LOGIN“I didn’t think you would want to work with me after what people are saying about me online. They are calling me a criminal and someone who deserves to be locked up.” I said to Emily.She was at my design shop at the agreed time. She was ready to design clothes, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to design anymore. People were calling me all sorts of things online. Some were even saying I was an embarrassment to the fashion industry.Others alleged I was a homewrecker since Nero was engaged to someone else before he announced to the world in a newspaper that I was his fiancée and his future wife. He made sure all the major blogs published articles with his name next to mine.What he didn’t know was that women were usually on the receiving ends of scandals since the dawn of history. If a man was caught cheating, the woman usually suffered the consequences while the man was said to have had a moment of weakness.Or he was said to have been seduced by a whore or a slutty woman who didn’t have an
Nero was leaving, and I didn’t want him to. But I couldn’t be a baby about it. I understood that he had responsibilities, and so did I. However, it didn’t mean I wouldn’t miss him.He had sacrificed a lot just by coming to me in the wake of what was happening in Russia. He was making headway there. He didn’t give me any details, but he promised to do so once he was finished with his plans.“I’ll try to be back in a week. I can’t allow anyone to throw you in jail.”I hugged him, putting my head on his chest. His muscular arms wrapped around me, completely enveloping me.“I’ll miss you,” I said as I lifted my head off him and got on the tip of my toes to kiss him. He wrapped his hands around my waist and kissed me back.Before we knew it, we were stumbling back to the bed and taking off each other’s clothes. We hadn’t had sex since he came back after my arrest because we were so concerned with the charges against me and my safety.His hands were all over me as mine were all over him. He
“Nero! There’s a strange man in our living room!” I screamed when I walked in and saw a guy sitting there with his legs on the table.He was dressed in dark cargo pants, combat boots, a black tee that hugged his firm muscles like a second skin, and a dark jacket on top. His long hair was in a man bun, and he had a full beard on his face.He reminded me of Roman Reigns, the wrestling champion. He had a grin on his face that I didn’t like when I screamed. He was amused by my fear, and it irked me. What kind of sick bastard enjoyed seeing fear?Nero was by my side in seconds. When he saw the man, his expression turned from concerned to sour.“Get your feet off my fucking table,” he said, and the man laughed, “I thought I told you not to scare my wife.”“One, she’s not your wife yet, and two, it’s not my fault she scares easily. She was the one who saw me sit here, and she freaked out. That’s hardly my fault, Nero.” The man answered.He spoke as you would expect a man like him to speak. H
“What the fuck happened, Dante? I went to Russia with full confidence that you would be able to take care of my wife, and you were unable to accomplish a task as simple as that.” I said.Angry wasn’t the word to describe what I was feeling. Imagine getting a call when you were across the continent that your wife had been arrested for assault and could face up to seven years in prison.I thought Dante was the best because I had trained him myself. Memories of how I had taken him off the street and trained him came to mind. I was looking for a killing machine.I thought I found it in Dante. While he wasn’t trained as young as I was, he was a quick learner, and he was willing to do anything to please me. Over the past few months, he had been failing at the task of protecting my future wife.I wasn’t happy. I still let him attend college classes when he wanted to, which wasn’t often because he seemed to have no interest in education. I tried to get him to see that education was important,
Nero embraced me as soon as I was out. He sighed in relief when he saw that in perfect health.“I go for two weeks, and this is what happens?” He asked. “Why didn’t you tell me what happened at the restaurant? I would have had them erase the evidence that you were there at all.”“I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t want you to come back to New York without finishing your work in Russia, and that’s exactly what happened anyway,” I said, “I’m sorry, Nero.”“You have nothing to be sorry for, birichina. Don’t apologize for protecting yourself.”Viktor didn’t even bother to show up for the arraignment because he knew Nero would be there. He was a coward at the end of the day, and I hoped he would just get hit by a car and die.He was punishing me after I retaliated to his harassment. I was having dinner with someone I wanted to hire, and he dared to show up and scare me. When he said he assaulted Lily, I lost it.I just wanted to punish him, and I didn’t think he would report me to the fu
Being in jail for one night was very scary. Luckily, I was alone there. However, it was very uncomfortable. My back was aching, and I was beginning to wonder if that was what prison felt like.I was starting to get scared. I didn’t want to end up spending a few years in prison. I wasn’t sure I could handle it. Not even one bit.Finally, it was time for my arraignment. I was taken to court, where Claire was waiting for me, and Nero was in the crowd. As usual, Viktor was not present. He wasn’t brave enough to appear wherever Nero was.It was honestly impressive that he was able to make it back to New York. I was sure he came to court immediately from the airport.We all rose when the judge came in.“People of New York versus Serena Marino.”My stomach was queasy, and I was so nervous. Everything was freaking me out. It was the first time I had ever been in trouble with the law.A court officer gestured for me to stand. The judge was an elderly man with glasses. He didn’t smile, which sp
I saw the challenging look in his eyes. He was expecting me to back down because of the peculiar nature of the whole situation. The contract had to be at least twenty pages long.However, he was offering a choice, which was not truly a choice. I could either tell him the truth or I could agree to s
The townhouse was amazing, and I was speechless. Nero asked me to settle in and meet him in the dining room.After he left, I opened the closet and was about to put my clothes there when I noticed all the designer clothing arranged there.The closet was packed with clothes of all brands, including
The urge to roll my eyes again was strong. He was very controlling, and it wasn’t even funny. I hated that he had forced me to relinquish all control over all the things we would do together.What right did he have?He didn’t even give me a chance to figure out what I would say to him. In one swift
When I walked out of the conference room, I was aware that all eyes were on me. After all, our boss had been kicked out of the conference room so Nero could have his way with me.My ass stung, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to sit down.I hated Nero. I would make sure he didn’t have an easy time







