Semua Bab The Mafia King’s Queen : Bab 51 - Bab 60

FiorellaI needed him to stay.The words had slipped out before I could think them through, before I could weigh the consequences. But now that they hung in the air, unspoken but heavy, I couldn't take them back.And more surprising than me asking—was that Rocco hadn't turned me down.He just sat there, looking at me, his sharp eyes unreadable. He wasn't the type of man to hesitate, not when it came to making decisions, but now I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was considering it.I swallowed, shifting slightly against the couch, acutely conscious of how close we were. The heat of him, the slow rise and fall of his breath. It was earthy, somehow, something I hadn't been expecting. I had been bearing everything on my own for so long, bearing the weight of my family's legacy, that it felt strange—almost dangerous—to let someone else bear some of it.And yet, there he was. Still there. Still waiting."I… I’m sure you have things to do—"I know he has things to take care of a

FiorellaThe road was more quiet than usual. Too emptyI had traveled a different route to check the shipment, deviating from the regular routes just in case anyone had been tailing us. My men followed in a second vehicle, their presence reassuring. But something was off about the silence.The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I glanced at the driver. "Stay alert."The words were scarcely out of my mouth when it happened.Behind us, tires screeched. A black SUV sped forward, slamming into the side of our car with brutal force. The impact jolted me against the door, my air stolen as metal groaned and glass shattered. My driver swore, fighting for control, but another impact threw us off onto the road."Fiorella, get down!" he yelled.Gunfire was unleashed. Bullets screamed through the air, ripping through metal, shattering windows. I dropped low, racing heart pounding as I reached for my gun. My men were returning fire already, the ringing of gunfire sounding deafening in the ti

FiorellaThe smell of smoke lingered in the air, thick and acrid, clung to my clothes, my skin—my body. Behind me, the remains of my family home smouldered and burned, but the fire that raged inside me burned hotter than anything the Marchesi or Vittorio could. Then the phone rang.I already knew who it was before I even glanced at the screen. My hand closed over the device, clutching tight until my knuckles turned white. I picked it up without hesitation, holding it against my ear."Fiorella."Vittorio's voice oozed over the receiver, heavy with contempt. "What a shame about the house. Years of history, wiped out in a night. You must be distraught."I swallowed the bile rising in my throat, my voice hard. "You called to gloat, huh?"He chuckled, the sound slow and measured, his voice sending shivers down my spine. "Not precisely. I wanted you to learn something, niece. This is what you get for not knowing your place. For refusing to listen."I was quiet, my silence provoking him to c

FiorellaThe drive back to the ruins of my house was silent, the sole sound being that of the engine filling in the quiet. I sat still, hands folded together in my lap, my eyes focused on the road ahead of us. I wasn't sure what I'd thought I'd feel when I finally saw it again, anger, grief, maybe even guilt, but as Rocco pulled the car to a slow stop in front of the burned-out remains. I felt angry.The house stood as a ruin. There was no smoke left in the air, but the acrid scent of burned wood tenaciously clung to the site. The iron gates were warped by the flames, one dangling halfway off its hinges, and the neatly groomed lawn was a graveyard of ash and debris.I stepped out of the car.This was supposed to be my home. A place of strength, of legacy. A place where I could still feel my father's presence, where I could convince myself that all had not been taken from me.Now, it was one more thing my enemies had tried to take away.Rocco came to stand beside me, his own hands in h

FiorellaThe sun pounded down when I came out onto the middle grounds of the estate, boots crunching against the gravel. The atmosphere was thick with dust and the scent of newly-cut wood, together with the caustic tang of steel beams being welded in place. Already, the reconstruction had begun, but not with sufficient haste.“Move the damn pallets to the east wing,” I barked, my eyes scanning the workers stacking crates near the foundation. “If I see them in the wrong spot again, you’ll be carrying them with broken hands.”The workers didn't wait long before rushing over to correct the mistake.Good.I wasn't going to stand for incompetence today.Leo dropped into stride with me, his black eyes scanning the property as he held a clipboard stacked with the current inventory reports. "We're getting another shipment in tonight," he informed me. "Top-of-the-line weapons from our Russian contacts. Everything's on the go.""Did they confirm the quality this time?" I questioned, my brow arc