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52.

Penulis: AURORA STORM
last update Tanggal publikasi: 2026-05-09 23:27:16

Angelica

A sharp sting lands on my face the second I step into Nicolas’s office.

Staggering back, my hand flies to my cheek, my brows furrowed as I stare back at him in shock.

He chuckles, his eyes on me as he takes out his cufflinks.

“My bad, did you think I wouldn’t hit you?” He arches his brow so high it looks like it hurts. Then he chuckles again. “Because you’re married?”

I can only blink at him, my lips slightly parted with a sharp sound ringing in my left ear.

I’m shocked because he sla
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  • The Pensive Gentleman   60.

    Marciano The whiskey burns all the way down my throat, but it doesn’t help. Nothing fucking helps, not the silence, not the cigar, not the alcohol.Not even the men sitting across from me, pretending not to watch me lose it.Uncle Enzo and Leo. After I’d gotten the call about the car, I’d sent Leo to get the bastard for me, because according to the intel I received, he’d moved to another state and was keeping a low profile. Living alone, no friends, no family. He didn’t talk to anyone and didn’t want anyone talking to him either.People think disappearing saves them. It doesn’t. Living like a ghost only makes you easier to notice.Today, Leo claimed to have brought the bastard to Boston, and while we wait in my office, some guys are bringing him over to us.“You should ease up on the drinking, no?” Uncle Enzo asks, tipping his hat up as if to get a better look at me. Leo snickers, parting his legs wider as he leans further into his chair, one arm on the neck of it to support him.“I

  • The Pensive Gentleman   59.

    Angelica My eyes flutter open to unfamiliar surroundings.The air feels and smells different. Masculine, but fresh and clean.Staring up at the ceiling, I blink twice, and suddenly something hits me. I’m in a room that isn’t mine.I sit upright immediately, and sure enough, this is not my room. There’s a photo of a little girl on the bedside table, and another hanging on the wall right next to the closet doors.“Oh lord!” My stomach churns, bile rising to my throat as understanding dawns on me. This is Marciano’s room.Cold dread creeps through me, holding me hostage. And my head bangs, as if the sudden movement woke a beast up.My fingers fly to the empty space beside me. The bed is cold, meaning he’s been awake for a while, or maybe he didn’t even sleep here. How and why am I here anyway?With a sigh, I peel the duvet off my body, and the second my eyes connect to the rest of me, I return the duvet to the way it was.Because on my body is…Marciano’s shirt. Unbuttoned.It can only

  • The Pensive Gentleman   58.

    Angelica The news shook Marciano hard.It’s the only explanation as to why he hasn’t returned home in the past two days. Or I think so.Not that I mind.Because in those two days, I buried myself in studying to make up for the time Nicolas stole from me.In fact, it took Alex calling me yesterday morning to ask if I’d been studying at all to bring me back in. Then I realized I had a lot of studying to do.I shut my laptop for the evening, getting up from the bed to stretch my limbs as I’ve been at it for four hours straight. “Ow!” I yelp, pain shooting straight to my brain, a reminder that though the bruises have started clearing, the hurt remains.With my hand on my back to support myself, I move to the bathroom for a shower. The water is hot, and as it cascades down my skin, it melts my exhaustion away, though it’s not doing what I want it to do.I spend about seven minutes in the shower, just letting the water pour from my shower cap to my toes, and afterwards I get out. As I’m a

  • The Pensive Gentleman   57.

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  • The Pensive Gentleman   56.

    Angelica “I’m—is it okay if I come over right now?” “Are you okay?” I remain silent because I’m definitely not okay. For starters, I’m freezing, soaked, and exhausted. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. It’s okay, you can come.” “Okay. Thank you,” I say into my phone just as she hangs up. “Are we taking a detour, Signora?” Ky asks, peeking at me through the rearview mirror. I nod and he folds his lips. “Don told us to take you home,” he mutters under his breath but I catch it. So Marciano sent them? Why? Did he feel guilty? My lips tremble. “I want to go to Marina’s. I’m sure she counts as home.” I’m surprised neither of them protests. The ride to Marina’s house is quiet. Mostly because I’m too embarrassed to speak now that I know Marciano sent them. I originally wanted to ask them how they found me. Now I’m glad I didn’t. I can’t even begin to describe how humiliating this is. Did he tell them he dropped me off on the road for absolutely no tangible rea

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