Se connecterShare
19
Dernière mise à jour:
2022-12-01 21:03:38
Latest chapter
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 67
Nikolai.It was just him and me for a while—Aurelio and I.Sitting on the stone steps of the estate as the sky turned from bruised peach to deeper lavender, as though the world was holding its breath before nightfall. The estate, for once, was quiet. No voices, no clatter. Just the occasional chirp of birds and the way Aurelio would tap his foot—restless but grounded, like some part of him still knew this was home, even if he didn’t remember why.He hadn’t said much.Didn’t need to.We weren’t good at talking, he and I—not in the normal way. We were better in movement, in action, in that sharp-edged language that required fists or guns or pacing tension. But this? Sitting still beside him, sipping whatever herbal nonsense Arsen had convinced me to try? This was... grounding.Healing didn’t always look like breakthroughs. Sometimes it was just a man breathing easier beside someone who knew not to ask questions.“You used to complain about the birds here,” I said eventually, half-amused
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 66
Nikolai.The sun was beginning its slow descent, drenching the estate in a thick, golden haze. The gardens looked like they belonged in a painting, every blade of grass and stone path lit up like someone had dipped them in honey.The air had that crisp, early evening bite to it—the kind that hinted at colder nights ahead, the kind that made your breath puff out in little clouds if you waited long enough.It was the kind of quiet that settled not just around you, but inside you.I hadn’t realized how bad I needed that silence until I was drowning in it.Not the fake kind you get in the middle of chaos when your brain just...short-circuits.No, this was real silence.Healing silence.Aurelio sat next to me on the stone steps, hunched forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. His hand curled loosely around the iron railing beside him, fingertips absently tracing the cold metal. His gaze was fixed out past the gardens, past the trees, locked on some point on the horizon only he could
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 65
Nikolai.The sun had just started its lazy climb when I stepped outside, coffee mugs in hand and sleep still clinging to the corners of my mind.The estate grounds were soaked in golden light, the grass jeweled with dew like nature had cried a little last night but decided to make the best of it this morning. A breeze swept through the lemon trees, carrying that light citrusy scent Sofia always said reminded her of summers in Italy. The air felt warm but not heavy, peaceful but not silent—alive in a way that made my ribs loosen.It smelled like hope.And after everything we’d survived—everything we were still clawing our way through—I wasn’t going to waste that. Peace like this was rare in our world. You had to hold it tight, two hands and all heart.Across the lawn, I spotted her first.Sofia sat on a picnic blanket under the olive tree—her olive tree, the one she’d stubbornly refused to let the gardeners trim because “It has character, shut up.” Lorelai was perched between her legs,
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 64
Sofia.The house was quiet again. Not the warm hush of family sleep like before—this was different. Tense. Coiled.I closed the door to the master bedroom behind me with shaking fingers. They weren’t here. I’d kissed them all goodnight. Told them I loved them. And then I’d said what none of us had ever dared to say aloud.“I want to be with him tonight too. I want Arsen.”There’d been silence. Tight jaws. Clenched fists. But they’d nodded , nevertheless. Not because they wanted to, but because they respected it. Me. Him.And now I was in the hallway, heart thudding like a warning bell.His door was open.The room was barely lit—moonlight spilling across the bed where he sat, shirtless, head bowed, tattoos twisting over his arms and shoulders like shadows, his scars full on display. He didn’t look up. “Are you going to come in,” he said, voice low, “Or are you just staying and leaving a second after?”My throat tightened. I walked in.He still didn’t move.“I'm sorry I couldn't stay wi
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 63
Sofia.The house had settled into sleep. Deep, contented sleep—the kind that comes after too much food, too much laughter, and just enough wine to make your muscles hum. I’d tucked Lorelai in with Aurelio, kissed her goodnight, and left them curled up like something sacred. It made my chest ache in the best way.But now…Now I was tiptoeing back into the room I shared with my husbands.The lights were low, golden and soft like candlelight, spilling across skin and sheets. Nadei was sprawled on the bed like he’d been sculpted there—shirtless, his long legs tangled in the duvet, green eyes glinting as he scrolled through his phone. Nikolai stood at the mirror adjusting his watch strap, because even undressing was apparently a production with him. Nial was at the foot of the bed, all quiet storm in his black tee and sweatpants, sipping his herbal tea from a mug like he wasn’t watching me like prey.My mouth went dry.“Hi,” I said, breath catching a little.Nadei grinned, stretching like
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 62
Author’s POV.The house had quieted down into that soft, post-dinner lull—where even the shadows on the walls seemed to breathe slower. Distant murmurs echoed from the living room, where the others were watching some awful old mafia film Luca claimed was “a classic.” Someone was already asleep on the couch. Probably Renzo. He always passed out after too much pasta like some kind of carb-loaded bear who was getting ready to hibrenate.Aurelio wasn’t with them.He was in the hallway upstairs, sitting at the edge of his old bedroom—the one he hadn’t dared sleep in yet. Too many pieces of him still scattered like glass inside it. Too many ghosts watching from the corners.He stared at the room like it might bite him.The bed was made. The same comforter. Same shelves. Someone had even fixed the frame of the photo he’d apparently shattered during one of his more violent post-surgery episodes. A picture of the five of them—Sofia in the middle, arms folded, eyes rolling. Him grinning with an
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 61
Author's POV. The dining room buzzed with the strange, delicate noise of almost normal. Silverware clinked. Someone—probably Valentino—had already cracked a joke that made Sofia roll her eyes but smile anyway. The scent of roasted garlic and marinara filled the air like nostalgia on steroids. Aurelio sat at the long table—not at the head, but somewhere in the middle—flanked by people who were supposed to be his family. Despite their warmth, their laughter, the endless attempts to make him feel at home, he still felt like the odd man out. But he noticed things. Like how Nial grumbled at his overcooked chicken while quietly passing napkins like he was trying not to breathe too loud. Arsen sat at the far end, balancing Alexei on his lap, slicing soft bread one-handed while talking to Sofia, who had Jade snuggled against her side. They were so, in their element. In their nature. Then— “Uncle Liooo!” A high-pitched squeal cut through the hum of conversation. A tiny bolt of cur
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 60
Aurelio.The toy soldier hadn’t moved.It still sat like a goddamn sentinel on my nightstand. Plastic. Ugly. Important.I don’t know why I hadn’t thrown it out the window.Maybe because it felt like it belonged more than I did.Jade had curled up next to me earlier, warm and trusting like he didn’t know I was broken. And even after he left the room—pulled away by his father—I could still feel the ghost of his tiny arms around my waist. And that? That shook something loose inside me more than any punch ever could.-Later in the day.I was in another room, arms up against Nial as we circled each other. We were sparring. That was their fucked up version of making me remember, it wasn't conventional. Wasn't something in one's right mind would do but I was willing to try as long as it meant they wouldnt look at me in that empathetic way they all did. I was going to try to find me.Whoever that was.“Stop thinking.”Nial’s voice snapped like a whip. Cruel and unforgiving.He was circling
Their Serenity (A Reverse Harem) 59
Aurelio.The name was just a sound. Letters. Noise.But the weight behind it? That wasn’t noise.That was pressure. Gravity. Like I’d been dropped into a life that expected me to perform, to remember, to be this person they were mourning like he was already dead.Aurelio Verticolli.Everyone in this room knew who he was.Except me.And the worst part?I felt like I was disappointing them just by existing.Sofia hadn’t let go of my hand. Her grip was gentle, but I could feel the tension in her fingertips—like she was holding onto hope with every fiber of her being, and the second she let go, she’d fall apart.That made my chest ache.Even if I couldn’t remember her.I studied her profile—soft lines drawn tight with exhaustion. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Weeks, maybe. Her eyes were red-rimmed but fierce. Protective. She was a fighter. I didn’t need memories to know that.Sofia Verticolli. My sister.“Why are you all still here?” I asked suddenly, voice rough, a little cra
Vous vous intéresseriez aussi à
Trapped by the Ruthless Billionaire
Lucia Love151.0K VuesMAFIA'S ANGEL
Bunnykoo192.2K VuesMafia Men: Nikolai's Inferno
Janedoewritings280.3K VuesThe Beautiful Carnage
KATHLEEN HAYAT89.1K VuesCielo: Chronicle of untold truths
Shades2.2K VuesTwisted Obsession: The Mafia's obsession.
Nihun306 VuesPossessed by My Mafia Stepbrother
roselyn613 VuesI saved a mafia boss by accident
Luna131 Vues
