All Chapters of His Reluctant Bride: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

45 Chapters

First Assignment

Damian POV“Where in the bleeding hell have you two been?” our capo asked as Rex and I slump onto our bar stools at Sláinte. The Italian run strip joint is still bumping with energy at this late hour, but I’m limp with exhaustion. Tonight was meant to be a simple drop, but nothing in the gang is ever simple. It seems like every other week some new gobshite is gumming up the works.“Those fucking arseholes hit our shipments again,” Rex moans. “The outfit gang whatever-the-fuck they call themselves.”“Again?” Dante the capo frowns. “That’s the second time this week.”“I doubt they’ll be going away anytime soon,” I say. “Considering we just took out six of their members.”Dante brow furrows like I just reminded him of something, but whatever it is, he doesn’t mention it. “for Christ sake, Damian, you still have blood on your face. Go clean yourself up.”Even though I’ve been with the Italian gang for a couple years now, I’m still the youngest in the gang. So, when Dante tells me to do so

Chance To Impress

Liana POVIt’s been almost three hours since the guy in the black leather jacket told me he will give me a job. He goes by the name Dante, and I know he runs this club, but I have a suspicion he’s in charge of a lot more than that.He’s scary as hell, but the alternative is even worse. That’s what keeps me glued to the chair I’ve been seating on for the last week, hoping and praying nobody will find me here. The first few times I asked for a job, he just laughed in my face but tonight, for reasons I’m not entirely sure of, he finally took pity on me. I could be thinking of the many ways this could go wrong, but right now, I’m very happy. As risky as this place might be, it’s the one place I know the outfits won’t dare to come. When you’re between two difficult situations, it’s always wise to choose the lesser of two evils. In my case, that’s the Italian gang are better because they protect their territory and that makes any low life gangbanger think twice about crossing this threshold

Eyes on her

Damian POV “What’s up with the new girl?” Rex asks when I sit down beside him in the circle. “Since when does Dante have you managing the dancers?”“He doesn’t.” I focus on the stage, so I don’t have to look him in the eye. “I offered to do him a favor since he was busy.”He studies me as I settle back into the seat and drain my glass. Dante asked me to do this in confidence, so I wouldn’t go telling it to all the other members about it, and I have no intentions of fucking that up. “She’s pretty,” Rex observes.An bitter taste coats my mouth, tainting my reply with a sharpness I don’t recognize. “She looks like Dante pulled her half-dead arse out of a dumpster in Southie.”Rex smirks and relaxes into his seat like he has all night to sit around and watch the dancers. “Suit yourself then. I’m sure there are plenty of others who wouldn’t mind having a ride like her.”My jaw hinges shut, and I have the irrational desire to loaf my guy in the head for saying so. As much as I’d like to b

Invitation

Liana POV By some miracle, I managed to survive. I’m still on that adrenaline high when I walk out of the dressing room with all my cash I made in hand. Even after the house fee, there’s a lot of money here. Enough that it gives me hope I can actually make my dream come true. A few more weeks of this, and I’llnbe solid.I nearly smash into a broad chested man in the hall, and he winks at me with a playful smile as he helps me gather the jacket I just dropped.“Alright there?” he asks in a cheeky Italian accent.“Yes, sorry. I didn’t see you there.”He flashes a dimple when his lips tilt up. “I liked your routine. You did a great job up there.”“Thanks.” I smile. “I was a bit nervous, but I think it went okay.”He offers me his hand. “I’m Rex by the way.”I shake his hand and offer my name reluctantly. I’m not here to make friends, but it’s pretty obvious this guy is a part of Dante crew. “Damian and I were just about to grab a bite to eat,” he says. “Would ye care to join us?”I hesi

Firs Meeting

Damian PastMy eyelids feel like it were glued together, the moment my eyes opened I find myself in a dark, cold basement. I might have blackout but I remember when I decided to kill the fucker who took my brother's life. A familiar face comes into focus as he kneels down before me and starts to pinch me on my cheek. It’s the man in suit and he had a glasses on.“Good morning,” he says. “I’ve been waiting all night for you to wake.”“You missed out of the fun,” the other man says.I didn't understand what they’re discussing, but I nodded anyways, which I figure is what most guys probably do when they speak.“I’m Dante,” the man on blue T-shirt introduces himself first. “And this is my partner, Sebastian but you can always call him Ash.”“I’m Damian,” I responded around the dryness in my mouth. Dante tosses me a bottle of water, and i opened drank from it immediately. “So, what now?” I ask.The men look to each other “You drank a lot last night.” Dante stared at me and asked, what got

Homeless

Damian POV I wake shaking myself out of the past as my eyes scan the surroundings of my present. The dream doesn’t come as a surprise, I have them often. When I glance around Rex apartment, I know I’ve come a long way since I first killed a man in that basement.Liana is still on the couch, snoring, and Rex is on the floor. My eyes move between the two of them, and I’m irritated when I think about what might have happened in my absence last night. Then I realize how ridiculous that was, and I try to focus on the task at hand.I’m not here to worry about whose bed Liana wants to warm at night. I’m here to see what she knows, and I start by digging through the bag she carries with her. All that turns up are an extra set of clothes, a few toiletries, and her cash from last night.My eyes move over her face, and I know I can’t be wrong about this she’s too thin. If it isn’t needles, it must be pills. I take a peek at her arms, and there aren’t any marks that I can see sign. I nudge Rex

Her Son

Lia‍na POVT⁠h‍e c‌ol⁠d has already settl‌ed deep int‍o my bones by the time I wake. It’s the ki⁠nd of cold that doesn’t just cling to skin but b‍urrows inward, making even breathing feel hea⁠vier. For a moment, I consider‌ clos⁠ing my eyes a‍gain‍, surrenderi‌ng to t‍he e‌xhaustion that never tr‌uly leaves me but I can’t afford th⁠at. I never ca‌n.No matter how‍ long I s⁠leep, I wake up t‍i‍r‌ed. I don’t know w⁠hethe‌r it’s t‌he hel⁠l of the past year weighing me down or th⁠e‌ constant, gnawi⁠ng‌ hunger that⁠ twists in my st⁠omach, but‍ o‍ne thing is p⁠ainfully c⁠lear: I can’t keep living⁠ like this forever. M‍y body is already telling me that. Every a⁠che, e⁠v⁠e‌ry dizzy spel‍l, every moment my⁠ ha‍nd‌s tremble when I stand it’s all adding up.Th‌inking about m‌y reality has become part of my morning ritua‍l. I let myself feel it for a few minutes the fear‍, the gr‌ief, the anger then I force my‍sel⁠f to move on. When I’m done, I always manage to pull my‌self tog

Secret Out

Liana POV Five minutes later, my son and I are walking hand in hand down to the local park. It’s a nice community, and I’m grateful that he’s here. This is a safe place for him. Far away from the gang and in a house that’s secured like. Something Jane insisted on when she had her own son.“Tell me what you’ve been doing.” I help Matthew onto the swing set and give him a little push he flutters his legs and shrugs. “We built an airplane.”“You did?”He smiles. “Yes airplane.”My heart warms at his happy, easygoing expression, and I can only hope that in the end, when we come out of this, he will be okay. I hope someday he will understand that everything I’ve done is to keep him safe.“I got a new job,” I tell him. “Do you know what that means?”“What?” He curls his arms around the chains and stares up at me with a face untainted by the darkness in this world. “We’re going to be living together very soon.”He beams at me with a smile that could melt even the iciest of hearts. “Really?

Marriage Proposal

Damian POVShe started crying immediately t‌h‌e car door slams shu‌t they were not q‌uiet t⁠ears or the kind so‌meone tries‌ to swal‍low, she‌ breakdown completely and the so‍und of it f‍ills the car completely sha‌rp, panic‌ked sobs that‌ claw at the inside of my skull.“Jesus Christ,”⁠ I mutter, m‌y hands t⁠ightening‍ around the steering whe‌el un⁠til my knuckles pale. “You have a damn child?”“Please,” Liana ch‌ok‌es, barely able to‍ get th‍e word out b⁠etween breaths. “Please‌ d‍on’t hurt him, he has nothing t⁠o do with this, he doesn’t know anything.”It’s not the ki‍d I’m worried about that’s the problem. I can’t eve‌n look at her the same way now because she’s a mother and that changes everything for me.⁠⁠When I saw h‌er earli‍er in the park‌ with that little‍ boy, something inside m‌e nea‍rly split open because he‌ was so small and so f⁠ragile sitting on t‌hat bench wi‌th s‌ticky fingers an‍d wide eyes,‌ looking up at⁠ her like she was his entire wor⁠ld.‍All I could see was

My past

Liana POV“I can’t marr⁠y y‍ou.”T⁠he words burst out of my mouth before I can stop th‍em‌ they fee‍l sharp, reckless but hones‍t. My entire body reco‍ils at the idea marriage to‌ h‍im?‍To a man who kidnapped me, tied me‌ to⁠ a bed‌, and ca⁠lmly told me I could either become his wife or‌ die.‌ Damian wasn't the type to shout because he doe‍sn’t⁠ need to.‌He slowly turns his head tow⁠ar⁠d me, his green ey‌es flat and c⁠old‌. The tempera⁠t⁠ure in the room immediately drops‍ several degrees and his hand gestures lazily toward the gun at his wais‍t. “Fine,” he says evenly. “Have it yo‍ur w‍ay then, your kid can g‌r‍ow up without a mother.”The cruelty of it‍ steals the air from my lungs.He didn’t r⁠aise his voice and he‍ didn’t t‍h⁠reaten m‍e dra⁠matically, he‍ simp‍ly stated a fact. My te⁠eth grin‍d together until my jaw aches. “You don’t have to‌ be such an asshole there has to be another way.”⁠D‌amian exhales sharply and begins pa⁠ci‌ng back and forth then b⁠ac⁠k and for‍th again

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