All Chapters of Forbidden Lust: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

N/B: Ricardo was first mentioned in Chapter 1132Emilia“Stop being a pussy and show your face,” I yelled, but my voice only echoed through the empty space.No response. Again.I was kidnapped again.And this time, they didn’t even have the decency to leave my clothes on.I was shaking on the cold concrete in nothing but my underwear, struggling to move with my hands and feet tied.“You may have a fighting chance if you just showed your fucking face,” I yelled again.Angry tears were already welling up in my eyes.What the fuck did I even do to Italy?Raffaele might bother finding me.Or he might not.It would be easier for him to have me off his hands.Still, that didn’t stop me from using him as leverage.“My husband’s going to kill you,” I said into the darkness.Only then did the door creak open.“You’re so fucking loud,” a voice groaned, heavy footsteps striding into the empty room.I couldn’t see anything but a lean shadow framed by the sliver of light the creak of the door let

34RiccardoI stood while they sat.I took notes no one would read, followed orders no one remembered giving, and learned the names of men who never bothered to learn mine.That was the bottom.And I climbed it with my teeth.I threw another dart into the wall.“Raffaele de fucking Luca.”The name behind all my problems.The proof that waiting your turn is just another way to die.“The girl,” Nico grunted from the doorway. “She won't stop banging.”Emilia Visconti.My little triumph card.I lit my cigar and drew in slowly, letting the smoke sit in my lungs before releasing it.“Tape her mouth,” I said. “I’m thinking.”Raffaele didn’t kill my family.That would have required noticing us.He took the territories my father was meant to pass down, folded them into his empire, and called it progress.By the time we realized what was happening, our name had stopped opening doors.And that left me here, an errand dog for men of the mafia, carrying out dirty work in exchange for favors to

36RaffaeleNo matter how long it took me, I was going to kill Ricardo Santos.“What part of bring him to me don’t you people understand?” I barked at the men in front of me.Emilia stirred on my lap, and my glare burned holes through the room. How dare they make me raise my voice.I refused to let her out of my sight. If it came down to holding a meeting in my bedroom instead of the office, so be it.“I want him here by tonight,” I whispered.“The bastard knows we’re looking for him,” Ronan murmured back.“Why are we whispering?” Theo sauntered in, crunching loudly on a bag of chips, completely oblivious.Emilia shifted again, and my jaw tightened. It was difficult for her to sleep these days and it enraged me when she woke up sobbing, especially knowing the bastard who caused her pain had the audacity to wake up every morning.“Get the fuck out before I lodge a bullet in your ass, Theo,” I said through gritted teeth when he bumped into a metal sculpture, sending it clattering to the

38AdrianWhat was the worst that could happen?I drew in smoke from the cigar, letting it settle in my lungs before I blew it out slowly.“I’ll be back,” I told my men, standing up and grabbing my keys.“We’ll be heading back to Spain today, sir. Your father’s orders.”I stopped in my tracks the moment I heard him.The mafia had been handed to me when I turned twenty, yet my father still treated me like I was a bodyguard and not the one controlling its affairs.I didn’t answer. I headed straight for the door.I had other things to do today.Besides, I’d been patient enough.“What’s the worst that could happen?” I muttered to myself as I turned the ignition, driving straight toward Emilia’s university.I tightened, then loosened my grip on the steering wheel as I drove.My phone buzzed. I connected it to the car without slowing.“Where are you?” Enzo’s voice came through.“Out,” I answered, turning onto the street where her car was parked.“Raffaele found Emilia.”My jaw ticked. My ha

40EmiliaRaffaele wouldn’t let me out of his sight.And I wish I had enough self-respect to say I hated it.“Eat your food, Emilia,” he said, not breaking eye contact as he lifted another fork of rice to his mouth.I didn’t answer. I stared back at him.It wasn’t that I wasn’t hungry, I hadn’t had anything substantial since I saw Adrian.I just didn’t want to listen to him.“Your little boyfriend came to your school,” he said, setting his cutlery on the table and wiping his lips with his napkin.I didn’t answer again.“Created a little scene, from what I heard,” he chuckled, shaking his head.Anger rushed through me at him laughing at Adrian. He had every right to act like that, maybe even more.But my chest tightened at the memory. I still loved him. He had been everything to me before he became my boyfriend.He sighed, pushing back his chair and walking toward me.He leaned close, brushing my lips with the tip of his finger.“Eat,” he murmured. “Don’t make me feed you like an anima