point, another angle. Spot on. More than spot on. “Well, I'm smart too. I'm not a dullard myself, mm?” My back leaned against the chair and I couldn't stop thinking about what to do. It looked like I was suddenly not smart anymore - what was I going to do now? Ignoring these thoughts, I sat up again. “We'll go ahead with the plan.” I said with a conclusive tone. “That's what we will do, mm?” A sigh
AMY POVThe car was cold.Not uncomfortably so — just enough that I pulled my jacket tighter across my chest and watched the city move past the window in the early morning grey. Madame Loretta was already talking beside me. She had been talking since we left the house and showed no signs of stopping and under normal circumstances I would have been fully present for every word.This morning my mind was somewhere else entirely.I pressed my fingers to my lips once, briefly, then dropped my hand back to my lap before anyone could notice. The city kept moving. Carlos kept driving. Madame Loretta kept talking about what she planned to do the moment we arrived — something about the water, something about the sun, something about a specific type of fish she had read about that existed only in that part of the world and intended to see with her own eyes.I nodded when it seemed like nodding was appropriate."Amy." She touched my arm lightly."Mm?""I asked if you'd like to try the water activ
ANTONIO POVShe was still here.That was the first thing I registered when I came downstairs and found her at the dining table with a cup of something warm between her hands and her eyes somewhere far away. Still here. Still in my house. Still within reach in a way that tomorrow would change and I wasn't going to spend time thinking about why that mattered as much as it did."Good morning." I pulled out the chair across from her.She looked up. "Good morning, Antonio." She wrapped both hands tighter around her cup. "You're up early.""I'm always up early.""Earlier than usual then." She watched me pour water from the jug on the table. "Couldn't sleep?""I slept fine." I drank. "You?""Fine." She said it the way people say fine when the full answer is longer than they want to get into before the day has properly started. I let it go. Madame Loretta's voice came from the kitchen — she was giving instructions to the maids about something, her tone switching between firm and patient the w
ANTONIO POVTomorrow, she'd be gone.Not forever. Not even for long. But gone nonetheless and I couldn't explain why that sat in my chest the way it did. I pushed the thought aside the same way I pushed most things — firmly and without ceremony — and returned my attention to the documents spread across my desk.The arrangements were done.Flight booked, hotel confirmed, security detail assigned. Two men I trusted with my own life would be on the ground in the Maldives before Amy and Madame Loretta even boarded. Another two would travel with them without being visible — close enough to move if anything moved first. I had gone over every detail twice and was going over it a third time not because anything was missing but because it gave me something to do with my hands.Carlos knocked once and let himself in."Everything set?" He took the chair across from me without being invited, which I had long stopped correcting him for."Yes." I didn't look up. "The men land first thing in the mor
Antonio’s POVI had my reservations about leaving her alone in that boutique, reservations that kept crawling up my skin even as I drove through the city. Carlos was in the passenger seat continuously gauging my expression. He thought he was being slick about it, but his eagerness to see through th
Amy’s PovI was now at the center of the store alone. Antonio didn't look like he wanted to leave, but I could see that his hands were tied. Beyond our plan, he was still one of the biggest mob bosses in the city. I could only imagine that his plate was full all the time, yet when he wasn't activel
Antonio’s POVI cupped my palm over my face. "So that was why he gave you his shirt," I said, allowing my inner thoughts to leak out. I had almost never done that before I met her.Her eyes met mine; she seemed surprised, then a little embarrassed. "I thought I could make my own DIY sports clothes,
Antonio’s POVThe five hours dragged along, and eventually, it was time. I waited an extra thirteen minutes so I would not look too eager for what was about to happen. Then, I went over to my private gym. It actually used to be the former lounge; I had kept some part of that, making it a sort of ma







