Semua Bab THE VIKING MAFIA (…And Mary, the Mother of God): Bab 11 - Bab 20

I found myself back in the room with Dante after a relaxing bath. As I stepped into the room, I noticed a vibrant red lingerie that had been thoughtfully placed in the bathroom for me. The lingerie, with its low-cut design, left my cleavage tantalizingly exposed. Despite my attempts to adjust it, I couldn’t quite achieve the desired level of coverage.A sense of urgency washed over me, and I hurriedly gazed at my reflection in the mirror. To my dismay, the lingerie proved to be far too transparent, leaving my most intimate areas exposed. No man had ever seen me dressed in such a revealing outfit, and I had never planned for anyone to.Whispering a prayer under my breath, I made the sign of the cross. A tingling sensation coursed through me as I slowly approached the bathroom’s exit, my heart beating heavily in my chest. With trembling hands, I grasped the door handle, and as I gingerly turned it, my heart pounded even louder. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, and my palms grew dam

MARIA“What… what are you doing?” I stuttered, goosebumps prickling my skin. Pietro loomed so close that his breath brushed my neck.I swiftly reached for the light switch, even though sweat clung to my body. His bright eyes darkened with a sly smirk as the room flooded with light.“Are you scared?” Pietro asked with a playful smile, and I clung to the bed, my heart pounding and eyes narrowed.“Anyways, I only came to say hi to the new bride. Didn’t mean to scare you,” Pietro said as he cupped my face with his right hand. I stared at his hand, feeling bewildered.I couldn’t speak; my heart raced, and Pietro’s eyes revealed nothing.“Welcome, sister-in-law. I’ll take my leave now,” Pietro nodded and rose from the bed. He appeared tall and confident, much like Dante, yet something was different about him that I couldn’t quite grasp.My jaw, already dropped, remained that way as I watched him leave the room. I wanted to ask if he remembered our encounter at the mall weeks ago, but the wo

MARIA While sitting on the bed, fear clutched me, uncertainty about what lay ahead seized my thoughts. Tears welled up, blurring my vision as I clasped my hands, haunted by the grotesque memories, the painful echoes of repeated violation. The room seemed to shrink, suffocating me with its walls. Dante’s departure left an ominous imprint, his eyes burning with a mix of pain and anger, a terrifying sight etched in my mind.Summoning courage, I rose from the bed, yet my legs faltered, a lingering dizziness refusing to dissipate. Shuffling to the closet where I stored my bag, I retrieved my Franciscan Crown Rosary. Kissing its familiar beads, I returned to the bed, sinking to my knees, hands entwined, shutting out the world. Amidst the emptiness and agony, I felt cursed, as if destiny conspired against me, burdening me with misfortune. Doubts about God’s protection gnawed at me; the weight of this ordeal felt unbearable, contradicting the promise of divine shelter.Tears streamed down, a

MARIA My heart pounded heavily as I stared at the package given to me by Dante. It was a red box, and as I collected it with shaky hands, my eyes locked with Dante’s beautifully darkened eyes. Terrified as I was staring at him, there was something about his eyes that I could not resist.“Open it,” Dante growled, his voice booming in my ears and head, making me jerk for a minute. I gulped down saliva as I slowly lowered my gaze to the red box. I rubbed my fingers on the edges of the box, my heart pounding rapidly. What could be in the box, I thought? Was it the tools he was going to use to harm me? My head began to feel heavy, as if it wanted to fall off my neck.“Please, Dante…” I lifted my eyes to beg, but Dante’s stare silenced my plea without a word from him. His eyes were like a burning furnace that held a number of souls captive, commanding authority with their intensity.I lowered my gaze back at the box once more and slowly opened it, my hands trembling. My mind raced with tho

(Maria’s POV)The sunlight streaming through the tall windows of the mansion did little to warm the chill that had settled in my bones. The tension from the previous night lingered, wrapping itself around me like a suffocating shroud. Dante’s announcement still echoed in my mind—two days until we visited my family. I didn’t need to ask why; the dark promise in his tone told me everything I feared.I stood in the library, absently running my fingers along the spines of the dusty books, trying to gather my thoughts. The sound of approaching footsteps made my heart skip a beat. I turned, expecting to see Dante, but instead, Pietro appeared in the doorway, his sharp, angular features lit with a sly smile.“Ah, Maria,” he said, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. “Hiding away already? I thought my brother kept you on a tighter leash.”His words carried a teasing lilt, but his eyes betrayed something deeper, something darker. I stiffened, stepping back instinctively as he appr