All Chapters of Second Chance with the Mafia Kingpin: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

My mafia husband, Vincent Santoro, was born a monster, incapable of loving anyone. But one day, I discovered he was hiding a ‘forbidden fruit’.A girl from the slums, Claire Murphy. Scarred by life, yet as beautiful as a wildflower growing through concrete.For a man who'd waded through blood his whole life, she was a fatal attraction he never saw coming.He thought he'd covered his tracks. He was wrong.At the Santoro family's annual dinner, I confronted him about Claire, tears streaking down my face.He just lightly frowned, then had his consigliere slide the divorce papers across the table to me."Isabella. Sign it. The three North Side docks and the shipping lines are yours."I tore the papers to shreds. He just kept raising the offer.He had me thrown into the freezing waters of Lake Michigan. He blew up my family's distillery—the Romano family's legacy.Finally, he took my parents. Tied them in an abandoned warehouse and made one watch as he set the other on fire."Sign, or wat

Fifteen days left until the divorce was finalized by the court.Vincent never came home.One night, bored, I found myself back on the South Side.I didn't expect to see Claire in the community church, praying.She was still in that same faded dress, looking at the statue of the Virgin Mary with such devotion.Suddenly, as if she felt something, she turned her head slightly.Her eyes found me in the crowd and lit up. She hurried over.She took my hands in hers, her finger tracing on my palm."I'm so sorry about the other day. My boyfriend showed up unexpectedly. I'd love to buy you dinner to make up for it."In my past life, Vincent said she was different from us, from people with blood on their hands.He said her soul was pure, that she was an angel on earth.I scoffed at that back then.How innocent could a girl working in a South Side dive bar really be? She was just putting on an act for him.But seeing her now… maybe he was right."I should be the one thanking you. Come on, my trea

Vincent's POVAt the hospital, Vincent had summoned the best medical team in Chicago.All for a goddamn scrape on Claire's elbow."Does it still hurt? Don't worry, I've already made those scumbags pay. I promise, this will never happen again."Claire's eyes were red, but she stubbornly ignored him.Only after the doctors confirmed the redness was completely gone did Vincent dismiss them.Alone in the VIP room, Vincent knelt before her."I'm sorry, Claire. It's my fault. I wasn't there to protect you. I'll have the maids prepare a room. We'll live together, starting today. Okay?"At the words "live together," Claire finally looked at him.Her gaze was clear but tinged with a frustrated helplessness that snagged on his heart like a thorn.That look seized him.This strange, new feeling was more addictive than the slice of a blade against skin.After calming Claire, Vincent called the estate's butler, his tone back to its usual ice."Get Isabella and all of her things out of the main hous

Isabella's POVNevada. The Black Rock Desert.Almost half a year had passed since my "death."I had fallen in love with underground desert racing.It was as if only the roar of an engine and the sting of hot sand could wash away the blood and ice left in my bones.The death certificate was fake, of course.Ten million dollars. That's what it cost to buy off the soldier, the family doctor, and a hospital record so perfect it could fool anyone.My parents were already rebuilding the family business in Sicily.Today was the last illegal race before "Burning Man."I was behind the wheel of a modified Ford Raptor, battling a beat-up old JEEP that looked like it was about to fall apart.The guy driving the JEEP was a lunatic, drifting recklessly through the rocky terrain as if he had a death wish.Suddenly, a yellow wall rose on the horizon.A sandstorm. An unprecedented haboob was swallowing everything.I instinctively slowed down, but the JEEP accelerated, a blatant challenge to the grim r