LOGINLILIAN'S P.O.VLucas didn't pull away immediately as I expected him toRage tightened his muscles at Rick's laughter. “We'll come back to this” he whispered into my ear, kissing my neck one last time before settling me in the passenger's seat of his carHis promises fell over me like a dark, warm cloak. Even though Rick and Ryan were now standing in front of Lucas' car, all I could feel was the needI wasn't scared of what they'd do if things didn't work out anymore. After all, Lucas had seen the videos and pictures of me fùcking thsoe two brothers I deliberately showed it to him, thinking he'd be disgusted and let me fight this battle alone. But Lucas only took my phone from my hands, deleted the videos, and asked a simple question ‘What are we going to do about this?’He has seen the worst part of me and still chose to stay. What other form of confirmation do I need?He climbed down from his car and turned around to open the door on my side. Ryan snickered, rolling his eyes.Lucas
LILIAN'S P.O VRyan had footages that would destroy my life And by destroy, I mean the kind that would make me slit my veins and dump myself in the farthest laggon from the Cappellucci mansion My throat tightened as I sat in Lucas's sports car. If it weren't for him, maybe I would have taken my chances with the Lagoon But there was too much I didn't want to lose. I still wanted to keep seeing my grandmother, even though she doesn't know who I am anymore. I still wanted to see my mother, at least onceI want to ask her if she was truly happy to abandon me? Why didn't she ever visit, not once over the years? I wanted to visit Disneyland again, this time with someone, I don't know who, only that that person has to be very special to me, because that place was special tooI shifted in the car seat, the expensive leather crinkling under my weight. The single bulb in the abandoned parking lot flickered once, its orange light blinking with a buzz. Ryan had given us this address after ou
CALISTA'S P.O.VRoman arrived with the company.My jaw almost touched the floor in surprise when I heard Isabella's cheerful voice knocking on my bedroom doorI dashed out and met her in the hallway, she looked different, brighter than I remembered. Her smile vanished when I opened the door“Calista, how've you—”The rest of her words were cut off because I engulfed her in a hug so tight, I'm so she must have choked but didn't say it for friendship's sake. It's been so long since we saw each other, and a lot has been going on lately, seeing Isabella in person was like a short relief to those couple of daysBetween the silent tension on Roman's shoulders, Lilian drifting away, the kids rescued, it's as if everyone in this house seemed to know something that I didn't, and between it all I was losing my mindI sniffled, tasting salt on my lips. It was only when Isabella pulled back and studied my face curiously that I realized I had been crying Her brows furrowed together in worry, she
ROMAN'S P.O.VIf I listened carefully, I could hear the seconds ticking inside my headOne...two...one...two...One of my men pours whiskey into three shot glasses on the coffee table while we sit centered around it. I take mine and knock it down my throat the second he finishes “You can help me get the Brother” I muse aloud even as Isabella winces while taking the liquor. “This whiskey is very strong” she says almost disapprovingly, Fabiano mutters a laugh and finishes the contents of his glass in one shot “You can help me get the brother” I repeated aloud, watching her intently.Isabella takes out a napkin from her purse and wipes the corner of her mouth. “Yes Romano” she answers “I can help you get inside the Brotherhood circle and if you play your cards right, we can find out who the brother is and burn this organization to shambles”“Hmm,” I lean back against my swirling chair. I had this room tailored to suit and an underground office, and only used it for very serious, bloody
CALISTA'S P.O.VI left the bedroom not so long after Roman. After that delicious breakfast, I bathed, had my morning skin care routine, dressed up, and stepped out into the hallway.I made my way from the hallway to the living room then outside, encountering only a few staff members going about their daily activities.The Villa wasn't the same as it used to be. There was no loud pop music playing from a boombox, Roman wasn't in his office working as he used to, no sign of Lilian anywhere and I hadn't heard from Alberto since.Not surprising at all. It's as though the last few months had created some sort of separation between all of us. Nonna had long moved out to her retirement home on the far side of the City, Lucas and Lilian were....I don't know what's going on between the two of them, but I sense Alberto doesn't like it at all.I tried to push that worry aside for another time as I waited for Vincent. I had asked one of the staff to call him for me. I stood at the top of the po
ROMAN'S P.O.VThere were only a few people I trusted in this world and I could count them on one finger and still have digits left.Fabiano was one of them. As young boys, our fathers had tossed us together during Capo meetings. I met him a few weeks after Elio had forced me to make my first kill. Fabiano had also been put through the same test by his father, but he had failed.I could remember sitting in the over-spaced library of Mancini's Home, watching his father talk with disappointment about how his son was too sickly and weak, unfit to be the next Capo of the New York familia. Elio had laughed, tapped me on the shoulder, and narrated how I killed a man a few weeks before. My old devil over-exaggerated my ‘achievement’ making it look as though I killed the man out of bravery when in truth, he had forced me to.Mancini was pleased with me, he urged me to make friends with his son so he could have some of my courage. I wasn't interested in any friendships at the time. I couldn't
ROMAN'S P. O.VThe Phoenix wasn't just any casino; it was where the men of the Outfit operated, A kingdom I ruled. A kingdom I decided who walked out alive from. I checked my phone for messages from Riccardo. Calista doesn't know it yet, but Riccardo isn't just a chauffeur to drive her around, he'
CALISTA'S P.O.VI measured out the flour, sugar, and salt, then I proceeded to mix out the dry ingredients in a bowl.The day before yesterday had ended well; we signed the lease and stayed a while at the shop that was now ours while making plans for designs and setup.As much as I feel excited to
ROMAN'S P.O.VThere had been a moment, that one moment when I saw my Calista.Not the one who had learned how to steel her spine and act nonchalantly towards me, but the one who I gave a tour of New York, the girl who danced with me like the world belonged to us, the one I couldn't resist when I sa
CALISTA'S P.O.VThe old photography studio served as an office, a showroom, and an event planning base. Lilian and I were still knee-deep in the process of getting things ready, Painting the walls, making the first designs, building the business from scratch, sourcing for first clients, and all of







