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Eleven
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2025-01-19 20:00:00"I am so sorry, Renée. Look, you don’t have to worry because I won’t let him hurt you, I promise,” he says, and I shake my head in disbelief. I can’t believe he knew all that and still put my life at risk. I got tortured, for chrissake. Bella isn’t saying much, but I can tell that she, too, is disappointed in how Dell handled this. I thought he cared about me, but I guess I was wrong. He seems to care more about their case.
“How the hell are you supposed to protect her when you didn’t even know she had been abducted and tortured?” Bella asks him, and I am so glad that she is on my side; I thought she would take her brother’s side.
“I am the FBI. We will protect you. I would have done something if she had told me then,” he says, and Bella shakes her head.
“Because it’s your fucking job to know if one of your people is missing, Dell. I thought you knew better than that. Dad would
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The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Twelve
I take a sip of the whiskey and pass it to Bella, who does the same. We've been doing this for the last hour or so while watching a show on TV, but my mind isnโt on the show. We're seated on her bed, and the reason we're drinking here is because her parents have a strict no-drinking rule in their house. It doesnโt matter that weโre both old enough to drinkโBella is twenty-two and I turned twenty-four a couple of months ago. So, Bella stole the bottle from their cellar and brought it to the room. The silence between us is heavy, laden with all the unspoken fears and uncertainties of the past day. Dell said Agent Morales had extended my deadline to midnight, but the clock keeps ticking, and I still havenโt changed my mind about my decision. We keep sharing the bottle of whiskey, taking turns sipping from it, but neither of us feels the need to break the quiet. It is a strange kind of comfort, this mutual silence.The day has passed in a blur since we left Dellโs place. I havenโt been abl
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-19The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Thirteen
I take one last look at myself in the floor-length mirror and let out a long sigh before forcing a smile and adjusting my dress for the umpteenth time. It’s a sleek black number that hugs my curves in all the right places, with a daring neckline and a hemline that stops mid-thigh. The shimmering fabric catches the light as I move, making me feel like I belong in one of those high-end nightclubs I’ve only ever seen in movies. I decided to keep my natural hair, with a slight parting on the side and some curls framing my face, while the rest tumbles freely down my back. My makeup is smoky and bold, giving me a look of confidence that I don’t entirely feel.I rummage through my sling bag, making sure I have everything I need for the night, my fingers brushing against something familiar. I pull out a small, worn photograph of her, the most beautiful woman I have ever known, my mother. Her gentle smile and kind eyes stare back at me, and I feel a pang of guilt. I
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Fourteen
I wake up to the sensation of movement, my head throbbing and my face still covered by the cloth. The unmistakable hum of a car engine confirms that I’m in a moving vehicle.Great, I just got kidnapped again.I’m getting really tired of being chloroformed and dragged around against my will. At this rate, I might just develop PTSD. My brain quickly realizes that this is not a situation for an internal monologue, and I panic as I try to pull the cloth off my face. I quickly realize my hands are tied tightly. Yet another set of bruises on my wrists. This is why I wanted to leave—because honestly, this isn’t a life.The car comes to a stop, and I hear the door open. Someone roughly grabs my arm and pulls me out of the car. I stumble on my heels, my legs unsteady from the lingering effects of the drug. I’m dragged forward, and then I hear that familiar voice.“Take the covering off her face and untie her hands,” Alessa
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Fifteen
The door creaks open, and Luca steps in, catching me in the act of hastily pulling my dress back on. His expression is unreadable, and I wonder what he might think of the scene he just walked into. Without a word, he turns to Alessandro, whispers something to him, and Alessandro nods before turning to me.“Stay here,” he commands, and I don’t even respond. I'm still shaken by what just happened.He follows Luca out of the room, and relief washes over me momentarily. The violation of being made to undress like that lingers; I can't fathom how sick Alessandro must be to think that was an appropriate thing to do. If he wanted to check for a tracker, he could have found a woman in his gang to do it. I remember not seeing any women when we arrived here, but my face was covered most of the time. I’m sure he has female associates.I check inside my bra and sigh with relief when I feel the listening device tucked away softly. I had hidden it on i
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Sixteen
I am coiled at the far end of the bed, hugging my knees and covering my ears as tears keep falling. He was shot dead because I lied that he had the device. The door is unlocked, and Alessandro enters, looking calm as if he didn’t just commit a violent act. His face is masked with controlled fury as he dismisses Luca with a sharp gesture. I shrink back against the headboard, terrified to even breathe as he closes the door behind him.I know I'm next.“I told you to stay here. Why the fuck didn’t you listen to me?” His voice cuts through the air like a knife, sharp and demanding. I can’t meet his eyes; my gaze fixed downward as tears well up.“Answer me!” he yells, and I jump back, scared as more tears escape.“I... I just want to go home,” I manage to choke out, my voice shaking. He scoffs and shakes his head in disbelief.“And you thought you could just walk past more than ten of my guys a
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-21The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Seventeen
I have been tossing and turning most of the night because there is no way in hell I can sleep in a strange place full of mafia men knowing that my friend isn’t safe. When I think of the mission I am supposed to do, it gets even worse. I hear a knock on the door, and my heart jumps into my throat. The door swings open, and I scramble to sit up, regretting not locking myself inside the room. Alessandro and Luca step inside, both changed from the outfits they had on last night. Luca has a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. I push myself back against the headboard, my eyes darting between them.“Morning, sunshine. Time to go,” Luca says, throwing the duffel on the bed, startling me for a moment.“Get up,” Alessandro commands, his voice cold. I get to my feet slowly, keeping as much distance as I can. I am never a morning person, but given that I wasn’t getting any sleep either, I just want this day to be done with so that I can have my
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-21The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Eighteen
I am frozen.I blink twice just to make sure this is not just another one of my dreams. She is supposed to be missing, along with Alessandro’s other mistresses. That’s what Dell said—they all vanished, and the feds were trying to figure out what had happened to them, or rather, what Alessandro had done to them. So unless Mia has a twin, someone somewhere has been lying or hiding something because this woman here doesn’t look like someone who has been missing for over six months. She looks healthy, happy even.She is drop-dead gorgeous. The picture I saw of her didn’t do her any justice. As a photographer, I know that photos are usually the best version of someone. For her, it’s the total opposite.She has a cascade of fully curly hair, and I’m wondering why she gets to have that much hair. I would kill to have such hair without having to add clip-ons. I know it’s all hers because of the way she has styled it in an
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-21The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Nineteen
I don’t like that she is so calm about this, but she seems to know what she is doing, and I just want to get this job done and get my friend back so that we can go home. As we approach Alessandro’s compound, my sense of unease keeps growing. If Maria sees me again, she will know that I have had more than one encounter with her husband, and that is the one thing that I don’t want. The gate opens, and my heart beats even faster. Luca walks out, looking displeased. Mia slows the car when he steps in front of it, making her stop. She smiles and lowers the window as he approaches.“Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Luca demands, his eyes narrowing.Mia leans out of the window, completely unfazed by his question.“Hi to you too, Luca. I haven’t missed you at all,” she says, and I can tell from Luca’s expression that they probably do not like each other. There seems to be a negative tension b
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-01-22
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The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Five
I should have gotten in the car and driven away, but I didnโt. Thereโs a part of me that feels if I leave without getting the answers I came for from Jamie, it would feel like Alessandro has won. This isnโt about himโitโs about Luca. And if I have to sit in this car and cry my heart out while I wait for Jamie to show up, then so be it.I didnโt bother looking back to see where Alessandro went, but when I got in the car, I couldnโt see him where I had left him. I take a deep breath, trying to push away the storm of emotions heโs stirred up. My hands are still shaking as I fumble inside my bag for my handkerchief. My mind is a jumbled mess of anger, grief, and exhaustion. I donโt know why he thought saying all that to me was okay.I hear a tap on my window and sniffle as I quickly wipe my tears with the back of my hand, looking up.Itโs him.Iโm tempted to roll my eyes. I donโt have the energy to deal with him again.โWhat do you want, Alessandro?โ I ask in a flat voice.He taps the win
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Four
My mind is racing, spiraling out of control, and I canโt stop it. I canโt think. I canโt move.I canโt breathe.The gun is pointed straight at me, and my chest tightens painfully. I canโt see clearly; my vision is blurry, and I can feel the panic attack slowly taking over. My breathing speeds up, turning into gasps for air. Itโs all too much. My legs feel weak beneath me, and I feel like theyโre going to give out at any second.A gun. A goddamn gun.Iโm gasping for air, each breath shallow and insufficient, until the sobs startโgut-wrenching, uncontrollable. My entire body is shaking as memories flood me, drowning me. Iโm not here anymore. Iโm back there, on that day, hearing the shot.The sound of it echoes in my mind, loud and clear, as if it just happened. I see Luca falling, his blood staining the ground. My heart feels like itโs being ripped apart all over again.Iโm clawing at my chest now, desperate for air, desperate for something to ground me, but nothing works. Nothing. And
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Three
I just stare at her as she walks toward me, too frozen to move even if I wanted to. Motherhood has done Maria good, no doubt. Itโs a thought I canโt shake as she gets closer. Sheโs radiant, more stunning than I remember. Time has softened her, and, contrary to what anyone would expect, motherhood has only made her more beautiful. Her features are sharper but still delicate. Her skin glows, her hair falls in soft waves around her face, and even her casual outfitโa simple blouse and jeansโlooks like it was made for her. I hate that I can notice even the tiniest details that make her this beautiful. How much more beauty can one person have?โRenรฉe?โ she says again, her brows furrowed in surprise, her lips curving into a half-smile. โI thought I saw someone who looked like you. What are you doing here?โI clear my throat, shrugging. โNothing,โ I reply, my voice clipped.She tilts her head, studying me. โAre you in therapy too?โI remain silent. Itโs obvious. This building kind of hosts th
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Two
Iโm seated in an armchair across from Dr. Hensley; her office is as familiar to me as the scent of lavender she always diffuses. Iโve never been much of a fan of coming here, but when you go through a traumatizing and life-altering event like the one I did, you donโt get much of a choice. Itโs been years since I last saw her, but she hasnโt changed much. Her warm smile and attentive eyes make me feel like Iโve stepped back in time.โItโs good to see you again, Renรฉe,โ she says in a calm, steady voice, just as I remember. โItโs been what, two years, two and a half years?โI nod, my hands twisting together in my lap. โSomething like that.โโAnd what brings you back to me after all this time?โI shrug. โYouโre the only therapist I have in the country,โ I joke, and she smiles, nodding.โThatโs good to hear. Have you been doing more sessions back at home?โI look away when she asks that. I havenโt been as committed as I was supposed to be. When the nightmares stopped, so did the sessions.
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Chapter One
Two Years LaterโRoses?โ Luca asks in a soft, curious voice.I nod. โYes,โ I say, smiling up at him. โBut not just any roses. Red roses.โHe chuckles, his arm brushing mine as we walk side by side. โRed roses, huh? Not white, not pink?โI nod again. โI love roses.โโYou know, I never thought youโd be a rose-loving kind of girl. Roses seemโฆ too ordinary,โ he says, and I shrug.โIโm just an ordinary girl, Luca.โHe shakes his head. โNot even in the slightest,โ he says. โSo, red roses it is.โI laugh. โIf I were ever to get married, it would have to be red roses. Theyโre passionate, boldโฆ beautiful.โโPoint taken.โ He gives a playful, mock-serious nod, and I nudge him with my elbow.โItโs just a joke,โ I tease, grinning. โThe marriage part. You donโt have to take notes. I mean, marriage? Who does that anymore?โHe stops, turning to face me, his expression suddenly solemn. โI do. With you.โMy smile fades, replaced by something warmer, something deeper. โLucaโฆโโIโm serious,โ he says, tak
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Chasing After Her Ghost
PrologueTwo Years AgoMy phone is pressed to my ear, my hand shaking slightly as I pace around the room. My wedding dress brushes softly against the floor with every step I take, the delicate lace catching the light streaming through the tall windows.Saying I am nervous would be the understatement of the year.โI feel like Iโm going to throw up,โ I say in a shaky voice."Renรฉe.โ His voice is calm and warm, steadying me even through the phone. โBreathe, amore. Everything is going to be perfect,โ he says, and I sigh, smiling.I stop and stare at my reflection in the floor-length mirror, taking in the nervous girl staring back at me. She is beautiful. I am beautiful. This dress is perfection, and it makes me feel beautiful, so I hate that I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach. โWhat if something goes wrong?โ I whisper, voicing the fear thatโs been eating me up all morning.Itโs not like many people liked the idea of us getting married. Even getting here, we had to fight for it.
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Epilogue
One year laterThe soft click of the camera is the only sound in the room as I lean in closer, adjusting the angle to capture the perfect shot. My client is seated on the velvet chaise, draped in delicate lace. Her confidence radiates through the lens, and she is beautiful. The natural light streaming through the tall windows bathes her in a warm glow, highlighting every curve and detail.“Beautiful,” I murmur in a steady voice as I guide her. “Tilt your chin slightly… yes, just like that. Perfect.”This is my world now. My studio, my work, my passion. It’s been over a year and a half since I found my footing in this country, and my boudoir photography has taken off in ways I never imagined. Had someone told me I would stay here and make it my home after all the tragedies that happened, I would have laughed in their face. But here I am. High-end clients, features in glossy magazines—it’s everything I dreamed of an
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Ninety Five
I open my eyes, and the splitting headache is a clear reminder of the hangover from last night. I think I might have had a little too much to drink. My body is tangled in soft linen sheets that aren’t mine. I quickly sit up, blinking against the brightness streaming through the curtains. For a moment, everything is hazy—the room, the night, and the nagging sense of regret clawing at the edges of my mind.I push myself up slowly, the cozy carpet beneath my feet unfamiliar. Panic starts to creep in as I take in the space. A strange home. My mind is slowly piecing everything together, and then it hits me—Luca. The bar. The bathroom. His bed.“Oh my god,” I whisper, my hands flying to my face.What the hell have I done?The events of last night quickly come crashing in. What we did didn’t just stop in that bar bathroom. Somehow, we ended up here, and we didn’t stop until... I shake my head, trying to will the memories
The Don's Forbidden Museย ย ย Ninety Four
The restaurant is quiet. Too quiet. I’m seated at the center of it, watching the soft shadows cast across the empty tables around me by the flickering candlelight. The dress delivered earlier fits like a glove, hugging my curves and making me feel beautiful, but I’m slowly starting to feel less and less beautiful as time keeps passing by. Sitting here alone in this massive restaurant feels uncomfortable.I swirl the wine in my glass, the rich red liquid catching the light. I sigh and take a sip. It’s my third—or is it my fourth? I’ve lost count. I don’t normally get drunk on wine, but if I keep taking one glass after another, I’ll be tipsy by the time this date even starts. I glance at my phone for the umpteenth time, the screen lighting up with the same message he sent over forty-five minutes ago:I’ll be late, but I’m on my way. Order something, love.That word love feels hollow now. I check the time again,
