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Nine
Last Updated:
2025-01-18 23:31:09
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The Don's Forbidden Muse Ten
I am lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My heart feels like it’s going to explode out of my chest. I have spent the last few hours trying to think of a way out of my current predicament, but I’ve come up with nothing. Sure, the plan of leaving is still the winning plan, but I would hate to give up without finding even a single clue about how to locate him. The only thing I discovered was that he was taken by the Romano mafia group, which Alessandro was so quick to dismiss. I know I don’t trust him, but the FBI hasn’t been of much help either. Every time I think about the man who had his guy electrocute me wanting to make me his mistress, and touch my body and do whatever he wants with it, it sends shivers down my spine.There is a light knock on my door, and when I lift my head, Bella is standing there, looking at me with a mixture of concern and confusion.“Renée, what’s wrong? You have been acting a little different la
Last Updated : 2025-01-19The Don's Forbidden Muse Eleven
"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
Last Updated : 2025-01-19The Don's Forbidden Muse 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 isn’t 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 doesn’t matter that we’re both old enough to drink—Bella 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 haven’t 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 Dell’s place. I haven’t been abl
Last Updated : 2025-01-19The Don's Forbidden Muse 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Muse 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Muse 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Don's Forbidden Muse 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-21The Don's Forbidden Muse 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-21
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The Don's Forbidden Muse Five
I should have gotten in the car and driven away, but I didn’t. There’s 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 isn’t about him—it’s 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 didn’t bother looking back to see where Alessandro went, but when I got in the car, I couldn’t see him where I had left him. I take a deep breath, trying to push away the storm of emotions he’s 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 don’t 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.It’s him.I’m tempted to roll my eyes. I don’t have the energy to deal with him again.“What do you want, Alessandro?” I ask in a flat voice.He taps the win
The Don's Forbidden Muse Four
My mind is racing, spiraling out of control, and I can’t stop it. I can’t think. I can’t move.I can’t breathe.The gun is pointed straight at me, and my chest tightens painfully. I can’t 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. It’s all too much. My legs feel weak beneath me, and I feel like they’re going to give out at any second.A gun. A goddamn gun.I’m gasping for air, each breath shallow and insufficient, until the sobs start—gut-wrenching, uncontrollable. My entire body is shaking as memories flood me, drowning me. I’m not here anymore. I’m 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 it’s being ripped apart all over again.I’m clawing at my chest now, desperate for air, desperate for something to ground me, but nothing works. Nothing. And
The Don's Forbidden Muse 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. It’s a thought I can’t shake as she gets closer. She’s 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 outfit—a simple blouse and jeans—looks 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?“Renée?” she says again, her brows furrowed in surprise, her lips curving into a half-smile. “I thought I saw someone who looked like you. What are you doing here?”I clear my throat, shrugging. “Nothing,” I reply, my voice clipped.She tilts her head, studying me. “Are you in therapy too?”I remain silent. It’s obvious. This building kind of hosts th
The Don's Forbidden Muse Two
I’m seated in an armchair across from Dr. Hensley; her office is as familiar to me as the scent of lavender she always diffuses. I’ve 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 don’t get much of a choice. It’s been years since I last saw her, but she hasn’t changed much. Her warm smile and attentive eyes make me feel like I’ve stepped back in time.“It’s good to see you again, Renée,” she says in a calm, steady voice, just as I remember. “It’s been what, two years, two and a half years?”I nod, my hands twisting together in my lap. “Something like that.”“And what brings you back to me after all this time?”I shrug. “You’re the only therapist I have in the country,” I joke, and she smiles, nodding.“That’s good to hear. Have you been doing more sessions back at home?”I look away when she asks that. I haven’t been as committed as I was supposed to be. When the nightmares stopped, so did the sessions.
The Don's Forbidden Muse Chapter One
Two Years Later“Roses?” Luca asks in a soft, curious voice.I nod. “Yes,” I say, smiling up at him. “But not just any roses. Red roses.”He chuckles, his arm brushing mine as we walk side by side. “Red roses, huh? Not white, not pink?”I nod again. “I love roses.”“You know, I never thought you’d be a rose-loving kind of girl. Roses seem… too ordinary,” he says, and I shrug.“I’m just an ordinary girl, Luca.”He shakes his head. “Not even in the slightest,” he says. “So, red roses it is.”I laugh. “If I were ever to get married, it would have to be red roses. They’re passionate, bold… beautiful.”“Point taken.” He gives a playful, mock-serious nod, and I nudge him with my elbow.“It’s just a joke,” I tease, grinning. “The marriage part. You don’t have to take notes. I mean, marriage? Who does that anymore?”He stops, turning to face me, his expression suddenly solemn. “I do. With you.”My smile fades, replaced by something warmer, something deeper. “Luca…”“I’m serious,” he says, tak
The Don's Forbidden Muse 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.“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” I say in a shaky voice."Renée.” His voice is calm and warm, steadying me even through the phone. “Breathe, amore. Everything is going to be perfect,” 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. “What if something goes wrong?” I whisper, voicing the fear that’s been eating me up all morning.It’s not like many people liked the idea of us getting married. Even getting here, we had to fight for it.
The Don's Forbidden Muse 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 Muse 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 Muse 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,
