Rhea let out a shaky breath. “I want you, Adrian.”“Where do you want me, Rhea?” “Inside me. I want to feel you in me.”A victorious smirk appeared on his lips before he kissed her again, deeper and hungrier. He swept her off her feet and placed her on the bed.There was something about Rhea that made him always play a gentleman. He wanted to carefully ravish her rather than the mindless fucking he would do to other women.He pulled her dress off in one swift motion and threw it on the floor. His mouth met hers again, trailing soft kisses from her cheeks to her ears, licking and playfully biting on her earlobes. He suckled on the skin of her neck, leaving bite marks all over. When he found her breasts, he cupped them in his hands.Immediately, he bent his head, and his warm mouth enveloped her breast, and her body arched towards him, yearning for more of it. He sucked on her lush, plump breast with a gentle desire while playing with the other breast. He tugged on each perky and har
Dante sat behind his desk, tapping his fingers on the table. He was in the study in the Moretti estate, staring and going through the documents laid out in front of him. Rhea finally came through and had sent him crucial information. The intelligence was so precise it could shift the power dynamics of the Vitales. He smiled as he went through them. His time to take over was gradually coming.He needed to discuss next steps with his own men. He just needed his most ruthless enforcer, Gabriel, and Steffano, his most trusted lieutenant, to be in on his plans. He would rather not let in all his men lest they say something to the enemy.He had called them earlier and was now waiting for both of them to come in for the meeting.The study was dimly lit, and the air was filled with cigar smoke and the smell of Scotch.He heard a knock, and it was the both of them.“Boss.” They said in unison as they entered the study.Dante gestured for them to sit while swirling a glass of fine Scotch. The
Rhea’s eye fluttered open the morning after, and found her gorgeous husband sleeping next to her. The weight of his strong and muscular arm wrapped around her waist, and she could feel the sensation of his warm breath against her skin.As usual, the morning light snuck in through the curtains, and there was this golden tone in the room.She decided to allow herself to enjoy the moment and to watch the slow rise and fall of Adrian’s breathing and the way her body fit into his like a puzzle.Then reality set in.She had slept with Adrian Vitale. Again.Her heart started pounding when she remembered the night before. It was intense, both in passion and emotion. She had confronted him about her ex when he came home, and their argument, which was heated and laced with sharp words, then escalated into something else.She pulled the sheets up to her chest when she realised she was totally naked, and suddenly she felt vulnerable, despite the intimacy they shared.It wasn’t supposed to feel li
“Damn… Rhea! You’re so fucking addictive.” Adrian said as they both rolled off each other after an intense lovemaking session.Rhea said nothing, but a smile appeared on her lips; she was gasping for air and didn’t have any rebuttal to what her husband just said.After a moment, Rhea said to him, “I wish we could spend all day in bed, making sweet endless love.”“Aww, mia Cara.” He replied, looking at her. “Of course we can,” he continued. “ I’m the boss, remember. I’ll cancel everything I have for today; it can wait.” He pecked her on the forehead.And then a thought struck Adrian. What had come over him? When did he start making his schedule free for a woman? And why did he want to please this particular woman? It was so unlike him, he thought to himself.But yet, he was very much eager to do so.“Promise?” Rhea queried, distracting him from his thoughts.“Sure,” he said. “If truth be told, you’ve worn me down this morning already, and I can’t wait for more.”Adrian and Rhea spent t
Adrian sat at the long dining table, flipping through a set of documents. His crisp white shirt was buttoned all the way up except for the collar, and a dark suit jacket draped over the back of his chair. Every movement he made was deliberate and controlled.He wasn’t one for leisurely breakfasts, but this morning, he found himself lingering. The remnants of their time in the shower floated around his in his memory: Rhea’s soft gasps, the press of her slick body against his. His grip tightened around the cup at the thought.Across from him, Luca was already halfway through his meal, his usual smirk in place. “Didn’t see you come down the whole of yesterday, brother,” Luca smiled, stabbing a piece of grape with his fork. “Antoinette said you had given out instruction not to be disturbed the whole day. Must have been…preoccupied.” His voice dripped with amusement.Adrian didn’t dignify him with a response. Instead, he took a slow sip of his coffee, his gaze flickering toward the stairc
Days had passed since they received news about Luigi Rossi’s death, the alleged mercenary behind the ambush on them. Even though the investigation into his death had been relentless in the form of tracking leads, dragging mid-level street guys off the grid, torturing them for names, and disposing of the ones who proved useless, they still had not uncovered the mastermind behind it.Adrian at this point was getting impatient and was considering Luca’s plan.Rhea, despite the chaos surrounding them, had found herself becoming a constant in Adrian’s life. He was always consumed with business, both legal and illegal, but whenever he had a moment to breathe, he spent it with her. It was something neither of them acknowledged out loud, but the shift between them was undeniable.That evening, Adrian sat on the couch, his shirt sleeves rolled up, drink in hand. The weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him, but for once, he wanted to set it aside.“I need a drink,” he muttered, looki
“You should have killed that son of a bitch, fratello.” Luca said to Adrian, taking a drag from the cigarette he had in his right hand. He was the one driving them home in his black Aston Martin.Adrian was seated in the passenger seat next to his brother. He didn’t want to sit near Rhea, who was behind them.He was angry at her for making him stop and also angry at himself for listening to her.Why didn’t he kill that motherfucker? It’s not like he couldn’t have gotten away with it.Who would dare stand as a witness against him in the court of law, and which police officer would even dare to place handcuffs on him?Uggghh! He thought to himself as he clenched his fists in anger. His knuckles were bruised but the pain he felt was nothing compared to the regret of not finishing the man who dared touch what belonged to himMeanwhile behind them, Rhea’s pulse was going erratic, and her mind was spinning from everything that transpired. If only Tomasso, as he called himself, had listened
“Damn it… “ Adrian mumbled under his breath before he pulled Rhea off his lap, gently but firmly.Rhea’s hand lingered a bit on his chest because she was reluctant to break the connection, but she could feel his body tense up. So she got up from his lap and stood in front of him, studying him.She didn’t see the name on the call screen, but she could see him shift from the tender man who was just kissing her passionately into the ruthless person he was when business called.“Father,” Adrian greeted with a firm voice. That's when Rhea recognized the person on the other end of the line. But why did Adrian’s personality have to change so much upon seeing his father’s call? She thought to herselfVictor’s voice was calm as always with an underlying tone of authority. “I’m coming back to Italy tomorrow with.”Adrian’s grip tightened around the phone. “Why, Father?” He asked, but he knew already.“Because you still haven’t taken care of the man responsible for the ambush. This mess you hav
Come with me, Rhea," Alex pleaded, his eyes filled with a hopeful plea. "Forget your past and run away with me to a new life in America. They think you are dead, amore. That’s even better; you never have to worry about them again. Forget that world that corrupts and bleeds."Rhea’s hands, still held captive in his warm grip, felt suddenly cold. She looked down at their intertwined fingers, it reminded her of a life of normalcy. A life before the lies and betrayals.She lifted her gaze back to Alex, his face was etched in sincerity. He looked even more sincere than when he was apologizing for cheating on her. He really meant this."Alex," she began, her voice softer now, but laced with a resolve. "You know I care about you. What Adrian did to you… it haunts me. You didn’t deserve any of that."He squeezed her hands gently. "Then come with me. Let’s leave all this behind. We can heal together. Start fresh."Rhea pulled her hands away slowly and instinctively placed a protective hand ov
Punching the elevator buttons with shaky fingers, Rhea stepped in the moment the doors slid open. By the time the elevator stopped at her floor, she was already yanking off her coat. She ran straight to her room, shut the door, and stripped off her clothes in a rush. The hospital gown went over her head in seconds, and she slipped into the sheets.Almost immediately, Anya burst in, breathless.“Signora…boss is coming. I looked in the park, you’re not there.” She went looking for Rhea when she saw Dmitri.“It’s ok, Anya. I saw him already.” Rhea said.Anya looked at her in disbelief, but Rhea’s attention was on the hallway expecting Dmitri’s presence.It took a while before he actually got to her room. Maybe he stopped to have a talk with the doctor or some other person. “Devushka moya,” Dmitri said softly as he stepped inside.Rhea offered a tired smile, her hand instinctively moving to rest over her belly. “Hi.”He walked over, leaned down, and brushed a kiss on her forehead. “Ho
Rhea sat still, absorbing the weight of the information being thrown at her. Her mind raced, struggling to process the implications of it all. Her father’s death was barely a few weeks after her wedding to Adrian. Was it Dante’s doing? Dante never really bothered searching for who killed Enrico. He just said it was Adrian Vitale. Which was why he told her to remain in the Vitale household to spy on them and get information.He never planned for revenge because he did it himself. He just used her to try to strengthen his empire. If what he was planning had worked he would have succeeded in eliminating both Enrico, the one he had a grudge against, and the Vitales, his rivals in the business.Rhea blinked hard, her thoughts were in chaos. “If Enrico wasn’t Dante’s father…” she whispered, trying to piece it together. “That means…we aren’t related at all. I’m not even his sister.”She took a slow breath. At best, Dante would be her cousin. And Izzy…his half-sister since they shared a mo
“We need to meet.” Rhea glanced at her phone screen as she read the text from her P.I.Her heart raced slightly at the urgency in his tone. They had just met two days ago before her scare with the miscarriage that had landed her in the hospital. So much had happened in such a short time, and now he was calling for another meeting. What had he found out? And why the urgency?During her checkups, the doctor had told her she could go home on the third day. However, Rhea knew she needed a window to meet with the P.I. She knew that If she went home, even though eventually she would resume her normal activities she was sure Dmitri would not let her go out immediately after her discharge.“Can I stay an extra day or two?” she asked the doctor the next morning, flashing him a charming smile. “I don’t trust myself at home.”The doctor, one who had a soft spot for her, smiled back. “Of course, Signora Sofia,” he replied. “It’ll be my pleasure coming in to check on you every day.”Rhea gave a
Adrian was back home early the next morning after spending the night with a woman he hadn’t bothered learning her name. He headed straight to his study, running his hand lazily through his hair. He preferred to start business early in his home office and then proceed to meetings later in the day. He had just relaxed into his chair when he heard a soft tap against the door.“Come in.”Antoinette stepped in, she was dressed in a tight dress and perfectly made up at that hour. “Buongiorno, Signor. Shall I make you breakfast?”Adrian glanced at her briefly, his face blank before giving a low nod.“Just coffee.”Her lips curved into a smile. She hesitated, lingering in the doorway longer than necessary. “Of course.”For months after Rhea’s death, Antoinette had been angling for Adrian’s attention. She would linger a little too long, her dressing just a little too tight. Even though she was an attractive woman, Adrian didn’t look at her twiceStill, maybe one day, she told herself. One
Luca leaned forward, voice low. “I heard something… from someone close to Dante Moretti. Word is Dante wants to propose a marriage alliance with Selene.”Adrian’s jaw clenched.“That’s why I’m bringing her up, fratello. If the Morettis and Bianchis merge, they might actually become a greater force. You know Dante, he doesn’t play fair when he wants power.”Adrian let out a slow breath and set his glass down with a soft clink.“Well,” he said, voice calm and deadly, “neither of them have the business volume we do. Even if they merge.”Luca raised a brow, unconvinced.“Our world of mafia now isn’t what it used to be,” Adrian continued,m. “It’s not about family ties or who killed who’s father anymore. It’s about money and wealth. Whoever has both, has power. And whoever has power… has control.”He leaned back, tapping Luca’s shoulder firmly. “We fucking rule Sicily and even beyond, fratello.”Luca smirked. “That’s true.”Adrian reached for his drink again. “Just gave Governor Ricci twent
“A partial placental abruption,” the doctor said. “Likely brought on by physical or emotional strain. We’re lucky it wasn’t worse. The baby’s heartbeat is stable, but we’ll be monitoring closely for the next few days.”Rhea had only nodded, absorbing the words without flinching.“You’ll be on strict bed rest for now. No sudden movement. No stress if you can avoid it.”Stress. The irony nearly made her laugh.He had asked if she had any questions. She only asked one.“How long do I have to stay?”“At least seventy-two hours for observation,” he replied. “But we’ll play it by ear. Your body will tell us what it needs.”The doctor glanced down at his notes, then looked back up. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on him, we want to make sure he stays safe through the final trimester.”Rhea blinked.“…Him?”The doctor paused, caught off guard by her tone. “Oh. I’m…sorry, I assumed you knew. Yes, you’re having a boy.”For a long moment, Rhea didn’t speak.She was having a boy.Her chest tighten
Rhea didn’t blink.Her fingers relaxed slightly on the edge of the table, and then she gave a soft laugh.“You’ve got some imagination,” she said, tilting her head. “Rhea Moretti? That’s quite the accusation.”The investigator didn’t smile. He simply sat there, watching her like a man who had already solved the puzzle and was now just waiting for the confession.Rhea’s eyes narrowed, the laughter vanishing. “And even if I were, why would you think telling me that was a good idea?”“Because I’m not here to threaten you,” he replied calmly. “I’m here because you asked me to dig. And I did. What I found just made things… clearer.”She leaned forward, voice sharp. “You don’t know me.”“No,” he agreed. “But I know people. And I’ve been in this line of work too long not to recognize when someone’s wearing a mask that fits too well. You didn’t flinch at Viktor Vitale’s name. You didn’t ask who he was. You asked how he died. You asked with the kind of hate that only comes from history.”Rhea
Days had passed since the Vladikov incident, and Dmitri was finally set to return from New York the next day.Rhea had already told him what transpired in the basement, that she had gone down there alone to confront Vladikov, hoping to force the truth out of him. She claimed he was unrepentant, cold, and even laughed in her face when she demanded to know why he tried to attack her. She then told Dmitri that Vladikov lunged at her, tried to strangle her and that Anton, hearing her screams, shot him to save her life.Dmitri cursed under his breath in Russian when she told him. “I need to extend my New York trip by a few days. I’m sorry, I know this is a bad time.” Dmitri had said to her during a phone call.“It’s no problem, Dmitri. Do what you have to do.” Rhea replied with a fake sadness. “Just don’t stay too long.”To be honest, that was an answered prayer as far as she was concerned even though she wanted to know about his New York business.Within those few days, Rhea met with di