LOGINMarciano Soft snores escape her lips. She’s deep in her sleep, her legs intertwined with mine, her fingers on my chest. The scent of vanilla filters through my nose, and I unconsciously squeeze her tight in my arms. She’s so small, but she’s somehow consumed me. I exhale and unwrap my arms from around her. She instantly lets out a sound of discomfort, most likely from the lack of warmth. I lift the cover to her chest and gently tuck her in, even going so far as to adjust her pink bonnet, which had shifted in the process.“Che diavolo sto facendo?” (What the hell am I doing?) I whisper to myself, shaking my head as I grab my phone and move away from the bed to my closet. The call from earlier this afternoon was Pietro. I’d canceled the call because not only has the bastard not earned the privilege to call me directly, but I didn’t want to take my eyes off Angelica for one second.He sent a text shortly after saying he has some goodies to deliver, which is slang for prisoners. It’s
Angelica Marciano turns around, but he does it so nonchalantly like it’s the last thing he wants to do right now. I turn around too, putting my back to him as I quickly throw the paper into my laundry basket, then I grab the first thing that catches my eyes to cover myself with.It’s a flimsy, baby-pink outer dress for one of my nightdresses. “What do you want?” I fumble with the ropes, wrapping them around myself. And by the time I turn around, Marciano is right beside me, staring intently with a hazy look in his eyes. I shift backward a little.“What is it? Did I do something?” I ask, furrowing my brows at him.His eyes trail down the length of me, from my eyes, then my nose, they linger on my lips but go down further to my chest.I clear my throat and at first his eyes don’t move, they remain right there, then slowly they return to my face.He arches a brow and I wrap my arms around my chest immediately, narrowing my eyes at him. His gaze then hardens as though he just remembe
Angelica “I think I’ll just go how I came,” I tell Marciano as we get to where the cars are parked outside. I can feel Bella and a few others staring at us from behind—no surprises there when I was practically dragged out of the mansion, following behind Marciano like a lost puppy.“With Gypsy and Ky,” I add, and watch how Marciano’s face morphs into a deep frown. He can’t possibly think I’ll ride with him after what just happened inside, after he tried to kiss me, and I almost let him do it.“No. You’re coming with me, and I won’t repeat myself.” I swallow hard, staring up at him. He doesn’t seem affected in the slightest bit, while my heart is beating in my stomach. Loud and hard.I hate it. But what I hate even more is that I only stand and watch him with my lips slightly parted, with nothing to say.“Come this way.” He starts moving towards a black Lamborghini parked at an angle that suggested patience wasn’t one of Marciano’s virtues coming here today.“But.” He stops, looki
Angelica “Oh my God, finally! Where have you been Angie? I tried calling you countless times yesterday!” Bella blares into my ear. I pull my phone away from my ear, and I still hear her clearly. “I just needed some time to rest,” I tell her. After my impulsive text to Alex—which he couldn’t believe— I jumped straight into studying so I wouldn’t have to think of anything. In doing so, I put my phone on airplane mode and only left my room when I was hungry.“Yeah, I heard you went to the hospital again. Are you alright? Do you want me to come nurse you?” “No need, Bella. Your focus should be on the wedding. Marina told me you traveled to Paris?”“Yeah, and I’m back. Honestly, that’s why I called. I’m at the main house right now, and I wanted to come see you.”I brush back my rough hair, trying to make it look okay enough.“I’m just about to leave for the salon.”“What if you come to the main house? I can have my stylist come fix you up here. Please Angie. I really miss you.” With a
Angelica It feels like déjà vu waking up in Marciano’s room even though I’m a little confused about how I got here. The last thing I remember is that Marciano and I were talking in the living room, and that’s it. Spreading my arm out, I touch the empty side of the bed. It’s cold and without wrinkles, like no one slept on that side throughout the night. My brows furrow deeply. But how? Did he not sleep in here? Or did he not stay the night? I tell myself it doesn’t matter, but I deliberately stroll into the kitchen for a glass of water to check if he’s there. He’s not. Marching back to my room now feels like a humiliation ritual even though no one’s watching me. I head into the bathroom first for a hot shower. I didn’t have one yesterday, and I feel a certain prickling in my body, which is funny because when Marina offered to let me shower at hers, I declined. The hot water cascades down my body, leaving a burning trail everywhere it touches, but I don’t mind it. It hurts
Marciano "Should we address the elephant in the room or...?" Sergio asks with a shrug and a sly expression in his eyes."Scemo! Shut up," Leo attacks. Sergio flips him the bird.I puff out a cloud of tobacco and marijuana, returning my attention to the view of the city down below."You keep pretending you don't want to know," Sergio says."Focus fool. Sei tu quello che ha un volo stasera" (You're the one who has a flight tonight.) Leo tells him, and I've had enough of their banter. The elephant Sergio's referring to is the news of what happened in the warehouse. They're underbosses, so naturally pointless shit like that reaches them. I’ve been going around ensuring everything is set for tonight while overseeing a dozen other details, yet that’s what they’re most worried about.I take another drag of my cigar. "There's a file on my desk." Sergio scrambles to take it. I know it's him cause he knows my words are directed at him."I guess we're not addressing the elephant." I pull out
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 Le
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. Th
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
Angelica I shake my head violently. But only after I’ve done it do I see how disbelieving it seems. “No, he didn’t,” I add, folding my lower lip into my mouth right after.“Don’t lie to me, Angie. This is serious,” she says with a peek at me and a straight face.“I’m serious, Marina. Marciano di







