"It won't be a straight death from where you're standing." I blink, turning around. "What?" But he doesn't give me a reply. At least not yet. Instead, he takes hold of my arms in his large, gloved hands, and pulls me to him so that we are standing toe to toe. "What are you doing?" I whisper. This new position has brought us closer. So close that if I stand on my toes, and he dips his head down a bit, I'd probably have the best kiss... "If you fall from here, the possibility of you dying immediately is 98% at the very least," He begins as I stare at him with my mouth slightly agape. "Falling from where you stood before is about 35% lesser. You'd die eventually, maybe after a night or two of trying to revive your shattered bones, but not immediately." Having made his point, he steps back from me and climbs down the somewhat elevated platform. "Did you just make way for me to kill myself?" I murmur, feeling like I'm losing my mind all over again. What kind of a man is this? *** Sonia's life is going great one minute and then takes a spin for the worse when she is betrayed, gets pregnant and worse, is told that she will be getting married to Italian mafia heir, Anthony Romero, who doesn't mind raising another man's child. She abhors the idea, but having also recently been disowned by her father, she has no choice but to accept the marriage proposal if she wants protection for herself and her child. But she has questions. Why would a sane man from her world want to raise a child that isn't his? Surely they're ulterior motives in play. *** Anthony Romano gave up on love a very long time ago and swore never to let another woman in. Then in comes this one woman he calls 'wife', breaking down walls he spent years building. But he's not about to let some flimsy feelings get in the way of his one need.
SONIA'S POV
"I don't know how I feel about your boyfriend, Sonia," Jessica, my best friend says from inside the apartment while I work on my laptop in the balcony of Shaun's apartment.
I playfully roll my eyes, "Yeah?" I say, encouraging my friend to go on without looking away from my laptop screen. It isn't news anymore that Jessica hates, and that's using capital letters to emphasize it, my boyfriend, Shaun. It has been evident in the way she always schools me about him. In her words, I wasn't supposed to end up with someone like Shaun after years of being single.
"It's just that I think he's a sketchy human being. Who leaves their girlfriend in their apartment for days while they go away to another city? Who knows what he's doing as we speak. Who knows who he's with?!"
I sigh and get up on my feet, going back inside. "Don't put images in my head, Jess. He's away on a business trip." I say to her for the umpteenth time in three days.
"That's what you keep saying, my friend." Jess walks up to me and guides me to the couch so we're now sitting on it. "You know I love you and I only want the best for you, right?"
I nod while keeping my face neutral.
"Leave Shaun. He will break your heart and leave you ruined for your soul mate. I don't want that. You're way too good for him. You know I know a guy who knows a guy, I could hook you up with someone better. And richer too."
"Jessica?" I stare intently at my best friend who is as beautiful as they come, her Brunette curly hair a perfect contrast to my ginger, wavy one.
"Yes, honey?"
"I'm not interested." I deadpan and with that, we both start laughing. The conversation switches to something lighter from there.
In all honesty, Jessica's comments about Shaun hasn't escaped the rational part of me. Each time she fly's in from the UK, she always tries to change my mind about him and when that is done not once or twice but past five times, it only leaves me to wonder if Jessica is seeing something in Shaun that I'm not.
Whereas Shaun isn't necessarily my first boyfriend ever, Jessica has had so many experiences in the dating field so if she says Shaun isn't genuine, then maybe she could most definitely be speaking from experience.
My mind immediately goes to that night two weeks ago when I saw that small black box in the jacket of his suit after our dinner. Sitting pretty and all shiny inside the box was a diamond ring. I had thought he didn't find the perfect time during our date to pop the question but up until now, he hasn't either.
Long after Jessica leaves to catch her evening flight back to the UK, I lay in Shaun's bedroom, enveloped in the warmth of his bed that emanates his oud perfumed scent. Like a bee drawn to honey, I pick up my phone from beside me and break the one promise I made to myself when I had installed a tracker into Shaun's phone. I know I initially said it would be only for emergencies but in case you haven't noticed, there's an internal crisis going on inside me which is in fact an emergency.
Finding the tracking app connected to my phone, I input Shaun's phone's IP address and hold my breath as a green circle rolls on the screen, indicating that it's loading. By the time it's done loading, my breath still remains hitched in my throat and a million thoughts races through my head.
Maybe, Jess was right after all.
I can hear my consciousness say, but I push her voice far away. Now's not the time.
The red dot on my screen indicates that Shaun is here in New Orleans. Specifically at the New Orientals Hotel, the largest hotel chain in North America.
He's supposed to be in Japan on a research trip with his colleagues. Just this morning he said he wouldn't be back until Friday night and today was just... Wednesday.
Before I can think better of it, I grab my jacket and car keys and in two minutes, I'm driving down to Shaun's location. There's no doubt he's cheating, exactly as Jessica had suspected.
Less than twenty minutes later, I'm parked in the hotel's parking lot and despite my inner turmoil, I will myself to look unbothered as I walk into the hotel, clad in a black satin skirt and matching bodysuit. Colors that match how I feel inside.
I don't stop to speak with any of the receptionists, neither do I use the elevator. I climb the stairs one at a time, until my green dot is directly aligned with Shaun's red dot. I look up and find myself in front of Room 213.
My heart begins to thunder. Not from my walk on the stairs but from what lays behind the doors. Today I have decided to make peace with myself. The life I live isn't truly the one which has been destined for me since birth and Shaun's actions has just given me a reality check, reminding me that we were probably never meant to be.
Probably?
Oh, who am I kidding? My family's affiliation with the mafia world would always be a barrier stopping me from having or creating anything meaningful with the real world.
My knuckles connect with the cold surface of the door, sending two series of raps against it. I can hear muffled sounds behind the door but because I've had years of experience in overhearing conversations that I shouldn't have been listening to outside the doors of my father's office, I'm able to make out the words.
"Who is there?" I know for sure that that is Shaun's voice.
Clearing my voice to make it sound as unrecognizable as I can muster, I reply, "Room Service."
"Babe, I think your meal is here."
"Finally! I'm famished."
That voice... If my listening wasn't as skilled as it was, I would have missed it. But...
The door flies open and I'm not the only one who stands frozen in their stance. My mouth is slightly agape and it's not from the shock of seeing Shaun's equally shocked and shirtless form behind the brunette that answered the door.
I'm shocked because the woman holding the door open and looking at me with a flustered face while wearing a thin material of nightwear that leaves nothing to the imagination ... is Jessica.
Lucia I'm thrown into a world of chaos when I hear that my family is part of the Italian mafia. No, scratch that - my family is the Italian mafia - and as tradition states, I'll be getting married to the bratva head. My world is in shambles when I see how cold and ruthless my husband is. Despite how handsome and attractive he is, I give myself one assignment; stay as far away from him as possible. But as neither my body nor my heart gets the message, I have to think of a way to conceal my emotions from him. Ivan My life's purpose has always been to take over from my father as the head of the bratva. That's practically what I was born for; to kill and destroy. But for that to happen, I must get married, which isn't a problem since an arranged marriage to the Italian mafia princess has long been formed for us. What becomes a problem is the strange feelings that begin to steer within me the moment I'm married to my wife. Now I have another purpose added to the list; kill, destroy and love.
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
After three years of loveless marriage, Kira was slapped with divorce papers. She has shown him her unrequited love throughout her entire marriage with him, but he decided to turn blind eyes all because of his lover. Distraught and heartbroken, Kira choose to sign the divorce papers with bitter heart. But then and there, she promised herself that when she's back, he will come crawling to her, but she will make him pay for hurting her. Join Kira as she transform to a wealthy heiress and soared as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a remarkable healer and make her ex-husband pay!