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Chapter 45: The Cost of Regret
Last Updated:
2025-04-02 23:07:35
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The Mafia Debt Chapter 46: Every Penny She Owns
AriaThe water from the shower cascaded down my body, each drop a small comfort against my skin. I tilted my head back, letting the warm stream wash over my face, hoping it would clear my mind. Max was making dinner tonight—his famous pasta with the sauce his grandmother taught him to make. I should have been excited. Any other day, I would've been.But these last few days, something felt off.It wasn't just paranoia. Every time Max went out of town, that creeping sensation returned—the feeling of being watched, followed.I shut off the water and wrapped a towel around myself, my skin prickling with goosebumps despite the steam filling the bathroom. As I padded across our bedroom, I glanced at the framed sketch Max had done of me sleeping. He'd caught me in a rare peaceful moment, free from the nightmares that still occasionally haunted me.The sound of the front door opening pulled me from my thoughts."Aria?" Max's voice called out. "You home?""In the bedroom," I called back, quick
Last Updated : 2025-04-02The Mafia Debt Chapter 47: Lover, Liar, Stranger
AriaThere was a moment of stunned silence, then a chuckle that haunted my nightmares."Well, well. If it isn't my darling daughter."My father. Silas.My knees nearly buckled. "How—" I swallowed hard. "You're supposed to be—""Dead? Locked up?" His laugh was dry, humorless. "Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart.""What are you doing?" I demanded. "What is Max to you?""Ah, Maxwell," my father said, his tone disturbingly pleased. "Such a useful young man. So eager to help when I told him about a certain mob boss who needed to be taught a lesson. And about his lovely little captive who needed rescuing.""You sent him? To—to what? Spy on me?""Among other things," my father replied. "The money from Cassian is quite substantial. Did you know that? Of course not. Cassian wouldn't have told you. He wanted to keep you dependent on him."My head spun. "That's not true.""Isn't it? Why do you think he kept you around? Out of the goodness of his heart?" My father's laugh was cruel. "Men like Ca
Last Updated : 2025-04-06The Mafia Debt Chapter 48: The Devil Goes to War
Cassian My mind wasn't on the job; I was distracted. I let my feelings cloud my judgment, and now LucasI is dead. All because I took my eyes off the ball. Everyone is out there looking for Silas, but the fucker has gone into hiding. He's probably burrowed himself underground. But he won't stay underground for long. The first place he would head to would be Italy. To her. To Aria. If he wants a war, he will get a war. I slammed my fist against the wall, feeling the plaster crack under the impact. The pain shooting up my arm was nothing compared to the rage boiling inside me. Lucas's blood was on my hands. His lifeless body discovered in that cell haunted me every time I closed my eyes. "VIKTOR!" I bellowed, my voice echoing through the hallway. My second-in-command appeared almost instantly. "Boss?" "Any word from our contacts in Florence?" I demanded, pacing the length of my office like a caged animal. "Nothing concrete yet. But we've got eyes at every airport, train station, an
Last Updated : 2025-04-07The Mafia Debt Chapter 49: The Stranger I Loved
Aria I woke up gasping for air, my hands flying to my throat. The memory of Max's fingers crushing my windpipe made me choke on nothing but fear. For a moment, I didn't know where I was, the unfamiliar ceiling spinning above me. I tried to sit up, but my head pounded so violently I had to lie back down. This wasn't our apartment. The room was larger with heavy curtains blocking out most of the daylight. Some kind of villa or mansion, by the looks of it. The door opened with a soft click, and Max strolled in casually, as if we were on some romantic getaway. His expression was neutral, almost bored as he assessed me. "Ah, I can see you're awake," he remarked, leaning against the doorframe. I couldn't help but roll my eyes despite the fear coursing through me. "How observant of you," I replied, my voice hoarse and raw. His face changed instantly. "I'm not in the mood for your sass," he warned, taking a step closer. "That makes two of us," I retorted, forcing myself to sit up despit
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Cassian I drove the rental car to its limits through the winding Tuscan countryside. The GPS indicated I was twenty minutes away from the address Max sent to me, but even that felt too long. Every second Aria was alone with Max increased the chance that Silas would get to her first. I couldn't let that happen. I have failed Lucas , and I was determined not to fail Aria too. "Fuck," I muttered, taking a sharp curve faster than I should have. The tires screeched in protest. I'd left my men behind, not wanting to intimidate Aria with a show of force. That decision now seemed like another potential mistake. But I had to trust Max. He'd been reliable up to this point—moving Aria to a secure location after my warning about Silas's escape was exactly what I needed him to do. My phone vibrated in the console. Viktor. "What?" I barked, putting it on speaker. "We've got a lead on Silas," Viktor's voice came through. "He was spotted at a private airstrip outside Milan six hours ago." "He
Last Updated : 2025-04-09The Mafia Debt Chapter 51: Nowhere to Run
Aria The name sent a chill down my spine. Images flashed through my mind—being dragged from my bed in Cassian's house , the dark room where I'd been held, the terror and fear I’ve felt.Max's features contorted with hatred, transforming his once-handsome face into something monstrous. "He was my brother, and you bastard killed him," he snarled at Cassian.Cassian burst into laughter. I couldn't understand his reaction. This wasn't funny; this was horrifying. It means we are dead. I raised my hand to my mouth as the pieces suddenly clicked into place. "My father and your brother kidnapped me," I whispered, the terrible truth dawning on me. "That means you lied to me about Cassian. You lied when you told me he never cared."Cassian's laughter faded, his eyes locking with mine. I could see something in them—regret? Pain? Or was I just imagining what I wanted to see?Max's expression turned even more menacing. "You think the truth changes anything?" he sneered. "Your precious Cassian s
Last Updated : 2025-04-09The Mafia Debt Chapter 52: Some Demons Must Die I
CassianI watched Aria crumble, her body shaking with sobs as the adrenaline drained from her system. She knelt on the floor, surrounded by shattered glass and blood—Max's and her own. Her hands trembled violently, still gripping that jagged shard she'd used to save both our lives."Aria," I said, keeping my distance. "Let me see your hand."She looked down at her palm, seeming almost surprised to see the deep cut there, still oozing blood. "I'm fine," she muttered, but her voice cracked on the second word."You're not fine," I countered gently. "You're in shock. Let me help you."I wanted to hold her, to tell her everything would be okay, but when I reached for her, she jerked away."Don't," she said again, more forcefully this time. "I said... don't touch me right now."I raised my hands in surrender, ignoring the burning pain in my wrists where the ropes had cut into them. "Okay. No touching. But we need to clean that wound, and we need to get out of here."Aria looked down at her
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Cassian"Well, enough of that," Silas continued, his tone suddenly businesslike. "I have to finish this off and take back what is mine."I scoffed, disgust evident in every line of my body. "You're not man enough to fight me yourself? You have to get one of your dogs to do it?"Silas chuckled darkly. "Why have a dog and bark yourself?" He turned to the masked man, his expression cold. "Slit his throat. I'm done listening to this bullshit. I need to round this shit and get going.."As Silas disappeared down the hall, heading in Aria's direction, a surge of desperate energy rushed through me. No fucking way was I letting him near her again.The masked man tightened his grip on the blade, pressing it harder against my skin. I felt a trickle of blood run down my neck, but I was beyond caring about my own safety. All that mattered was getting to Aria before Silas did.With a sudden movement, I backhanded the man holding the blade, jerking my head away from the knife. The blade nicked my sk
Last Updated : 2025-04-09
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The Mafia Debt Chapter 104: Anything for Love II
Aria's POVCharlie continues her assault, making obscene noises as she works, and I feel my stomach rolling in nausea. My vision blurs as tears well up, and I choke back a sob. I want to scream, to fight, to do anything to stop this, but I'm helpless, trapped in this nightmare.Cassian's eyes are on me the whole time, as if he's trying to communicate something, some silent message of strength, of endurance. But I can see the pain in his gaze, the torment of being unable to stop what's happening.And then, suddenly. Cassian's hand shoots out out of his restraints, grabbing Charlie's hair in a grip so tight it must be painful.Charlie's eyes widen in shock and fear as his grip tightens. Dom lurches forward with a shout, but he's too late. Cassian has already flung Charlie across the room. She crashes into the wine rack, bottles shattering around her as she falls.Dom moved like a snake, delivering a brutal kick to Cassian's ribs that sends him crashing to the ground. The sound of his bo
The Mafia Debt Chapter 103: Anything for Love
Aria's POVI sit rigidly in the basement they let us into—our own basement, turned prison—my heart hammering against my ribcage so violently I fear it might shatter. Across from me sits Cassian. He's tense, every muscle in his body coiled tight like a spring ready to snap, eyes darting between me and Dom, calculating, always calculating.Dom stands between us. "We're going to play a game," he announces. "It's called Anything for Love." He smirks, savoring each syllable. "I want to see just how far the great Cassian Romano will go to protect his precious Aria.""If you touch her—""Ah, ah, ah," Dom interrupts, wagging a finger like he's scolding a child. "No threats, Cassian. Remember who holds the power now." His gaze slides to me, making my skin crawl. "And if you don't comply..." He lets the threat hang in the air, but it's clear—if Cassian doesn't play along, I'm the one who'll suffer.The basement feels smaller suddenly, the air thicker."Cassian," I start, trying to sound brave,
The Mafia Debt Chapter 102: Siblings from Hell
Aria's POV"I was beginning to lose my patience," Dom says, his eyes narrowing as he glares at the woman who just entered. She strides in with a confidence that makes my skin crawl, her bright orange hair cascading down her shoulders like liquid fire. The leather mini-skirt she's wearing barely covers anything, and her top—if you could call that scrap of fabric a top—leaves nothing to the imagination. Her breasts strain against the thin material, and I notice Cassian deliberately averting his gaze.Charlie walks directly to Dom and plants a kiss on his lips that's anything but familial. Her tongue visibly slides against his, her hand gripping his hair as she moans into his mouth. My stomach churns at the display."Did I miss anything fun, brother?" Charlie asks when she finally pulls away, a string of saliva still connecting their lips. Her eyes gleam with perverse enjoyment as she catches my horrified expression."Brother?" The word escapes my lips before I can stop it.Charlie's la
The Mafia Debt Chapter 101: The Traitor’s Game
Cassian's POVThe hot water pounded against my skin, washing away the sweat from my workout but doing nothing for the tension knotting my shoulders. Viktor was awake. The relief I felt was so overwhelming I had to brace myself against the shower wall for a moment.And Aria—Christ, the way she looked at me when she told me. There was something there, beneath the anger. A crack in her armor that gave me hope, even if I didn't deserve it.I turned off the water and stepped out, reaching for a towel when a strange smell hit me. My vision blurred instantly, and alarm bells screamed in my head. Gas. Someone had pumped gas into the bathroom."Aria!" I shouted, lunging for the door. My legs gave out before I could reach it, my body betraying me as consciousness slipped away. The last thought that raced through my mind was her name, a prayer and a curse rolled into one.*****The cold metal chains bite into my wrists, but the pain is nothing compared to the fury boiling inside me. Aria stirs b
The Mafia Debt Chapter 100: Love Like a Loaded Gun
AriaI know what you're thinking. Trust me, I do. But you don't live my life. You don't know what it's like to love a man like Cassian—complicated, dangerous, infuriating—a man who can break me and heal me in the same breath. I love him, and I hate that I love him, because it's never just simple with us. Every touch feels like salvation and damnation rolled into one.It's the way he makes me feel that keeps me tethered. His touch... God, it's not just skin-deep. It's as if he's caressing every scar I've ever tried to hide, touching the parts of me that no one else sees, not even me sometimes. When his hands glide over my skin, it's like he's mapping out my heart, piece by shattered piece. He makes me feel alive, like I'm burning from the inside out. And maybe that's why I'm still here, even when my mind is screaming at me to run.I can't explain it, but when he looks at me, it's like the world stops, and there's only us. He knows exactly how to pull me apart and put me back together a
The Mafia Debt Chapter 99: Used, Hurt, Wanted
Cassian's POVI stared at the glass of whiskey in my hand, the temptation swirling inside the amber liquid like a dark, comforting promise. But after a moment, I shook my head, tipping the glass over the sink, watching as it splashed down the drain. It would've been so easy to drown everything in that glass—the guilt, the regret, the endless spiral of what-ifs—but easy had never been my way.The burn in my side was a constant reminder of how close I'd come to losing everything—my life, my brother, and now, possibly Aria. I gritted my teeth against the pain as I made my way down the hallway to her room. Each step was a struggle, both physically and mentally, but I pushed forward.I stood outside her door for what felt like an eternity, my hand raised to knock but frozen in place. The fear of her rejection was almost paralyzing. Finally, I let my knuckles rap against the wood.Silence.I knocked again, harder this time. "Aria," I called out. "Please."More silence.Fuck this.I twisted
The Mafia Debt Chapter 98: Scars He Couldn’t See
Aria's POV"I want to sleep alone tonight," I told him.Cassian didn't argue. He just nodded, that unreadable mask sliding over his face. The one I'd seen more times than I cared to admit. He walked me to the door of my old room, his steps slow. When we reached the door, his hand found mine."Aria, please don't do this," he said, his voice low, full of an urgency that made my chest tighten. "We need to talk. Please, babe. Ask me anything, and I'll tell you. I promise."I took a deep breath, the words I had been holding back for too long finally rising to the surface. "Cassian, I already know you didn’t trust or like Shadow," I said, forcing the words out. "I could tell from the beginning. So why did you want him to stay with me?"His eyes darkened,—regret, maybe?—crossing his face. But he stayed quiet, waiting for me to continue.I pressed on, needing to get the words out before I lost my nerve."I love you, Cassian. I do. You know that," I went on, my voice trembling. "I'd do anythin
The Mafia Debt Chapter 97: If I Could Trade My Pain
Cassian's POVThe antiseptic smell of Nikolai's private clinic clung to the air, sterile and suffocating. I couldn't help but feel the weight of it as I sat in the small, office, waiting for the doctor to finish his report. Nikolai, a man in his late forties with salt-and-pepper hair and a Russian accent, flipped through my chart, his brow furrowed in concentration. His expression was professional, but I could see the strain behind his eyes. This wasn't his first time patching me up, and it definitely wouldn't be the last."You're lucky with your shoulder," he finally said, closing the file and setting it on the desk between us. "The bullet went clean through, missing anything vital. The knife wound in your side, however—that's going to need close monitoring. You'll need to take it easy for a while, but with your stubbornness, I know you'll make a full recovery.""Thanks, Nikolai," I muttered, more out of habit than gratitude. My mind was elsewhere. "What about Aria? How is she?"Nik
The Mafia Debt Chapter 96: Enemies Among Us
AriaWe were standing at the outskirts of the warehouse, waiting for the car that Dom was supposed to bring.I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold in the unease that had settled deep in my bones. The night air was cold against my skin, making the dried blood on my temple feel tight and uncomfortable."Where the fuck is he?" Cassian muttered, pressing his phone to his ear. "Viktor, Dom's not answering. Get your ass here now."Cassian was barking orders with the urgency of a man who had never been fatally injured. It was hard to believe that only hours ago he had been on the brink of death, blood pooling beneath him as I desperately tried to keep him alive. Now, there was no trace of the vulnerability that had gripped him earlier—except for the way he occasionally winced when he moved too quickly, his hand instinctively going to his bandaged side.After ending the call, he turned to me. His expression softened, the hard lines of his face easing just a fraction. "You okay, babe
