“One of my friends, Chloe used to work doing the school break, meeting new people, getting to know them, helping them solve problems, and the unreasonable demands of some customers she would come back every school break with the funniest stories, it was a blast” I tell Maria as she chops some vegetables “I’m not sure if I’m cut out for the fashion world though, you remember that movie we saw, what was the name...? I trailed off racking my brain. "The one with Carla Hernandez in the lead, where she ran a fashion house, now imagine that in real life, it is just too competitive you know, and the forever changing trends? Nah... I dont think it is for me. Not to mention it deals with too much publicity." I shake my head once more. Niko would never agree with something that puts me in the spotlight. It would make me an easy target. This is the next best thing, I’m already getting it all figured out. Once again I marvel at the choice I’m career. After getting my certification I am tryi

Present. I remember the day I married my husband, as he slipped his rings on my finger, the dread in my heart as that single action sealed my fate. It was not a marriage I chose, or he a man I wanted for myself. It was sad, but I accepted it with grace, like a young woman befitting the Blanco name, I became a Salvatore. I didn’t love or care for him. But I made peace with it, the women in my family are beautiful and coveted. It is our duty to marry well and support our family's standing. Still, I promised myself, that whatever the future may hold, I would be fine. In the early months of marriage, we came to an agreement, I would fulfill my duties as expected of the wife of the capo, and in exchange, he would give me what freedom I could manage in between. Now, I sit with my hands clasped in front of me. On the table, under my clasped hands is a file including a list of activities, some photographs, a few hand-drawn images, and more papers covering the personal information of Jud

mother was here for three months following the birth of the children, Gianna, and Eva Vanessa and Anna visited every other day. Father didn’t come, it remains a critical time in Chicago, his position in jeprody, he dare not take his eyes off the ball for a second, choosing to stay back and guard his position. Sometimes, it surprises me how much I have come to understand the politics of our world as time passes. It’s mid-afternoon when I sit in the sunroom downstairs, the children, Angelo, Caela, and Sebby are playing with toys on the rug. I sit with baby Rico in my lap, though he is a month older than the twins, he is slightly smaller. On the single couch in front of me, Vanessa sits in jeans and a red top, shiny black ankle boots, and bright red lipstick, her black hair straight as a pin. She has a glass of wine in hand as he observes the children. I just joined them having rounded up my meeting with Alex it is safe to say we need more capital. So much capital to run a business

Niko is leaning over Caela’s crib when I returned, he’s home early as it was just around six in the evening, he must have come in while I was still down in the kitchen. “Where is Tommy? He didn’t leave them alone did he?” I ask with a frown, shutting the door behind me, he clearly agreed to watch them for a bit and I don’t think I was gone long.“He just left” Finally, he turns to me, his hair now shorter, but even more sexy if I do say so myself. He just went out one day and came back with the new haircut, buzzed short at the sides and the back, longer at the top combed back.The new haircut gave him an edgier, sharper look, making his chiseled features more pronounced, I had caught between annoyance and glee, missing the longer strands already and how I used to run my fingers through his hair when we kissed. But the new cut suited him perfectly.“You cut your hair” I had told him that day, my fingers hovering over the buzzed side by his ear. Niko lowers his head slightly “Don’t li

“Absolutely not” is the first thing he says.My eyebrows go up in surprise.It's been a good morning, Niko headed straight into the shower, in a pair of black sweatpants, his torso gleaming with a sheen of sweat so I know he's been to the gym. I was just getting done feeding the kids when he appeared again, fully dressed for the day in another black on black suit complete with a tie. As we have breakfast I remember my friends visiting yesterday and the idea I got. Spooning some eggs and sausage onto his plate, I return the pan, after buttering up my toast and taking a bite, So I asked, “What do you think about taking the kids to the park sometime?”Npw, I blinked at his sharp retort, a frown on my face “Why not?” His eyebrow goes up like he couldn’t be bothered with answering such a ridiculous question.I say finally when he keeps looking at me "I think it’ll be nice for them to be around other kids and have fun, because they’re kids” Niko’s tipped his chin down “Sebestian son co