All Chapters of The Mafia's Illicit Obsession: Chapter 41 - Chapter 49

Livia SoleneEnduring a trip to Nonno’s estate with Vincent is absolute torture. An experience etched in my memory as the longest, most soul-crushing hour of my life. Throughout the entire visit, Vincent does nothing except drone on and on, inflating his own ego, convinced he just won the ultimate prize by playing the corporate prodigy for my grandfather.“I can clearly see why your parents adore that boy,” Nonno had whispered to me with a fond, knowing smile while we walked side-by-side down the stone steps toward the driveway.Vincent is already standing by the passenger door of his sleek sedan, holding it open with a sickeningly sweet, theatrical grin plastered across his face, playing the part of the doting, chivalrous husband for the family to admire.“Do you like him, Nonno?” I ask, dragging my feet, desperate to delay climbing into that suffocating metal box with him. Every fiber of my being recoils at the thought of being trapped alone in a car with my husband.“I like him bec

Dante CortezHer bed is infinitely softer, infinitely warmer than the cold, sprawling king mattress sitting empty in my penthouse back in San Diego. Outside the dark glass walls of the high-rise, the autumn air has shifted, and a sudden, quiet snow is beginning to dust the New York skyline. The room is cocooned in absolute stillness. Livia is curled tightly against my chest, her breathing even, deep, and deeply peaceful as she sleeps soundly in my arms, totally unaware of the violent chaos in my mind.Then, the harsh, jarring buzz of my cell phone shatters the silence.I gently kiss the crown of Livia’s dark hair, careful not to disturb her, and slide out from beneath the warm covers. I pull on my discarded pants, reach into the pocket, and yank out the phone. My blood instantly turns to ice.Aliyah.Calling me in the middle of the night? The absolute gall of this woman.I swipe to answer, pressing the phone to my ear as I step softly toward the dark corner of the room. “What do you p

Livia SoleneDante genuinely wants to drag me straight down to hell with him, because he refuses to stop looking back at me while we sit around the dining table! He is supposed to be keeping his distance, focusing his sharp attention solely on my husband instead of locking me in his golden, heated gaze every two minutes.I don't know, and honestly, I don't even want to find out whether Vincent has any clue or even suspects the kind of psychological warfare Dante has been waging across this table for the past thirty minutes. I bet he hasn't noticed a damn thing, completely blinded by his own endless monologue. After accidentally shattering that wine bottle in the hallway earlier, Vincent didn't dwell on it for more than a second; he simply got a fresh vintage from the cellar and resumed talking nonstop.“It certainly seems like you have an extraordinarily busy schedule lined up for this week, Smith,” Dante remarks smoothly, leaning back in his chair with casual elegance.It’s an obviou

Livia Solene The moment the private elevator chimed and the doors slid open, pure excitement surged through my veins. I couldn't wait to sprint out into the entryway and meet our dog, but before I could take a single step forward, Dante’s heavy, calloused hand clamped firmly around my upper arm. I paused, looking up at him. “What?” “My brother is here,” he said, his golden eyes locking onto mine with a flat, serious intensity. “What?!” I squeaked, my heart instantly leaping straight into my throat. My immediate instinct was to turn on my heel and crawl right back into the private parking garage below. Dante had casually mentioned over the phone that someone was taking care of the puppy while he was away handling business, but he omitted one massive, crucial detail that someone was his own brother. And now that brother was standing right inside his private penthouse! “He was the one watching our dog,” Dante added smoothly, stepping out of the elevator first and pulling me ge

Livia SoleneThe volunteers at the villa handled the chaos with terrifying speed and efficiency. Before the ringing in my ears even faded, they shielded the children, calmly reassuring them that the loud explosions outside were merely an unexpected display of daytime fireworks for the celebration. No panic. No screaming. Within minutes, Dante’s perimeter guards dragged the bodies away, washed the blood off the pavement, and erased every trace of the violence.Now, I sit huddled in the plush leather backseat of Dante’s heavy, armored SUV, my entire body trembling violently. Dante sits right beside me, his large, warm hand clutching both of mine with an iron grip that almost hurts. The heavy privacy divider is rolled all the way up, completely blocking the driver and security detail from seeing into the dark rear cabin.“Mi reina, talk to me,” Dante rumbles, his voice thick with raw, suppressed panic.He yanks me toward him, hauling my shuddering body straight against his massive chest.