She doesn't belong to his world, where men like him rule and women are put up on auction blocks to be sold to the highest bidder. — When Sienna Williams meets Giovanni Adams, the Lord of the Italian Mafia, she has no idea that her life is about to change. Agreeing to his proposition of spending just one night in his bed as repayment for a debt, she's set her mind on what to expect from this ruthless, dangerous business man. But what she finds out is that there's more to Giovanni that meets the eye, and sadly, one night with him will simply not be enough. Giovanni Adams is cruel, vicious and mean. He always gets what he wants. And no one owes him. Ever. When Ciara Williams betrays him, he goes for the only treasure she has left in the world. Her sister, Sienna. Sienna's fierceness excites his primal instincts, and he was rest assured that one night in his bed would quench this sudden, burning passion.
View MorePagi itu cuaca di Kota Padang sangat cerah, Ridwan dan Kintani yang hari itu berencana pulang bareng ke kampung untuk melaksanakan acara pertunangan mereka, telah berada di beranda rumah Pak Hendra dan Bu Indri orang tua angkat dari Ridwan.
“Moga acara pertunangan kalian berjalan dengan lancar,” harapan dan do’a dari Bu Indri.
“Amin,” ucap Ridwan dan Kintani berbarengan.
“Kami pamit untuk pulang ke kampung,” sambung Ridwan dan Kintani sembari bergantian menyalami Pak Hendra dan Bu Indri.
“Iya Nak, hati-hati di jalan ya? Sampaikan salam kami pada kedua orang tua kalian,” pinta Pak Hendra, Kintani dan Ridwan anggukan kepala seraya tersenyum.
Perjalanan dari Kota Padang menuju kenagarian tempat mereka dilahirkan, kurang-lebih selama 5 jam. Sekitar jam 1 siang lewat belasan menit mobil yang dikemudikan Kintani berhenti di depan rumah orang tua Ridwan, Kintani hanya turun dan singgah sebentar kemudian ia masuk kembali ke dalam mobil dan berlalu menuju rumah orang tuanya.
Berkaitan dengan kesepakatan yang telah direncanakan jauh-jauh hari oleh kedua orang tua Ridwan dan Kintani untuk segera mengikat putra-putri mereka dalam ikatan pertunangan, maka Ridwan dan Kintani memutuskan untuk pulang ke kampung hari itu.
Keputusan mereka pulang ke kampung bukan tampa alasan, di samping ingin mensegerakan acara pertunangan mereka, saat itu pula bertepatan dengan libur semester kuliah Kintani. Acara pertunangan itu sendiri rencananya akan dilaksanakan besok pagi, pihak keluarga Ridwan telah menyewa kendaraan untuk pergi bersama-sama mengunjungi rumah keluarga Kintani.
Cuaca pagi itu kurang bersahabat, awan hitam berpadu kompak menutup kebiruan langit. Tak lama hujanpun turun semakin lama semakin lebat, namun hal itu bukanlah penghalang bagi keluarga Ridwan untuk melaksanakan rencana mereka berkunjung ke rumah keluarga Kintani.
Dengan mobil avanza yang disewa Ridwan beserta supirnya, berangkatlah Ridwan dan kedua orang beserta Fitria Adik kandungnya menuju rumah kediaman keluarga Kintani yang terletak di kenagarian P.
Sekitar 15 menit mobil avanza yang di dalamnya Ridwan dan keluarganya tiba di halaman rumah megah milik Pak Wisnu sekeluarga, dengan menggunakan payung mereka turun dari mobil lalu melangkah ke teras rumah.
“Asalamualaikum,” ucap Pak Rustam sekelurga.
“Waalaikum salam,” sahut Pak Wisnu sekeluarga dari dalam rumah.
“Mari silahkan masuk!” ajak Pak Wisnu diiringi anggota keluarganya menghampiri Pak Rustam sekeluarga di depan pintu.
“Terima kasih, Pak Wisnu,” ucap Pak Rustam.
Di ruangan yang telah dipersiapkan untuk acara pertunangan antara Ridwan dan Kintani itu, kedua kelompok keluarga duduk secara adat-istiadat yang hingga kini masih berlaku di kenagarian di Provinsi Sumatera Barat itu.
Bagi yang pria duduk bersila, sementara bagi kaum wanitanya duduk bersimpuh. Setelah saling memperkenalkan diri, tibalah saatnya di mana Mamak ( Paman ) dari Kintani yang memiliki kedudukan tinggi secara adat dalam keluarga Minang berpepatah petitih memulai acara.
“Bapak Rustam yang kami hormati, sebelum berlanjut ke acara inti. Ada baiknya kami bertanya dulu, apa maksud dan tujuan Bapak datang berkunjung ke sini?” tanya Gindo Pamannya Kintani.
“Yang kami hormati saudara Gindo Paman dari Kintani, adapun maksud kedatangan kami ke sini, untuk meminang kemenakan saudara menjadi menantu kami,” jawab Pak Rustam.
“Sebelumnya saya juga ingin bertanya, ke manakah Paman dari Ridwan? Kenapa dia tidak hadir di sini? Apakah Ridwan tidak memiliki Paman lagi?”
“Maafkan kami saudara Gindo, bukannya kami memandang enteng adat dengan tidak menghadirkan Paman dari putra kami di sini. Melainkan beliau jauh berada di Pulau Jawa, sebelum kami ke sini terlebih dahulu telah merembukan maksud dan tujuan kami ini, beliau memberi mandat kepada saya untuk mewakilinya menyampai maksud dan tujuan yang kami sampaikan tadi,” tutur Pak Rustam.
“Baiklah Bapak Rustam, ikan di lubuk telah jelas jantan-betinanya, sama halnya kami telah jelas juga maksud dan tujuan Bapak sekeluarga ke sini. Kami juga sebelumnya telah berembuk sebelum menyediakan ruangan ini tempat kita akan mengadakan acara ikatan pertunangan antara Ridwan putra Bapak Rustam dengan Kintani putri Bapak Wisnu kemenakan Sutan Bagindo, ada satu pertanyaan lagi yang ingin kami ajukan,” ujar Paman Gindo berpepatah petitih.
“Silahkan saudara Gindo, apa yang hendak saudara tanyakan lagi?”
“Kita di Tanah Minangkabau ini terdiri dari berbagai macam suku, tidak memiliki suku berarti tidak memiliki adat. Yang ingin kami tanyakan, apakah Ridwan putra Bapak memiliki suku yang di dasarkan dari garis keturunan Ibunya?” tanya Paman Gindo.
“Tentu saja ada saudara Gindo, karena kami merupakan orang Minang yang hingga saat ini masih menjunjung tinggi adat-istiadat dan tradisi. Berdasarkan garis keturunan Ibu maka putra kami Ridwan bersuku Caniago,” tutur Pak Rustam.
Bukan kepalang terkejutnya seluruh keluarga Kintani, itu disebabkan bukan karena adanya petir yang menggelegar di sela lebatnya hujan di luar rumah, akan tetapi karena penuturan Pak Rustam yang mengatakan jika Ridwan bersuku caniago. Terutama Sutan Bagindo Pamannya Kintani, ia sempat terlonjak saat duduk bersila di ruangan itu, namun ia berusaha untuk meredam emosinya ketika ia melirik ke arah kedua orang tua Kintani.
Paman Gindo beringsut dari duduknya menghampiri Pak Rustam duduk di arah berlawan di ruangan itu, Pak Rustam sendiri sama sekali belum tahu penyebab seluruh keluarga Kintani terkejut akan pernyataan yang ia berikan tadi.
“Uda Rustam, sebaiknya kita bicarakan ini di ruangan tengah. Di mana hanya boleh ikut serta kedua orang tua Kintani, Uda Rustam dan Uni Suci. Ridwan dan Kintani untuk sementara biar menunggu di sini,” pinta Paman Gindo berbisik dengan Pak Rustam.
“Baiklah, mari!” Pak Rustam berdiri dari duduknya setelah mengajak Bu Suci mereka ikut masuk ke ruangan tengah di mana di sana telah menunggu kedua orang tua Kintani dan Paman Gindo.
Ridwan dan Kintani yang tidak diajak ikut ke ruangan tengah tampak duduk berhadap-hadapan dengan jarak selebar ruangan depan rumah mewah milik Pak Wisnu sekeluarga itu, tak ada sepatah katapun yang terucap di bibir keduanya, mereka kelihatan bingung kenapa Paman Gindo mengajak kedua orang tua mereka ke ruangan tengah untuk membicarakan sesuatu yang tentunya dirahasiakan dari mereka berdua.
“Maaf sebelumnya, ada gerangan apa saudara Gindo meminta kami berdua ke ruangan ini?” tanya Pak Rustam.
“Celaka Uda Rustam! Ini benar-benar buruk dan berbahaya, kami sama sekali tak menyangka,” ujar Paman Gindo.
“Celaka bagaimana? Kami tidak mengerti,” kembali Pak Rustam bertanya.
“Uda Rustam pasti tahu jika di Tanah Minang ini banyak sekali terdapat suku-suku, yang mana dalam ketentuan adat-istiadat kita, dilarang untuk menjalin cinta kasih apalagi sampai menikah sepesukuan,” tutur Paman Gindo.
“Maksud saudara Gindo...,” belum selesai Pak Rustam berucap, Paman Gindo memotong.
StefanSpring, One Year Later* * *She never did sign those annulment papers. My stubborn, beautiful wife.I stood drinking coffee at the kitchen window, watching Veronica talk to one of the workers. Charlie, full grown and weighing eighty pounds, never left her side.We'd come back to Tuscany a few days after the bank took possession of the house in Philadelphia. Robyn had come with us and would be starting her final year at a school in Florence geared toward gifted musicians.Thanks to their grandfather's greed, Veronica and Robyn had lost everything. Guardia Winery no longer existed, except as an example of corruption and destruction.Robyn never spoke about any of it. She rarely mentioned her grandfather at all. Veronica worried, but Italy was a good move for her. It got her away from everything, the past, the publicity, gave her anonymity again, and hopefully would give her a fresh start.I finished my coffee and set the mug in the sink before walking outside. Veronica waved whe
Veronica"Well, I wouldn't want to put you out. You've probably been busy tonight, putting someone else to bed." I didn't mean for it to come out angry like it did."Ah." He finished his drink and poured another. "The truth.""I never lie to you.""You did once.""When?""You lied to protect your sister."I felt heat flush my face. How had he known?"I haven't put anyone to bed but you since we've been together," he said, cockiness gone."Oh.""Did you really think otherwise?""I don't know what to think. You don't have to be married to me anymore. I'm really more of a liability now.""I think of you as a human being, not a liability.""But I'm not an asset either.""Human being. Don't feel sorry for yourself, Veronica. Shit happened to you. You survived it, and you will now move forward. Welcome to life.""Piss off."His face changed, hardening a little. "Be careful, sweetheart."Sweetheart. God, I loved when he called me Sweetheart. "I'm not feeling sorry for myself.""Then ask the
VeronicaThe house had never felt like home to me. I didn't want to stay here and wouldn't have if it weren't for Robyn. But she'd been closer to our grandfather than I ever had been. And she'd lived here for as long as she could remember.After the very public scandal, Grandfather took the plea deal he was offered, which meant a reduced prison sentence—they took into consideration his age—in exchange for full disclosure. He'd kept meticulous notes, so much like him. In addition to the notebook Robyn had found, there were three others. At least three that were uncovered. I wondered if there were more. If he'd ever tell us. The land in Italy was auctioned off, bought by Vincent Moriarty of all people. And what a deal he got. It was unfair, but it was also finished.I saw my grandfather during his sentencing. I watched from inside the courtroom. I didn't make physical contact with him. Seeing him like that, up there looking smaller, older, I wondered if there was something wrong with me
StefanShe finally quieted.Fuck. I hadn't come here to fuck her. I hadn't."You still want me to let you go?"She shook her head.I released her wrists and flipped her over onto her belly, then straddled her again, trapping her beneath me."I love you," I said, reaching over to grab the bottle of hand moisturizer she had on the nightstand. "But you're a pain in my ass." I drew her hips up, so she was on her knees. "Don't get up," I told her when she started to rise. I pushed her knees apart with mine and fisted a handful of her hair, pushing her face down into the bed. "Ass up, face down. Understand?""Stefan—"I slapped her hip—not hard, but enough to get her attention. She cried out and looked back at me from the corner of her eye."Understand?""Yes.""Good." I let go of her hair and twisted the lid off the lotion, squeezing about half the tube on her lower back. "Now like I said," I started, unzipping my jeans and pushing them and my briefs down, my cock like steel in anticipatio
VeronicaI felt stronger, like the effects of the wine were wearing off. Maybe it was the water or the coffee, but I had a feeling it was the anger inside me burning away the alcohol more than anything else.But then he said what he said."If you wanted me out of your life, you would have signed the annulment papers."And I knew it was true. He was right. If I wanted him out, I would have signed and put all this behind me."I've changed my mind, anyway. You're not going anywhere, Veronica.""Not until you have my signature, you mean? Did you bring a clean copy of the paperwork?""You're being stupid.""No, I think the word is naive. You used that once too, didn't you? You had my number all along. I was the fool to fall for it, for your tortured soul act. Get out. I mean it.""No.""Get the fuck out."He cocked his head to the side. "Fine. You want me out? Make me go."I narrowed my eyes and went toward him. With both my hands on his hard chest, I shoved him backward.Except he didn't
VeronicaI left by train from Siena to Venice that evening. Once I checked into a small hotel, I called the attorney who'd overheard my conversation with my grandfather and left him my address, telling him to forward any paperwork to me here. I called Robyn and told her I was in Venice, told her what had happened and what I'd done, and told her I needed to be off-line for a few days.I missed Charlie. I missed cuddling up with him on my lap, missed his unconditional love.The first twelve days I spent in bed, feeling sorry for myself.On the thirteenth day, someone knocked on the door. When I told whoever it was to go away, they answered that I had received a package.Reluctantly, I went to the door, cringing when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I opened it and took the large white envelope, assuming it was paperwork about Robyn's guardianship. I pushed the shutters and window open to let in some fresh air and sunshine. The room smelled stale, and it seemed my sadness had
StefanIt had taken all I had to turn my back on Veronica and walk out of that office. I knocked someone's shoulder on my way out but didn't look back, didn't apologize, couldn't stop. I went out the door and into the hallway and flew down the stairs and out the front doors where I stopped, gasping for breath, my hands on my knees, wanting to vomit.Lying to Veronica on the chapel floor, that had wounded me. But this? Today? Leaving her like that, signing that damned contract and walking out on her, it finished me. I'd promised her truth, and I'd kept my promise, finally. And it destroyed me.I straightened, wiping sweat off my forehead.I didn't remember walking through the city to the parking garage. Didn't remember driving home. As soon as I stepped out of the car, though, Charlie came running to me. I stopped and looked down at him. Watched him wait for the passenger side door to open, for Veronica to step out. He barked several times, ran back to me, tail wagging, then returned t
VeronicaAfter Stefan left the office, I stood in the room, staring after him. Staring at the space where he'd just been before falling back into my chair, my legs unable to support me.I wasn't sure what would be easier, thinking he didn't love me or knowing the truth. Although I guess I knew there was no easy. This would hurt. It would hurt for a very long time.My grandfather and the attorneys walked back into the room. No one seemed to take notice of me. Grandfather set the ring and pen aside and checked the signature on the contract."It's done," he said, handing it to one of the men who slipped it into his briefcase then clicked it closed. No one sat back down. "Gentlemen, thank you. I'll be in touch."They were shaking hands, almost at the door, when I spoke. "Why did you want the marriage consummated?"They all stopped. Someone cleared their throat. My grandfather turned to me, a coldness in his eyes that chilled me, then shifted his attention back to them."Forward official c
VeronicaStefan shifted his gaze from my grandfather to me, but his eyes revealed nothing. My hand rested in his. His thumb drew circles in my palm.The longer he took, the heavier the silence grew, the more tears welled in my eyes.This was it.Stefan and I were finished.My grandfather cleared his throat and rose from his seat. "Five minutes, or the offer expires, and you can take your chances on the payout." He buttoned his jacket. "I'll be outside."We didn't watch him go, and we didn't speak for an eternity after the door closed.Stefan stood and went to one of the two windows. "I thought you were dead," he said, his back to me."What?" I started, swallowing the lump in my throat.He faced me but remained where he was. "I have this nightmare—I've had it for six years now—where I keep seeing the fire at the house, keep running inside to save my mother, and keep finding her too late."A weight heavy as a pile of bricks settled in the room with us."Well, it changed over the last fe
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