《The Empress (Mafia Empire Book 4)》 The Empress: Family Tree Leo Toscano 33 years old / Italian Father: Gerardo Toscano ¨C Assassinated Mother: Martina Toscano Right-hand man: Massimo Valenti Business: Creating false information and manipting the stock markets.
Haven Romano Previously known as Carina Messina, before her identity was changed 23 years old / American-Italian Biological Father: Corrado Messina ¨C Killed Biological Mother: Vi Messina ¨C Killed Biological Brother: Diego Messina ¨C Killed Best friend: Kristen Roy Adoptive Father: Santo Romano ¨C Deceased Adoptive Mother: Dakota Romano Adoptive Uncle: Nicolo Romano Adoptive Aunt: Giada Romano Adoptive Cousin: Luciano Romano Adoptive Cousin: Liliana Romano The Empress: Translations Aunt ¨C Zia Fuck ¨C Cazzo God ¨C Dio Jesus Christ ¨C Ges¨´ Cristo Little Star ¨C Stellina My little star ¨C Stellina mia Princess ¨C Principessa Uncle ¨C Zio The Empress: Prologue Leo Toscano; 16 Years old. It¡¯s after nine at night when Diego opens the front door, and taking one look at my busted lip, he shakes his head. My best friend grips hold of my arm and tugs me into the house. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get you cleaned up,¡± he mutters, anger tightening his tone. He¡¯s already dressed in the T-shirt and shorts he likes to sleep in. I walk with him up the stairs, and reaching the second floor, I hear Mrs. Messina say, ¡°No, Carina. Back to bed!¡± ¡°I want to see Leo,¡± Carina, Diego¡¯s little sister, argues. Before anyone can stop her, she darts out of her bedroom and runs toward me, wearing the pink pajamas she loves so much. When the six-year-old little girl plows into my legs, her big brown eyes look up at me, and I murmur, ¡°Hey, stellina mia.¡± She loves it when I call her ¡®little star¡¯. Usually, she¡¯d smile, but not tonight. Instead, her eyebrows draw together and her bottom lip juts out. ¡°Why are you bleeding?¡± Bending, I pick her up, and even though it hurts to smile, I do. I¡¯d do pretty much anything for Diego¡¯s baby sister. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let me get cleaned up, then I¡¯ll tuck you in.¡± As I move to set her down, she wraps her arms around my neck, refusing to let go. ¡°I want to stay with you.¡± ¡°Carina,¡± Mrs. Messina says with a stern tone while she gives me apassionate look. ¡°Now is not the time to be difficult.¡± It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯vee over after my father hit me. The Messina house is my safe haven when things get too rough at home. I crouch down, setting Carina on her feet while tilting my head. ¡°I¡¯ll only be a few minutes, stellina mia.¡± Reluctantly, she lets go of me and drags her feet back to where her mom is waiting. Mr. Messina must already be asleep, seeing as he has to be up at four for his shift. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up toote,¡± Mrs. Messina says before nudging her daughter into her bedroom. ¡°Thanks for letting mee over,¡± I say quickly. ¡°You know you¡¯re always wee here, Leo,¡± she replies. Diego jerks his head toward the bathroom, and when we go inside, I see my reflection in the mirror. ¡°At least I don¡¯t have a ck eye tonight.¡± He grunts, and pulling the first aid kit from the cupboard, he shakes his head again. ¡°Just move in with us.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t.¡± Things aren¡¯t always shit at home. It¡¯s only when my father has a really bad day. With him being the head of the Italian mafia, those days are happening more and more frequently because another syndicate is trying to take over his territory. Diego¡¯s family isn¡¯t a part of the mafia. When they found out my dad was the head of the mafia, they didn¡¯t hold it against me, but Diego¡¯s not allowed toe over to my house. I¡¯m okay with that, though, because I love spending time here. I watch as he removes an antiseptic wipe and begins to wipe the blood from my busted lip and chin. He always insists on taking care of me, so I don¡¯t bother fighting him on it. I¡¯ll never admit it out loud, but it feels good to have someone take care of me. ¡°Why did he lose his shit this time?¡± Diego asks, anger still tightening his tone. I focus on not flinching when the cut stings. ¡°Another organization is trying to move into my father¡¯s territory, and they¡¯ve been attacking him.¡± I lock eyes with Diego as worry swirls in my gut. ¡°I think he¡¯s losing the fight.¡± My friend¡¯s eyebrows lift. ¡°Seriously?¡± Concern tightens his features even more. ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous for you?¡± I shrug, not wanting to think about what will happen if they manage to overthrow and kill my father. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± He shakes his head again, and while he dabs ointment onto the cut, he mutters, ¡°You should stay here. At least until the shit passes.¡± It never passes. Every day, it¡¯s a battle for Dad to stay at the top of the food chain. ¡°I¡¯ll crash here for a couple of days,¡± I say to put him at ease. Diago is like a brother to me. When we met on our first day of school, we instantly became best friends, and after ten years, our bond is unbreakable. Honestly, I spend more time here than at my own house. He nces down at the drops of blood on my shirt. ¡°You can wear my clothes.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Our eyes meet for a moment before we head to his bedroom. I grab the first T-shirt Iy eyes on and change out of the dirty one. ¡°I¡¯m going to tuck Carina in.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Diego drops down on his king-sized bed and picks up his phone. I walk to Carina¡¯s bedroom, and when I step inside, a happy smile spreads over her face. Everything in her room is pink because she¡¯s obsessed with the color. Taking a seat on the side of the bed, I stare down at her innocent face, a dimple peeking in her left cheek. She takes hold of my hand with both her tiny ones. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re strong, right?¡± she asks. When I nod, she gives me a pleading expression and whispers, ¡°Look under my bed.¡± I chuckle as I crouch beside the bed and pretend to search for monsters. Once I¡¯m done, I sit down next to her again. ¡°No monsters.¡± Carina moves onto her knees and inspects my lip before she presses a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth. ¡°There. Now it¡¯s all better.¡± I give her a lopsided smile. ¡°Come on. Get under the covers.¡± ¡°I want to sleep by you and Diego,¡± sheins. Shaking my head, I pull the covers back. ¡°You¡¯re a big girl who should sleep in your own bed.¡± Giving me a disgruntled look, she sulks as she lies down again. I pull the covers over her and tuck her in. She grips hold of Be, her stuffed unicorn, and pouts at me. ¡°Please, Leo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you for five minutes, but then you have to go to sleep,¡± I try to bargain with her. Not looking happy, she mutters, ¡°Finnnneeee.¡± I bring my hand to her head and brush my fingers through her silky-soft brown strands. ¡°Smile for me.¡± Her lips curve up, and the dimple I love so much appears again. It disappears too soon, and she gives me a worried look. ¡°Why does your daddy keep hurting you?¡± ¡°Are you eavesdropping again?¡± I say, yfully narrowing my eyes. She shakes her head, and knowing she¡¯ll just keep asking until I answer, I whisper, ¡°Sometimes people do bad things they don¡¯t really mean.¡± Carina¡¯s bottom lip juts out again. ¡°I don¡¯t like when he hurts you.¡± Once again, she climbs out from under the covers. Her arms circle my neck, and she squeezes me tightly. ¡°You can live here with us because I love you and I¡¯ll never hurt you.¡± I wrap my arms around her tiny body and soak in thefort she¡¯s giving me. ¡°I love you too, stellina mia.¡± ¡°Bedtime,¡± Mrs. Messina says softly from the doorway. I let go of Carina and tuck her in again. Leaning over her, I press a kiss to her forehead and murmur, ¡°Sweet dreams.¡± ¡°You too,¡± she whispers as I climb to my feet. When I step out into the hallway, Mrs. Messina pulls the door partially shut before giving me a worried look, her eyes locking on my busted lip. ¡°Oh, Leo.¡± She lifts her arms and pulls me into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my boy.¡± My emotions spiral a little while I hug her back. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± She lets go, her eyes filled with concern for me. ¡°Diego says you¡¯re staying for a few days. Do you want me and Corrado to go home with you tomorrow so you can pack a bag?¡± I shake my head. Thest thing I want is Diego¡¯s mom and dad going anywhere near my house. ¡°I¡¯ll just wear Diego¡¯s clothes. It will only be for two days.¡± ¡°You can stay longer,¡± she says. I give her a grateful smile. ¡°I know, but it will only cause trouble.¡± She lets out a heavy sigh. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± No. All hell broke loose at the dinner table. Lying, I nod. ¡°I¡¯m good. Thanks for everything, Mrs. Messina.¡± She nods and watches as I walk to Diego¡¯s room before she heads back to the main bedroom. Entering Diego¡¯s room, I walk to the left side of the bed and drop onto the mattress with a sigh. ¡°I have a date with Donna,¡± my friend says while setting his phone on the bedside table. My eyebrow raises. ¡°Yeah? You finally wore her down?¡± Letting out a chuckle, he ps my arm. ¡°It¡¯s the other way around. She wore me down.¡± ¡°You keep telling yourself that,¡± I tease him. The door creaks open, and Carina peers into the room. ¡°Mamma¡¯s going to be angry,¡± Diego warns her, but he¡¯s already shifting to make space for her. ¡°Just for a little bit,¡± she begs as shees in with her stuffed unicorn clutched in her hand. He lets out a sigh. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± She hurries to the bed and climbs on, lying down between us. Her big brown eyes sparkle like stars, and the dimple is out in full force as she grins at me. Diego reaches for the bedside light and switches it off. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°Night,¡± Carina replies, her voice filled with happiness as she snuggles her way beneath my arm, her unicornnding on my chest. My lips curve up, causing the cut to pull and sting. ¡°Night.¡± I bring my hand to Carina¡¯s head and gently drag my fingers through her soft hair. I¡¯m an only child, but God, I would¡¯ve killed to have a baby sister like her. Instead, I live in a cold house filled with guns and violence. My mother is obedient to my father and does everything he says. I don¡¯t me her, because she¡¯s practically been beaten into submission. I have Diego and his family. As I lie awake, I begin to worry about my future. I know my father expects me to take over from him one day, but is that really what I want? ¡°Leo,¡± Carina whispers. ¡°Yes, stellina mia.¡± She rubs her cheek against the side of my chest. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Once she¡¯s quiet again, my thoughts return to my life, and for the millionth time, I wish I could¡¯ve been born into a regr family like Diego¡¯s. ¡°Carina,¡± Mrs. Messina calls out, and we hear her walking toward our room. Carina takes a breath to reply, but the sound of a gunshot has her screaming with fright instead. Intense ripples of shock vibrate through me while Diego shouts, ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± The door ms open, and not thinking, I grab Carina and toss her over me so shends on the floor at the side of the bed. Just as I sit up, one gunshot after the other fills the room with shes before the light is switched on. At the same time, I roll off the bed, falling over Carina, my mind racing to process that we¡¯re being attacked. I¡¯m being attacked. My guards are stationed outside the house, and I can only hope they heard the gunshots. Diego! Mr. and Mrs. Messina! ¡°L-Leo,¡± Carina hic-cups with terror darkening her eyes. Just as I¡¯m about to react, a bullet ms into my back, the pain more intense than anything I¡¯ve ever felt. ¡°Leo!¡± Carina screams, her hand grabbing my shirt as I fall over her. My eyes lock with her frightened ones. ¡°Shh.¡± I pray they don¡¯t see her beneath me, but I¡¯m grabbed by the arm and hauled off of her. As I stagger backward, I watch in horror as a man grabs Carina. ¡°No!¡± I shout, then another bullet hits me in the chest, and it feels as if my entire torso is split wide open. As I fall onto my back, I can¡¯t do anything but watch as the man carries her out of the room. No. ¡°Leo. Diego,¡± she sobs, then she cries harder. ¡°Mamma!¡± Droplets of blood fly from my mouth when I try to call after her. A man crouches beside me, and my eyes are wide on him. ¡°Your father should¡¯ve backed down, little boy.¡± His arm lifts, the gun pointing at my head, and as a gunshot fills the air, I expect to feel the bullet, but instead, the man falls over me, his eyes frozen. ¡°Leo!¡± Massimo, one of my guards, shouts while he shoves the body off me. ¡°Cazzo!¡± I open my mouth to tell him to go after Carina, but only bloodes out. My vision blurs, and when ites into focus, I nce at the bed and see Diego. He¡¯s been hit in the head and chest, and the unbearable fact that my best friend is dead is myst thought before I pass out. The Empress: Chapter 1 Leo Toscano; 33. Haven Romano; 23. Sitting at a table in Nicolo Romano¡¯s backyard for the man¡¯s sixtieth birthday, I¡¯m tired as fuck. Everyone¡¯s dressed as if they¡¯re attending a fucking presidential ball. ¡°Just another thirty minutes, then we can head home,¡± Massimo, my right-hand man, murmurs beside me. Letting out a huff, I nce over the guests. I recognize most of the people, most of them giving me cautious looks. My gazees to a stop on Nicolo. Watching himugh makes the urge to kill him grow deep inside my gut. I¡¯ve hated the man since I was sixteen because my gut tells me the fucker yed a role in the attack that changed my life for the worse. But, I can¡¯t kill Nicolo until I have solid proof, and it grinds against my soul that I haven¡¯t been able to find any. After I survived the assassination attempt, it was to learn my father had been killed. Just like me, my mother survived the gunshot wounds meant to kill her. While I suffered a crippling blow, Romano tried to take over the organization, but Massimo was a powerhouse none of the fuckers sawing. My guard ran the organization and taught me everything I know until I was able to take over as the head of the Italian mafia. Now he¡¯s my right-hand man and the only person I trust one hundred percent. He saved me in more ways than one. Without him, I wouldn¡¯t have survived the attack and the harrowing years that followed. I lost my best friend and his parents during the attack, and Carina vanished without a trace. Carina. Stellina mia. Even after seventeen years, my heart still squeezes painfully in my chest. Not knowing what happened to the precious little girl, who held my heart in her tiny palm, will haunt me until the day I die. If it weren¡¯t for the photo I have of her and Diego, which has an honorable position on my bedside table, I would¡¯ve forgotten what she looked like over the years. I was also able to take a few things like Carina¡¯s stuffed unicorn, Be, from the Messinas¡¯ house. Every once in a while, I look at everything, wondering what things would¡¯ve been like if the Messinas hadn¡¯t been killed because of me. ¡°Did you get a gift for your mother¡¯s birthday?¡± Massimo asks. My eyes flick to him. ¡°I got her a shit load of those diamond-dot things she loves.¡± She has an unhealthy obsession with that hobby of hers. She framed a few and tried to get me to hang them on my walls, but that¡¯s where I put my foot down. So now she donates them to the local charity. He lifts his eyebrow at me. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No. I also got Mamma the handbag she asked for.¡± I nce around at the festivities again. ¡°What did you get?¡± ¡°Perfume.¡± I let out a chuckle because he gets her the same thing every year. After the attack, I only had Mamma and Massimo. The three of us had to build a new life together. My mother lives on her own, not too far from Massimo. I wanted her to stay with me, but she refused, saying we both needed our privacy to do our own thing. While I stare at a group of women who are dressed to the nines, my thoughts jump from one topic to the next. Suddenly, Massimo asks, ¡°Are you thinking about marrying Liliana?¡± Drawn out of my deep thoughts, I give him a what-the-fuck look and grunt, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re staring at her and her friends.¡± There¡¯s no fucking way I¡¯ll ever tie myself to Nicolo¡¯s only daughter. Shaking my head, I check the time on my wristwatch. ¡°You know I¡¯m not interested in getting married, and even if she were thest woman on Earth, I wouldn¡¯t consider her.¡± ¡°Are you enjoying yourself, Leo?¡± Giada, Nicolo¡¯s wife, asks as shees up behind me. ¡°Of course,¡± I murmur politely, ncing up at her as shees to a stop beside my chair. There¡¯s a woman I haven¡¯t seen before at Giada¡¯s side, and before I can wonder who she is, Giada says, ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce you to Dakota. She¡¯s Santo¡¯s widow.¡± Not recognizing the name, I mutter, ¡°Santo? Should I know who that is?¡± She yfully touches my shoulder while letting out a chuckle, which annoys the living fuck out of me. ¡°Nicolo¡¯s brother. He died of a heart attack recently, so Dakota and her daughter came to visit us.¡± This is such a fucking waste of my time, but remaining polite, I just smile at the women. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t aware Nicolo had a brother. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Dakota says with an American ent. ¡°Likewise,¡± I murmur, before ncing at Massimo and adding, ¡°As much as we¡¯re enjoying the evening, we have to go.¡± Giada¡¯s face falls. ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s still early.¡± As we climb to our feet, Massimo says, ¡°We have a meeting to attend.¡± Yeah, the only meeting I have tonight is with my bed. I give the women a nod before we walk toward Nicolo. When he sees I¡¯m heading in his direction, he quickly excuses himself from the couple he¡¯s talking to. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re leaving,¡± he says with a tumbler of whiskey in his hand. ¡°I have a meeting,¡± I give him the excuse Massimo came up with. ¡°Such a pity.¡± Yeah, right. I stare at him for a few seconds before I murmur, ¡°Enjoy the rest of your party, Nicolo. Tell Luciano I¡¯ll see him on Tuesday, and he better not bete.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be there.¡± A look of warning tightens my features. ¡°He better.¡± Walking away from Nicolo, we head toward the veranda, and as we enter the house, a young woman I¡¯ve never seen beforees down the stairs. Her brown hair has blonde highlights, and she has big, brown eyes that make her look fucking beautiful. She¡¯s wearing a shimmering pink dress that fits her full body like a second skin. Desire ignites in me as I take in every sexy and fuckable inch of her. Christ. Wouldn¡¯t mind having her in my bed for one night. Those big brown eyes of hers lock with mine, and I feel a punch to my gut. There¡¯s an innocent air about her, which is something you don¡¯t find easily in my world. The image of those big eyes staring up at me as I fuck her senseless has a fineyer of sweat breaking out over my body, and my cock hardens at the most inconvenient time. ¡°Haven,¡± I hear Liliana call from behind me, making a smile spread over the woman¡¯s face. When a dimple appears in her left cheek, a stab of pain squeezes my heart, and the burst of desire vanishes real fucking fast. Carina had a dimple like that. ¡°Our moms want to take a photo with us,¡± Liliana says. ¡°You look so gorgeous in that dress.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Haven replies, her eyes darting to me. When she sees I¡¯m looking at her, she quickly smiles at Liliana again, a nervous expression tightening her features slightly. I rip my eyes away from the beautiful woman and walk toward the front door. She must think I¡¯m out of hearing distance, but I can hear when she asks in a soft tone, ¡°Who¡¯s the man in the blue suit?¡± Hmm. American ent. She¡¯s probably Liliana¡¯s cousin. ¡°Leo Toscano,¡± Liliana answers, her voice tense with caution. ¡°Hot as hell, but not someone you want to get involved with. Come, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Hot is the understatement of the year,¡± Haven murmurs. The corner of my mouth lifts as I leave the mansion and take the steps down to the driveway. ¡°Hot as hell,¡± Massimo scoffs before chuckling. ¡°I can¡¯t help that women throw themselves at me.¡± He rolls his eyes as we reach the Ferrari. ¡°Next time I have to attend anything with you, bring the Porsche. I struggle to get in and out of this fucking car.¡± ¡°Old man,¡± I taunt him while opening the driver¡¯s side door. Folding his body in half to get into the sports car, he grumbles, ¡°Old man, my ass.¡± Massimo is the furthest thing from an old man, but I like to give him shit. He¡¯s one of the best fighters I know, and he never misses a shot. The man is nothing short of a killing machine, and I¡¯m lucky to have him by my side. Once I¡¯m seated behind the steering wheel, I press the button and the engine roars to life. I steer the Ferrari past all the other cars, then mention, ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware Nicolo had a brother.¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, the brother left Italy to live in the US when he was young. The family was upset because he married an American woman and didn¡¯t want anything to do with the business.¡± His phone beeps, and it has him struggling to pull the device out of his pocket. He reads the message, then says, ¡°Franca says the kids want pizza. Will you stop at Basile¡¯s?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Massimo married Franca the year I took over as head of the mafia. She¡¯s the only woman he has eyes for, and she has him wrapped around her pinky. Even though I¡¯m twelve years younger than Massimo, he¡¯s made me Leandro and Amara¡¯s godfather. I love the kids like they¡¯re my own. I listen as he calls the local pizzeria and ces an order so it¡¯s ready for us to collect on the way home. Tucking his phone back into his pocket, he asks, ¡°What were we talking about?¡± ¡°Nicolo¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°Right. I think the woman we sawing down the stairs is Nicolo¡¯s niece.¡± He nces at me. ¡°Santo¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°I guessed as much, but it¡¯s difficult to believe,¡± I mutter as I take a left at a set of traffic lights. ¡°Haven looked nothing like the American that Giada introduced us to, and I assume Santo resembled Nicolo.¡± ¡°Liliana didn¡¯t turn out too bad, and she¡¯s a Romano.¡± ¡°Liliana got her good looks from Giada.¡± ¡°True.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Maybe the niece takes after an aunt or uncle on her mother¡¯s side?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As I drive toward the coast, Haven¡¯s beautiful face pops into my mind. I¡¯ve seen my fair share of gorgeous women, but there¡¯s just something about her that draws and holds my attention. It¡¯s actually unsettling. It¡¯s her big brown eyes that are filled with a world of innocence. And the dimple. ¡°She must¡¯ve made one hell of an impression on you for you to remember her name,¡± Massimo teases. ¡°I might not be interested in a rtionship, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m blind.¡± Shaking my head, I force my thoughts away from the woman and think about the uing attack on Vito Santoro. ¡°Do you think Luciano wille on Tuesday?¡± He shrugs. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± His eyes flick to me. ¡°What do we do if the fucker chickens out?¡± The corner of my mouth lifts. ¡°Kill him. It will give me the reason I¡¯ve been looking for to take out Nicolo as well.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no proof Nicolo was involved with the attack on your family,¡± Massimo says for what must be the hundredth time. ¡°He was the first person who tried to take over control of the organization.¡± My gaze flicks to Massimo. ¡°Hours after my father was killed.¡± I turn my attention back to the road as we pass a few stores that are already closed for the night. ¡°If that bastard were loyal to my father, like he imed to be, he would¡¯ve backed you instead of being a conniving asshole.¡± Massimo sighs and gestures at the side of the road near Basile¡¯s Pizzeria. ¡°Park there.¡± Just as I bring my Ferrari to a stop, Alfio, the owner,es rushing toward us with the box in his hands. Massimo lets down his window and gives the man a thankful smile as he takes the pizza. ¡°Thanks, Alfio. I¡¯ll settle the tab at the end of the month.¡± ¡°Any time. Give my regards to Franca,¡± the old man says before heading to where people are seated at tables out on the sidewalk. The smell of grilled cheese and tomato fills the cab, and I press the button on the side of my door to let down my window as well. I don¡¯t want my car smelling like pizza for the next few days. Massimo opens the box and helps himself to a slice. When there¡¯s a long string of cheese, I mutter, ¡°Don¡¯t make a mess in my car.¡± ¡°Yeah-yeah.¡± He takes a massive bite before grinning at me. ¡°Want some?¡± I shake my head, and just to fuck with him, I floor the gas and the sports car shoots down the narrow road with one hell of a roar. He clings to the box while ring at me, and when I take the turn up the road he lives on, he mutters, ¡°Franca is going to kill you.¡± I quickly slow down, which has himughing at me. I steer my car through the gates of his property, and when I stop by the front door, it opens, and Leandroes darting barefoot out of the mansion. Before Massimo can open the door, Leandro reaches through the open window and grabs the box. ¡°Hey, Zio Leo.¡± He rushes back inside, and Massimo grumbles, ¡°The little shit will eat me out of the fucking house.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a growing boy,¡± I stand up for my godson. My right-hand man gets out of the car and leans down to look at me. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at ten tomorrow for the meeting with Luigi.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Franca appears in the doorway and waves at me. I return the way, then reply, ¡°Have a good night.¡± Massimo pats the roof of my car. ¡°You, too. Message me as soon as you¡¯re home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only ten minutes.¡± He gives me a pointed look that has me sighing, ¡°Fine.¡± I make a U-turn and slowly steer my Ferrari back down the driveway and out the gates. I don¡¯t take in any of the other mansions in the neighborhood, and they soon fall behind me. Driving along the stretch of road that curves around the hillside, there¡¯s a scenic view of the moon shining over the ocean on my left. As I near the only entrance to my secluded property, the heavy gates swing open, and I give my two guards, Edoardo and Jacopo, a chin lift. Pulling the Ferrari into one of the garages, the engine¡¯s roar is loud for a moment before I switch it off. I get out and walk to the door that connects the garages to the mansion. As I enter the kitchen, I shrug off my jacket. I¡¯m greeted by silence that¡¯s only broken by the faint roar of the ocean while I walk toward the living room, lights automaticallying on as I move through my ce. There are expansive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the dark water and my private beach. Dropping the jacket over the back of my gray, suede couch, I head for the side table, which is decorated with two crystal tumblers and a decanter filled with my favorite Scotch whiskey. I pour myself some of the amber liquid, but before I can take a sip, my phone vibrates, and I chuckle as I pull the device out. Massimo: Are you home? Leo: Yes. Just walked in. Massimo: Good. I take a sip of the whiskey, loving how it burns down my throat, then sigh when another messagees through. Dominik: Will you be at the meeting on Wednesday? Two years ago, I formed an alliance with four of the most powerful people in the world. Dominik Varga, the biggest arms dealer, and Santiago Castro, who charges a fuck-ton for extracting people from dangerous situations and giving them new identities. There¡¯s also Cassia Dimitriou, the head of the Greek mafia, andst but not least, Enzo, who¡¯s in charge of a syndicate in Portugal. We all invested in an ind off the coast of Chile that¡¯s more like a resort with state-of-the-art security. Even though I¡¯ve known them for a while, I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m friends with any of them. I know Dominik and Santiago are pretty good friends, but Cassia, Enzo, and I keep to ourselves. We only interact for business. Honestly, Massimo is the closest thing I have to a friend since Diego was killed. I¡¯ve avoided getting close to anyone else since I lost my best friend and his family. Walking to one of the couches, I sit down and type out a reply. Leo: I won¡¯t be able to make it in person. I have business to take care of. I¡¯ll attend via video. Dominik: Everyone¡¯s busytely. Enzo and Cassia are also attending via video. I¡¯ll send you the link for the meeting. Anything I can help with on your side? Leo: No, but thanks. I¡¯ll talk to you on Wednesday. Give my regards to Grace. Dominik: Will do. I finish the whiskey in the tumbler before getting up and moving back to the windows. Moonlight shines over the ocean, and I watch as waves crash against the rocks on either side of my private beach. My thoughts turn to the impending attack on Vito Santoro, who¡¯s been very vocal about taking me out so he can rule in my stead. I¡¯ve had enough and have decided to take the fight to him. Next week is going to be intense, but there¡¯s no backing out now. I¡¯m going to make an example of Santoro, and if Luciano doesn¡¯t show up to help with the attack, I¡¯ll make an example of the Romanos as well. The only way to stay at the top is by ruling with coldhearted brutality. It¡¯s either that or I¡¯ll end up six feet under in a box, and I n to outlive all my fucking enemies. The Empress: Chapter 2 After all the guests have left, I sit outside with Liliana, a nket draped over my shoulders. I met so many people tonight, but the only name I remember is Leo Toscano. The Italian man is easily the most attractive person I¡¯ve ever seen. I¡¯m not sure if his hair is ck or dark brown, but God, he¡¯s next-level hot. I bring up the mental image of him that¡¯s seared into my brain, and it has my stomach fluttering. The moment I saw Leo, walking with so much confidence that I had no choice but to take notice of him, I forgot how to breathe. He¡¯s tall, dark, and has a foreboding vibe. Honestly, the man looks like he¡¯s stepped out of a romance book. He¡¯d make a ton of money as a cover model. I nce at all the twinkling lights and the tables that are cluttered with dirty sses and tes before looking at my cousin. When Mom mentioneding to Italy, I was nervous about meeting Dad¡¯s side of the family, but Liliana turned out to be a pleasant surprise. She¡¯s only three years older than me, and I like spending time with her. I haven¡¯t spoken much to Luciano, because he¡¯s hardly home. I get the vibe that he bats for the other team, and he has an eye for style. When Dad was alive, he didn¡¯t speak about Italy that much, but I knew he always kept in contact with Uncle Nicolo. My Italian is super rusty, but thankfully, my father¡¯s side of the family is fluent in English. My heart clenches when I think about Dad. The heart attack that took him from us was sudden. There are moments I still struggle to process the shock. It¡¯s only been a month since we lost him. I was surprised when Mom mentioned the trip, but she insisted it was time for me to meet the other half of my family. I agreed because I thought it would help her deal with her grief by visiting Dad¡¯s brother. I had to cancel my ns with Kristen, my best friend. We were going to do a marathon read of all our favorite books before we start looking for jobs. I studied business management at the local college, but I still have no idea what kind of work I¡¯d like to do. After living my whole live in Whitefish, Montana,ing to Italy is the most exciting thing I¡¯ve ever done. Kristen is living vicariously through me because she¡¯s also never had the opportunity to travel. I wish I had a photo of Leo to send to her. He definitely fits the role of morally gray hero to a T. Wrapping the nket tighter around me, I give Liliana a curious look. ¡°Why did you say Leo Toscano isn¡¯t someone I would want to get involved with?¡± Liliana¡¯s gaze snaps to mine, and she quickly shakes her head, her features tensing. ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t ask questions about him.¡± Hmm¡­that only makes me more curious. I¡¯ll ask Momter. Maybe she knows something about the hot-as-sin man. I swear, if he turns out to be morally gray, my ovaries might explode. Yeah, right. You¡¯d run so freaking fast for the hills. It¡¯s one thing reading about the big, bad men in romance novels, buting face-to-face with one in real life will probably have me shaking in my boots. A grin forms on my cousin¡¯s face. ¡°We can go to a club on Friday night. There will be plenty of hot men for you to choose from.¡± I¡¯m not the kind of woman to get involved in a summer fling, and I don¡¯t do long-distance rtionships. Clubs are also not my thing. I scrunch my nose and give her an apologetic look. ¡°I¡¯d rather not go to a club. Maybe we can drive around Maiori and you can show me all the pretty sights?¡± A smile spreads over her face. ¡°That would be so much better. We can also drive out to other ces.¡± I lean toward her as excitement bubbles in my chest. ¡°That would be awesome! A mini road trip.¡± ¡°Girls,¡± Aunt Giada calls from the veranda. ¡°It¡¯s getting cold. Are you going toe in?¡± We get up and walk into the house, where it¡¯s warmer. Reaching the foot of the stairs, I say, ¡°I¡¯m going to get ready for bed.¡± ¡°I hope you sleep well,¡± Liliana replies. I give her a warm smile. ¡°You, too.¡± I head up to the second floor, but before I can slip into my bedroom, Mom¡¯s door opens, and she pops her head out. ¡°Come here for a second.¡± I change direction and walk to her room. When she shuts the door behind us, I ask, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I think we should cut our trip short.¡± Surprised, my eyes widen. ¡°Why? Did something happen?¡± She shakes her head, and I can feel she¡¯s keeping something from me when she says, ¡°I overheard a conversation today, and I don¡¯t want to frighten you, but I think your uncle is involved in something shady.¡± My eyebrows lift even higher. ¡°What did you hear?¡± Mom steps closer to me and lowers her voice to a whisper. ¡°Something about an attack and guns.¡± My mouth drops open as I stare at my mother while she continues, ¡°I¡¯m going to get us a flight back to Montana. We¡¯ll just tell them there¡¯s an emergency at home and we have to cut our vacation short. Even though I understand, I still feel disappointed because I was enjoying my time with Liliana, and there¡¯s so much more I wanted to see. ¡°Okay. Let me know the details, then I¡¯ll ask Kristen to pick us up at the airport.¡± Mom nods, and reaching out to me, she takes hold of my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere without me.¡± ¡°Liliana wanted to show me around, and I was hoping to take a short road trip with her.¡± Mom shakes her head hard. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want you leaving my sight. Everything feels wrong in this house.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Dad tell you about Uncle Nicolo?¡± I ask. Mom sighs, her eyes flicking to the shut door. ¡°He didn¡¯t talk about his childhood, and after leaving home, he had minimal contact with Nicolo. He never even mentioned his parents.¡± She gives my arm a squeeze. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I don¡¯t want to get caught in the crossfire of whatever shady business Nicolo is involved with.¡± Well, that sucks. ¡°Okay.¡± I lean in and give Mom a hug. ¡°I¡¯m going to shower and sleep.¡± ¡°Good night, sweetheart,¡± she murmurs, her eyes glued to me as I leave her bedroom. Just as I reach my door, I hear Uncle Nicolo¡¯s voice rumbling from the direction of the stairs, but I can only understand a few words. I think they¡¯re talking about some kind of attack on happening on Tuesday, and I also hear Leo¡¯s name, but I can¡¯t make out anything else. God, I wish I understood Italian better. I quickly dart into my bedroom and shut the door partially while shamelessly trying to eavesdrop. Lucianoins about it being dangerous, which has Uncle Nicolo cursing. Holy shit! Mom is right. I softly press the door shut before locking it. Walking to the double bed, I sit down on the side and nibble at my bottom lip while I process the new information. I hate that our trip is being cut short, but from what I¡¯ve just overheard, there¡¯s something dangerous brewing in the air. We should go home before we get caught up in something bad. Leaning to the side, I pick up my phone and type out a quick message to Kristen. Haven: We¡¯re cutting the trip short. Mom still has to change the flight, so I¡¯ll send you the details once I have them. The text goes through, and a secondter, my best friend reads it. Kristen: Oh no! Why? I thought you were having fun. Haven: My mom doesn¡¯t like my uncle, and we think he¡¯s involved in something shady, so we¡¯reing home. Kristen: Oh God. Yes, rathere home. I don¡¯t want anything bad happening to you on the other side of the world. Leo pops into my mind, and it has me typing another message. Haven: In other news, I saw the hottest man ever tonight. I swear, he looks exactly like he stepped out of a romance book. Kristen: Tell me you got a photo of him. Haven: Unfortunately, not. I was too busy staring at him to think of stealing a photo. Kristen: Boooo. Kristen: Once you¡¯re back, we can read all our favorite books like we wanted to. Haven: Yeah. I¡¯m going to shower and sleep. I¡¯ll let you know once my mom¡¯s booked our flights. Kristen: Okay. Good night! Leaving my phone on the bed, I get up and dig out a pair of shorts and a cami from my luggage. I¡¯m toozy to unpack, so I¡¯m living out of the bag. While I shower, my thoughts return to what Mom said and the conversation I overheard. It¡¯s such a pity things turned out this way. I was really looking forward to spending more time with Liliana.
LEO Throwing the car door open, I climb out while scanning the other vehicles as they pull up to the shipping yard. To my left lie piles of steel rods, and to my right is a building consisting of offices that¡¯s attached to a warehouse. It¡¯s pretty quiet today because there¡¯s no freight being moved. My gazends on Luciano, where he¡¯s standing beside Klodian, who¡¯s one of my best men. Luciano looks nervous as fuck, sweat pouring down his face and forming damp patches on his shirt. He isn¡¯t going tost long in our world. Nicolo should¡¯ve trained Liliana to take over the family business. She has more guts than her brother. Nicolo is old school, though, and he¡¯ll never let Liliano take Luciano¡¯s ce. ¡°Ready?¡± Massimo asks while checking the magazine of his machine gun. I begin to walk toward the entrance of the building, muttering, ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± I have thirteen men with me. My scout counted only four men guarding Vito Santoro, so the attack should go down smoothly and be over in a matter of seconds. We enter the lobby and proceed down the hallway that leads to the entrance of the warehouse, where Santoro should be busy preparing a shipment of drugs. The man has been smuggling cocaine through my territory, thinking I wouldn¡¯t find out. Mattia and Raffaele, two of my men, take the lead with Massimo and me right behind them. I¡¯m aware of Luciano and Klodian following us, and not trusting Nicolo¡¯s offspring, every muscle in my body is wound tight. Raffaele kicks in the metal door, and it shudders open. We all pour into the warehouse that¡¯s filled with tables and people packing bags of cocaine into cereal boxes. ¡°Cazzo!¡± one of Santoro¡¯s men shouts, and as he aims at us, my men spread out and begin to open fire. I stick near Massimo while I shoot at anyone who¡¯s holding a weapon, and for a moment, the gunfire is loud, white powder filling the air around the tables. Pandemonium breaks loose, and I¡¯m angry as fuck because it¡¯s now clear that my scout fucked up. There are more than four armed men. When Raffaele is shot to my right, and he drops to the floor, intense rage pours through my veins. I¡¯m going to kill Sebastiano with my bare hands for giving us the wrong information. Santoro must¡¯ve paid him off. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck raise, and after killing another fucker, I nce to my right, only to see Luciano running for the door while covering his head. As a result of the coward running away, Klodian takes a bullet to the neck. Luciano disappears down the hallway, and with the attack ongoing, I can¡¯t go after him. It takes us way too fucking long to kill thest of Santoro¡¯s men before I¡¯m able to get to Klodian¡¯s side. I drop my weapon as I kneel beside one of my most loyal men. Klodian coughs, blood spraying from his mouth and hitting my neck. His eyes are filled with fear as he stares at me. Knowing Klodian won¡¯t make it, I promise, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Carlotta.¡± He coughs again, more droplets of blood hitting me. Pushing my arm beneath his head, I hug him to my chest and say, ¡°I¡¯ve got you. Shh. I¡¯ll make sure Carlotta¡¯s always taken care of.¡± His body jerks once before he stills, and his gurgling breaths stop. I¡¯m hit with so much fucking anger as Iy Klodian down, a tremor shudders through my body. With Klodian¡¯s blood coating my skin, I rise to my feet. I take a moment to check on all my men. Raffaele and Andrea have been shot, but they¡¯ll be okay once they get treated. I look at Maurilio and order, ¡°Get them to the hospital and take care of Klodian.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± I nce over the destruction and bodies, my frustration and anger spiraling out of control because Santoro isn¡¯t here. Turning around, I stalk out of the warehouse and make my way down the hallway. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Massimo asks. ¡°To kill Luciano and Nicolo,¡± I growl. While Massimo gathers the remainder of our men, I climb into my Porsche, my blood practically boiling in my veins. Because Luciano ran like a fucking coward, Klodian is dead. Today, I¡¯ll rain down hell on the Romano household. The Empress: Chapter 3 There¡¯s a lot of yellinging from the first floor, and it has me opening my bedroom door just in time to see Mom rushing up the stairs. ¡°We¡¯re leaving now!¡± she exims, panic thick in her words. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Get your bags, Haven!¡± she practically shrieks while running past my room to get to hers. A p echoes through the air, then more shouting follows. Holy crap, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on downstairs, but it doesn¡¯t sound good. They¡¯re all talking so fast I can¡¯t make out any of the words and quickly dart back into my bedroom. I¡¯m wearing a pair of loose cks and a spaghetti strap top, and for a second, I consider changing into something else, but the angry shouts escte. Chills rush down my spine, and I push my feet into afortable pair of sneakers. Hurrying to the bathroom, I shove everything into my toiletries bag before cing it in my luggage. I grab my belongings that are lying around the room, and by the time I zip up my bags, the door ms open, and Mom says, ¡°Come, Haven. Quickly!¡± I swipe my handbag from the bed and loop the strap over my head so it¡¯s resting across my chest. That way it won¡¯t slide off my shoulder. Taking hold of my luggage, I drag the two heavy bags out of the room. As we hurry down the hallway, I ask, ¡°How are we going to get the bags down the stairs?¡± ¡°Just shove them down,¡± Mom snaps, and the next second her bags go flying down the staircase. My eyebrows raise, and when Mom grabs a bag from me, I don¡¯t waste more time and toss the other one. We quickly hurry to the first floor only to be met by Uncle Nicolo, Aunt Giada, Luciano, and Liliano, who are all screaming their heads off. I take in Luciano¡¯s busted lip and the cut above his left eyebrow. Uncle Nicolo notices us, and with an aggressive tone, he snaps at Mom, ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± Mom¡¯s face sets in a stony expression, but there¡¯s also fear in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of trouble you¡¯re involved with, but we¡¯re leaving.¡± We pick up our bags and position them on their wheels so we can pull them, but then amotion sounds up outside. A gunshot from the front yard has me freezing with fear. What the hell is happening? Uncle Nicolo pulls a gun from behind his back and shouts, ¡°Luciano, take your mother and sister out the back. Run!¡± ¡°Come!¡± Mom shrieks, her features drawn tight as if she¡¯s about to burst into tears any second. Mom speed walks toward the sliding doors that lead out onto the veranda with me right behind her, but suddenly three armed men storm the ss doors, and it has all of us stopping dead in our tracks. ¡°Oh God!¡± I gasp, my heartbeat setting off at a crazy pace. Mom lets go of the luggage, and grabbing my hand, she hauls ass back toward the stairs. We don¡¯t even make it to the first step when the front door ms open. Intense shock and fear shudders through me when Leo and the other man he was with at the party stalk into the foyer. Holding guns, they¡¯re both wearing ck cargo pants and ck shirts. Leo has blood all over his neck and forearms, which are visible because his sleeves are rolled up. The sight makes my fear skyrocket. He lifts his arm, the muscles beneath his golden skin wound tight. As he trains his weapon on Uncle Nicolo, he growls, ¡°Your coward of a son got one of my men killed.¡± Mom begins to drag me up the stairs, but then a man behind us shouts something in Italian, and a bullet ms into the banister right in front of Mom. Shrieking, I grab hold of Mom, intense fear bleeding through my body. The image of a boy crouching over me shes through my mind. I¡¯m gripping his shirt, and he¡¯s like a shield protecting me from the monster looming behind him. ¡®Shh.¡¯ When I was younger, I used to have nightmares, but I haven¡¯t thought of them in years, so the memory of the nightmare only makes this situation a million times worse. The violence unfolding around me undoes the years of therapy it took me to stop having nightmares. The gunshot and my shriek draw Leo¡¯s attention to us, his eyes only touching on Mom for a split second before they lock on me for an unnervingly long moment. I¡¯m grabbed by my arm, and it has Mom shrieking, ¡°No! Let go of her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I hear Luciano say from somewhere to the left of me. ¡°I panicked.¡± Mom begins to m her fists against the man who¡¯s gripping my arm, and I manage to yank free. Mom pulls me to her just as a gunshot sends shockwaves through the air. Shit! ¡°Nooo!¡± Uncle Nicolo roars. ¡°Stop! Let¡¯s talk about this.¡± My eyes dart wildly all over the open space of the foyer and informal lounge. I notice Luciano¡¯s been shot near his corbone, and as he drops to his knees, Aunt Giada and Liliana grab hold of him. Holy shit! Leo¡¯s weapon is pointing at them, and Uncle Nicolo is standing with his arms up in a surrendering manner. Did Leo just shoot Luciano? Intense, spine-chilling horror ghosts over every inch of my body, making me feel lightheaded. Aunt Giada¡¯s pleading in Italian, Liliana¡¯s sobbing uncontrobly, and Luciano¡¯s gripping his shoulder, pain etched on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± Uncle Nicolo says again, his tone filled with caution and fear. My eyes fly to Leo, and I watch as he shakes his head. ¡°You knew what would happen if Luciano fucked up.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a boy,¡± Uncle Nicolo says, his voice rising with panic. ¡°He¡¯s still learning the way of the mafia.¡± Mafia? The word sends another wave of fear shuddering through me. Slowly, Leo tilts his head in a scary as hell way, and his voice sounds like a rumble of thunder. ¡°I was just a boy at sixteen when my father was killed and I had to take over. Luciano is a grown ass man of twenty-five.¡± My breaths keep bursting over my lips while I cling to Mom. Is this really happening? It¡¯s like some crazy scene out of a book or movie. When Leo lifts his weapon a little higher, still keeping it trained on Luciano, Uncle Nicolo shouts, ¡°Don¡¯t! He¡¯s my heir. We cane to an arrangement to make up for Luciano failing you today.¡± Uncle Nicolo gives Aunt Giada and his children a panicked look, then he says, ¡°We can arrange a marriage between you and Liliana.¡± When Leo lets out a bark ofughter, it gives me the fright of my life, and I tighten my grip on Mom. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t marry your daughter if she was thest woman alive,¡± Leo sneers. The next second, another shot rings through the air, and Luciano falls backward while Aunt Giada scrambles to cover him with her body as she screams, ¡°No! My baby!¡± ¡®No!¡¯ the boy shouts while the monster carries me into the darkness. I sway on my feet from the memory of the nightmare, and when I¡¯m able to focus on my surroundings again, I see Uncle Nicolo taking a threatening step forward. Leo¡¯s arm moves, and the barrel of his gun is trained on Uncle Nicolo¡¯s head in a split second. ¡°I¡¯ve waited seventeen years for this,¡± Leo growls while looking downright brutal and dangerous. Mom wraps her arm tighter around me, and all we can do is stand and watch as the nightmare unfolds in front of us. ¡°I had nothing to do with the attack on your family,¡± Uncle Nicolo pleads, his voice brimming with fear. ¡°This is going too far, Leo. Marry Liliana and let¡¯s make peace. No one has to die.¡± Aunt Giada¡¯s trying to stop the blood seeping from the wound to Luciano¡¯s side while she sobs, ¡°For God¡¯s sake, Leo! Stop this madness.¡± A sob bursts from Mom, and the sound draws Leo¡¯s attention back to us. Just having him look at us has my legs going weak with terror. His eyes lock on me, then they narrow, and I swear my heart has never beaten as fast as it¡¯s thundering in my chest right now. I¡¯m overwhelmed by the urge to run. Leo¡¯s deadly gaze moves back to Uncle Nicolo, and his voice is a deep rumble when he says, ¡°I¡¯ll take your niece in payment for Luciano¡¯s spinelessness.¡± Men instantlye to grab hold of Mom and me and rip us away from each other as we¡¯re hauled down the stairs. ¡°No! Leave my daughter alone,¡± Mom screams hysterically while she fights with all her might to get free. ¡°Mom,¡± I cry as the man, who¡¯s much stronger than me, drags me toward Leo. My fear spirals into a chaotic mess, and I¡¯m trembling so badly, I keep stumbling over my feet. I see blood as I scream for Mommy, but the monster moves fast, carrying me away into the darkness. I think I hear gunshots, and there are a lot of men towering around me. My heart hurts, and I can¡¯t stop crying. I¡¯m shoved down and end up kneeling in front of Leo, my hair hanging around my face while I gasp for air. ¡°Haven!¡± Mom screams. ¡°We have nothing to do with this. You can¡¯t just take her. Haven! Let me go!¡± Tremors keep hitting my body hard, and I don¡¯t have the guts to look up. ¡°If Luciano survives today, make sure he leaves Italy. If Iy eyes on him again, I¡¯ll kill him,¡± Leo mutters with an unforgiving tone. God. Someone takes hold of my arm again, and I¡¯m hauled to my feet. Only when I¡¯m standing do I see that it¡¯s the huge man by Leo¡¯s side who has a firm grip on my arm. It looks like he¡¯s strong enough to crush my skull with a single blow, and it makes my fear morph into the most overpowering horror I¡¯ve ever experienced. I¡¯m carried away from the light, and the darkness is cold. I rear back and manage to yank free. ¡°Haven!¡± Mom cries as I spin around to run to the safety of her arms. Before I can reach her, the man who¡¯s restraining Mom swings an arm at me, backhanding me across my jaw. The blow sends me skidding across the tiles while my head spins violently from the blow. ¡®No!¡¯ the boy shouts before a monster shoots him, and blood blossoms all over his shirt. Gasping through the horror, my head spins, and I¡¯m unable to keep a sob from bursting over my lips. The dizziness lifts, and I hear confident footstepsing my way, and just as I manage to look up, it¡¯s to see Leo m his fist into the man¡¯s face. ¡°Did I give my permission for you to hit her?¡± Leo barks angrily. ¡°No, boss,¡± the man answers, his voice filled with respect. Even though I¡¯m reeling with shock and horror, Leo¡¯s reaction to me being hurt catches me by surprise. His enraged gaze touches on me, then he snaps, ¡°Take Haven to the car, Massimo.¡± ¡°No! Please,¡± Mom begs. She manages to pull free from the man who just got hit and falls to her knees in front of Leo. ¡°Please. We have nothing to do with your business. Just let us leave. We won¡¯t tell anyone about what we¡¯ve seen. I beg you.¡± Massimo takes hold of my arm, but this time he¡¯s gentler with me while he helps me to my feet. Deep down, I know I should put up a fight, but I¡¯m in too much shock to do anything, and it doesn¡¯t help that shes of the nightmare keep bombarding my mind. Massimo tugs at my arm, and when I stumble, he mutters something in Italian before I¡¯m lifted off my feet. The instant my body is draped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, I¡¯m hit with another shback of a bedroom. There¡¯s a teenage boy lying on a bed, and another one is on the floor with a monster standing over him. I hear myself screaming something, but I can¡¯t make out the words. More terror pours through me, and my fight instinct finally kicks in. I push my torso up and wiggle like crazy to get free, but it only makes him tighten his grip on me as he stalks toward the front door. Panic floods my veins, and I shriek, ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Oh God! No!¡± Mom scrambles to her feet, but Leo grabs hold of her arm and presses the barrel of the gun to her temple. ¡°Nooooo!¡± I let out a harrowing scream, and it has Leo¡¯s eyes flicking to me. I stop fighting, and choking on a desperate sob, I beg, ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt my mother. I¡¯ll do anything. Just don¡¯t shoot her.¡± ¡°Massimo!¡± Leo snaps, and it has the overgrown ape stopping in the doorway. ¡°Put her down.¡± I¡¯m lowered to my feet, then Leo orders, ¡°Come hug your mother goodbye and take your luggage to my car. You have five minutes.¡± I run back to them, and Mom catches me in her arms. With Leo standing right beside us, I catch a whiff of his scent, which smells like war, all gunpowder and blood. It sends more chills down my spine. ¡°Haven,¡± Mom sobs uncontrobly. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get us back home.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t do a single thing if you want to stay alive,¡± Leo grumbles. ¡°Three minutes left.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ll marry Haven, and peace will return between us?¡± I hear Uncle Nicolo ask. ¡°For the time being,¡± Leo replies. ¡°Make sure her mother doesn¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Uncle Nicolo¡¯s words sound ominous as he says, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± ¡°No,¡± I gasp, and pulling away from Mom, I look at Leo. ¡°Please. You have to promise me that nothing bad will happen to my mother.¡± ¡°You hear that, Nicolo?¡± Leo is actually starting to sound like he¡¯s getting bored. The man is ripping my life apart, and he¡¯s bored? It begins to sink in just how cold and heartless he is. None of this hell affects him. He¡¯s a monster, just like the ones from my nightmares. ¡°She¡¯ll be safe,¡± Uncle Nicolo assures Leo. The dangerous cold-blooded killer¡¯s eyes lock with mine, then he orders, ¡°Time¡¯s up. Take your bags to my car.¡± Unable to move, I stare at him while my future and dreams go up in smoke. I know the moment I leave with him, my life will never be the same again, and I¡¯m not ready for that. Leo lifts an eyebrow at me, looking impatient as hell. Not even sparing Mom a nce, he lifts his arm and points his gun at her. ¡°Are we going to have a problem, principessa?¡± Life returns to my body, and my chin instantly begins to tremble while I dart to where my luggage is standing. I grab the handles, and as I drag them toward the front door, I nce at Mom. ¡°Please,¡± Mom begs, her eyes glued to me. ¡°Don¡¯t do this to us.¡± Not knowing what hell my future will hold for me and how long I¡¯ll survive with Leo, I say, ¡°I love you, Mom.¡± ¡°Nooooo,¡± Mom sobs, and breaking down, she sinks to her knees. The overgrown ape grips hold of my arm while another man rips the handles of my bags out of my hands. The sound of Mom weeping follows me until I¡¯m shoved into the backseat of a Porsche. The door is mmed shut, and for a moment, a deafening silence falls around me. I¡¯m paralyzed with fear as I look at the mansion¡¯s entrance, and I watch as Leoes stalking out the front door. God, he looks like the stuff nightmares are made of. Car doors open, and while he climbs in behind the steering wheel, Massimo gets into the front passenger seat. With a trembling body, breaths bursting over my dry lips, and a heart that¡¯s pounding a mile a minute, I sit as still as possible while the engine starts. Movement draws my attention back to the entrance of the mansion, and I see Mom running out onto the porch. The Porsche begins to move down the driveway as Uncle Nicolo grabs Mom, forcefully shoving her back into the mansion. The sight rips a sob from me, and I quickly cover my mouth with a trembling hand. God, is this really happening to us? The Empress: Chapter 4 Frozen in terror, I¡¯m unable to take in any of my surroundings. By the time Leo steers the car through massive ck gates that are guarded by armed men, every muscle in my body aches from all the trembling. I can¡¯t think of a single thing, my mind flooded with shock and fear. The car stops, and when Leo and Massimo move, climbing out of the vehicle, another wave of fear rushes through me. I wildly nce over the property, visible from the backseat of the Porsche. There¡¯s a beautiful mansion built on the side of a hill, and to my left, the ocean stretches out as far as the eye can see. More armed guards move around thendscaped yard. The door beside me opens, and once again, I¡¯m gripped by my arm and pulled out of the car. My legs still feel weak, and I stumble before catching my bnce. I¡¯m tugged toward the front of the vehicle where Leo is standing, and when he reaches for me with a bloody hand, prickles of terror ghost over my skin. His hand feels as cold as his icy demeanor when he takes hold of me. Massimo lets go of my other arm, then he says something in Italian. Leo replies to Massimo before he hauls me toward the front door. ncing over my shoulder, I see Massimo remove my luggage from the trunk. I¡¯m led into a foyer where arge crystal chandelier hangs, and my body grows colder, making my breaths quiver over my lips. Leo lets go of my arm, and I watch with wide eyes and a tense body as he walks toward a living room that¡¯s bathed in thete afternoon sun on the other side of the foyer. I also notice sliding doors that open onto a veranda where there¡¯s an infinity pool, which gives the impression it blends in with the ocean. Massimoes into the house, carrying my luggage, and I quickly step to the side to get out of his way. My movements are shaky, my eyes constantly darting all over the luxurious ce. I wrap my arms around myself and cautiously walk past a doorway. I peek into a big kitchen before looking at Massimo, where he¡¯s taking my belongings up a staircase leading to the second floor. My attention is drawn back to a living room where Leo stands by a ss table. He pours amber liquid into a tumbler, and as he takes a sip, his head turns in my direction. The instant his dark eyes lock on me, my heartbeat speeds up even more, and I begin to feel lightheaded. ¡°Come here, Haven.¡± His voice is a low rumble that sends more fear cascading through me. What is he going to do to me? I¡¯m a trembling mess as I slowly move forward. My chin quivers, and unable to stop the tears, they escape and spiral over my cheeks. Gone are the thoughts I had of him being the most attractive man I¡¯ve ever seen. All I see now is a dangerous man who might kill me at any moment. Mom will go to the embassy. She¡¯ll get help. Massimo¡¯s heavy footsteps have my head snapping in his direction. He speaks Italian again, and I can¡¯t make out a single word. After Leo replies, Massimo lets himself out the front door, leaving me alone with Leo. Standing near a gray couch, I keep a safe distance between Leo and me. Fearfully, I nce around us, again taking in the expensive d¨¦cor and the breathtaking view of the ocean beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Leo¡¯s angry gaze remains locked on me, and it¡¯s the most unnerving thing I¡¯ve ever experienced. The silence bes unbearable, and the words rush over my dry lips, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Slowly, he tilts his head, the simple movement looking threatening as hell. ¡°I lost a good man today because of your cowardly cousin.¡± My features grow tense, and I struggle not to burst out in tears as I whimper, ¡°But I have nothing to do with any of it. Why me?¡± Leo takes another sip of his drink before he saunters closer to me. Every muscle in my body tenses, and I¡¯m trembling horribly by the time he stops right in front of me. God, he¡¯s so much taller than me. When he lifts his hand to my face, I flinch and squeeze my eyes shut. Instead of hitting me, he brushes a finger over my left cheek. The surprisingly soft touch confuses the hell out of me. ¡°You remind me of someone I used to know,¡± he murmurs. I open my eyes again, and feeling very ufortable with him touching me, I take a step backward. All the fear I¡¯m experiencing is bing too much to handle. Leo lowers his hand, and letting out a sigh, he just stares at me for a while before he says, ¡°Take a seat.¡± My movements are stilted as I sit down on the nearest couch. When Leo takes a seat across from me, the sight of the dried blood on his skin draws my attention once again. God. Another sob bursts from me, and I quickly cover my mouth with a trembling hand. A frown line appears between his dark brown eyes, then he says, ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡± I suck in a desperate breath, and lowering my head, I stare at the sand-colored tiles. ¡°Please, let me go.¡± ¡°You can leave at any time, but then your family dies.¡± His brutal words have my head snapping up again, and horrified, I meet his angry gaze. He sips on his drink, then says, ¡°That¡¯s the deal, Haven. Either we get married and peace returns between the Toscanos and Romanos, or I¡¯ll wipe out the Romano name.¡± More fear creeps through me as I whisper, ¡°But I¡¯m a Romano.¡± Leo just shrugs while he finishes thest of the amber liquid. He sets the tumbler down on the ss table between us. The sheet of ss rests on a beautiful piece of driftwood, but I¡¯m too traumatized to truly appreciate it. My emotions spiral into a chaotic mess, and I can¡¯t stop from crying out, ¡°Why me? I¡¯m just a regr girl. I¡¯m American and I¡­I¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing regr about you.¡± His voice rumbles like thunder between us, making more shivers rush over my skin. Suddenly, his eyes narrow on me. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Twenty-three.¡± The corner of his mouth lifts in a dangerously hot smirk, ¡°You¡¯re far from a girl, principessa.¡± An ungodly fear hits me so hard, my vision blurs, and for a moment, I have to fight to keep from passing out. I stare at the way-too-attractive man who¡¯s covered in blood. He looks like he¡¯s around thirty, and his toned body tells me he¡¯s strong. He expects me to marry him. I¡¯ll be forced to have sex with him. Panic surges through me, and darting to my feet, I run through the foyer. Just as I grab hold of the front door, Leo¡¯s blood-covered arm shoots around me, and I¡¯m hauled off my feet. ¡°No!¡± I scream, and as if the raw horror I¡¯m experiencing isn¡¯t enough, another memory shes through me. I¡¯m grabbed and thrown to the floor beside a bed. Gunshots fill the air, and a secondter, a teenage boy falls over me. I can¡¯t make out his face, but I feel safer with him right by me. ¡®Shh¡­¡¯ I sob as the boy is ripped away from me. ¡°Calm down,¡± I hear Leo murmur in a much gentler tone. When the memory of the nightmare fades, I be aware of Leo¡¯s arms wrapped around me. My face is pressed to his chest, and all I smell is gunpowder and blood. My tears are soaking into his shirt, and my breaths are choppy. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine,¡± he continues to speak. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to everything.¡± What? Suddenly, it sinks in that he¡¯s holding me, and I yank backward while bringing my arms up between us. My palms m against his chest as I keep rearing back to get away from him. Leo, let¡¯s go, and I stumble before I bump into the front door. Gasping for air, my eyes lock on the menacing man, and it feels like I¡¯m a second away from losing my mind. This can¡¯t be happening to me! Leo takes a deep breath, and looking tired, he says, ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your room. Take some time to calm down while I get cleaned up. We¡¯ll talk over an early dinner.¡± Turning away from me, he walks through therge foyer, and when I don¡¯t move, he mutters, ¡°Follow me, Haven.¡± My face crumbles, a hopeless feeling filling my chest as I reluctantly step away from the door. What was I thinking, trying to escape? Leo made it abundantly clear that he¡¯ll kill my whole family if I don¡¯t marry him. God. I can¡¯t marry him! Following Leo up the staircase, I take in every powerful inch of his body. I¡¯ve never felt this weak before. Suddenly, my phone beeps and I freeze dead in my tracks. Leo stops by an open door and levels me with a threatening look. ¡°Who messaged you?¡± He¡¯s going to take my phone. My hands tremble badly as I dig the device out of my handbag. I struggle to unlock it. Kristen: Do you have the flight details? I know you¡¯ve only been gone a week, but I can¡¯t wait for you toe back. My heart clenches in my chest as I whisper, ¡°It¡¯s a text from my best friend.¡± When he moves closer to me, I quickly clench the phone to my chest, but it doesn¡¯t stop him from gripping hold of my wrist and pulling the device away so he can see the screen. Instead of ripping the phone from my hand, he lets go, his eyes locking with mine again. ¡°I assume you¡¯ll want her to attend the wedding.¡± A frown forms on my forehead. ¡°N-no. I don¡¯t want her anywhere near you.¡± He stares at me for a moment before gesturing with a wave of his arm at the open door. ¡°Wee to your prison, principessa.¡± His tone is sarcastic, as if he¡¯s annoyed with me. I carefully step closer to the doorway and peek into the bedroom. If my circumstances weren¡¯t so dire, I¡¯d take a moment to appreciate the beautiful rose gold and cream d¨¦cor. The bed looks like it¡¯s fit for royalty. There¡¯s a dressing table and doors that open up to a balcony where I can see nts and a wooden table with matching chairs. When I take a step into the bedroom, my phone beeps in my hand, and my eyes flick down to the screen. Kristen: Why did you leave me on read? Leo moves closer, then mutters, ¡°Reply to her.¡± My gaze darts to him. ¡°What must I say?¡± When he lets out a chuckle, it sends a shockwave of prickles through me. I¡¯m in for a surprise when he says, ¡°Whatever you want. Contrary to what you think, you¡¯re not my prisoner, principessa. You have a choice. I won¡¯t stop you if you try to leave again.¡± My jaw clenches as a burst of anger fills my heart. ¡°But you¡¯ll kill me and my family.¡± He shrugs as if it¡¯s nothing and we¡¯re talking about the weather. ¡°Still. You have a choice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no choice at all,¡± I mutter through clenched teeth. He tips his head toward my phone. ¡°Your friend is waiting.¡± I unlock the device again, and I¡¯m hit with so much hopelessness, I struggle not to cry as I type a quick reply. Haven: ns changed again. Things are a little crazy with my family on this side. I¡¯ll give you a call once things settle down. ¡°Hmm.¡± The sound rumbles from Leo¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell her you¡¯re getting married?¡± ¡°No.¡± I shove my phone back into my handbag before wrapping my arms tightly around myself. Suddenly, Leo¡¯s arm darts up and he grabs hold of the back of my neck. Air wooshes from my lungs as I¡¯m yanked flush with his body and forced to tilt my head to look up at him. Oh God! I grip hold of his sides for a few seconds before I try to push away from him. My heart almost explodes out of my chest, and I freeze like a deer in oing traffic when Leo leans down until our faces are a mere inch apart. Shit.Shit.Shit.Shit.Shit. With his eyes keeping mine captive, he says, ¡°What did you say at the party?¡± His dark gaze bores into mine for tense seconds, and his tone takes on a predatory quality that has my insides vibrating. ¡°Hot is the understatement of the year.¡± Oh no. He heard me. The little burst of anger I had up and vanishes, and apprehension takes its ce. ¡°Just because I said that doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± I shake my head and try to push away from him again, my palms tingling where I¡¯m pressing against his muscled chest. Jesus, he¡¯s only holding me with one arm, and I¡¯m unable to get free. He¡¯s an unmovable force. Leo¡¯s eyes burn over my face, then the corner of his mouth lifts in a disarmingly hot smirk. ¡°At least the attraction is there, and with time, we¡¯ll get to know each other. We¡¯ll make a sess of our marriage.¡± ¡°No.¡± I struggle against his tight grip on my neck, and when he suddenly lets go of me, I stagger backward and almost lose my bnce. He lifts an eyebrow at me. ¡°No?¡± My face crumbles under the weight of the traumatizing situation I find myself in, and my voice catches in my throat as I say, ¡°Never in a million years. I don¡¯t want to get to know you. The only reason I¡¯m here is to keep myself and my family alive. There will never be anything more between us.¡± Lookingpletely unbothered by my words, Leo turns around and walks out of the bedroom while grumbling, ¡°I¡¯m good with that, too. Do as you please, principessa.¡± My phone beeps again with an iing message, and a momentter, I hear a door shut down the hallway. A sob sputters from me, and lifting my hand, I quickly cover my mouth while I nce around the extravagantly beautiful bedroom. This is insane! What am I going to do? The Empress: Chapter 5 After I read Kristen¡¯s text, I try to call Mom, but her phone keeps going to voicemail. When the beepes over the line, I ramble, ¡°Mom! Answer your phone! Oh my God,¡± I gasp and shove my hand through my hair. ¡°Let me know if you¡¯re okay. I¡¯m at Leo¡¯s mansion, and I have no idea what to do. His ce is situated on a hillside, and it has a private beach. I don¡¯t know the directions, because I was too rattled to focus on where we were driving. Call me the second you get this message.¡± This isn¡¯t happening! Feeling ustrophobic, I rush to the ss doors, and for a few seconds, I struggle with the lock. When I finally get the doors open, I rush out onto the balcony and grab hold of the railing. I suck in frantic breaths of the salty air, my gaze darting over the waves crashing against the rocks beneath me. I turn my head to the right and stare at the private beach that¡¯s nestled between rocks and the mansion. I also have a partial view of the veranda and pool. The sound and smell of the ocean and beach calm me down until I¡¯m able to think straight again. Just take it one step at a time. I have to survive the next twenty-four hours. Maybe Leo¡¯s anger will lessen, and I¡¯ll be able to have a reasonable conversation with him. I begin to feel ustrophobic again and pace into the bedroom. This is not some dark romance book. It¡¯s real life, and Leo can¡¯t just take me and force me to marry him. There¡¯sw and order. Mom will get the embassy involved. Lifting a trembling hand to my face, I press my palm to my forehead, one thought after the other rushing through my mind. I can¡¯t believe everything that¡¯s happened today. Leo shot Luciano. Twice! And all the blood on Leo¡¯s arms and neck? I don¡¯t think it was his. It didn¡¯t look like he was injured, so it had to be someone else¡¯s blood. God. Another chill creeps down my spine, and feeling cold like a block of ice, I walk to my luggage and dig out a cardigan. After putting it on, I nce around the big room that will be my prison cell for the unforeseeable future. Crap. The events of the day rey in my mind, and I slump down on the side of the bed. Staring nkly ahead of me, I try to make sense of everything. ¡°Come to the kitchen,¡± Leo suddenly says from the open doorway, scaring the everloving crap out of me. A shriek bursts over my lips as I dart to my feet, my hands curling into fists. Jesus. My heart. Then my eyes lock on him, and even though I¡¯m terrified of the man, I can¡¯t ignore how attractive he looks right now. It¡¯s unsettling as hell. His damp hair is sleeked back, and there¡¯s no trace of the blood left on his skin. The ck dress shirt he¡¯s wearing with the sleeves rolled up and matching suit pantsplement his powerful body way too much. When I just stare at him with my heart beating in my throat, he asks, ¡°Did you hear me?¡± Wrapping my arms around my middle, I give him a shaky nod. Leo disappears from the open doorway, and I have no choice but to reluctantly follow him. The mansion is so big that our footsteps echo, and Leo¡¯s iciness makes the air feel colder than it is. I rub my palms up and down my arms, my eyes glued to the gun tucked into the back of his pants. When we enter the kitchen, my gaze instantly falls on a block of knives. The second I think about grabbing one, I let go of the idea because I don¡¯t have the guts to kill someone. Besides, God only knows what Leo will do to my family if I attack him. Feeling utterly out of ce, I watch as he gathers ingredients. He starts to prepare dinner, the sight of him doing something so mundane making him look less threatening. Then he grabs a knife, and he looks dangerous again. Without sparing me a nce, he orders, ¡°Tell me about yourself.¡± My heartbeat speeds up again, and I say the only thing I can think of. ¡°I¡¯m in Italy for vacation. I have a life back home. Let my mom and me go.¡± My chin quivers. ¡°We won¡¯t tell anyone about today.¡± He cuts up a bunch of mushrooms before his eyes flick to me. Using the knife, he points at a stool by the ind, indicating for me to sit down while he asks, ¡°What do you think happened today?¡± A frown forms on my forehead as I cautiously move to the other side of the ind so the b of marble is between us. Leo proceeds to chop ham into little squares, and I swallow hard on the lump in my throat. ¡°Something happened between you, my uncle, and Luciano.¡± Only once he¡¯s done with all the chopping does he set down the knife and brace his hands on the marble top. It causes the muscles in his forearms to tighten and his veins to appear beneath his skin. Stop noticing how hot the man is! He¡¯s dangerous. I nce around therge kitchen to keep from staring at him. The cupboards are white with ss panels, allowing me to see where the cups, sses, and tes are stored. All the appliances look state-of-the-art. My father sold cars for a living, and my mother was a stay-at-home Mom. We weren¡¯t well off, but we always had food, and the bills were paid. It¡¯s clear Leo is filthy rich, and it only makes him even more intimidating. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± he asks. Shaking my head, I look at him again. ¡°Leo Toscano,¡± he murmurs, his tone cool and deep like the depths of the dark ocean. ¡°I¡¯m the head of the mafia.¡± My lips part on a shocked gasp, and as his words sink in, the fear I¡¯ve been feeling spirals into something unrecognizable. Oh. My. Fucking. God. When I just blink at him, my mouth hanging open like a gaping fish, he tilts his head. ¡°By the look of surprise on your face, I¡¯m going to assume you weren¡¯t lying when you said you didn¡¯t know who I am.¡± The only thing I know about the mafia is that it¡¯s simr to cartels, drug dealers, and gangs. They¡¯re all criminals and on the wrong side of thew. I¡¯m trembling severely, unable to form a coherent word to reply. Leo continues preparing the meal by pulling a pot out of the drawer next to the stove. He pours water into it and adds a bit of olive oil before setting it down on the stove. He nces at me as he opens a packet of fettine. ¡°I¡¯m thirty-three, and I actually never intended to get married.¡± I press my hand to my churning stomach, my tongue darting out to wet my dry lips. ¡°Then why force me to marry you?¡± His gaze locks on me again, and he stares at me for so long I¡¯m aplete nervous wreck by the time he answers, ¡°There¡¯s just something about you I can¡¯t ignore.¡± My voice quivers. ¡°What?¡± A frown line appears between his eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± Turning around, he pulls a pan out of the drawer and ces it on the stove as well. I watch as he prepares a creamy cheese sauce, and I jerk with fright when he asks, ¡°What kind of person are you?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± My arms wrap tightly around my middle, and I hunch my shoulders. Leo lets out a chuckle. ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind of person you are?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to answer it.¡± Honestly, I can¡¯t focus enough to have this conversation with the violent man. ¡°What are your hobbies?¡± ¡°Reading.¡± ¡°What work do you do?¡± He lets out another chuckle, then corrects himself. ¡°Used to do.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t started working yet,¡± I admit, notfortable telling him about myself. Leo nces at me again as he adds the fettine to the boiling water. ¡°Did you study?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I mutter. ¡°Business management.¡± He lifts an eyebrow at me. ¡°Is that what you want to do?¡± I just shrug, curling more into myself. ¡°As my wife, you won¡¯t have to work.¡± Jesus. His wife. It feels like his words form shackles around my wrists, and I close my eyes as hopelessness wells in my chest. ¡°Please,¡± I whisper before opening my eyes to give him a pleading look. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Leo adds the mushrooms and ham to the sauce, then he turns around and leans back against the counter. Crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes take mine captive again. I can¡¯t stop a tear from escaping and rolling down my cheek. Wiping it away with the tips of my fingers, I add, ¡°I just want to go home with my mom.¡± He tilts his head, his expression growing grim. ¡°Does it look like I give a shit about what you want?¡± No. Which is confusing me even more. Nothing makes sense. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you want to marry me,¡± I say, my tone hoarse. ¡°That makes two of us, principessa.¡± An annoyed look shes over his handsome features. ¡°There¡¯s just something about you I can¡¯t put my finger on.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± I exim. ¡°This is madness. You¡¯re willing to ruin my life because of something you can¡¯t put your finger on? Are you insane?¡± His eyes narrow on me, and it sends a wave of fear rippling over me. ¡°Careful, principessa. I don¡¯t take kindly to people raising their voices at me.¡± Shaking my head, my shoulders slump. Leo begins to move, and it has my spine stiffening. When he slowlyes around the side of the ind, I inch off the stool. Every muscle in my body tightens, and the urge to run overwhelms me. With him a few feet from me, I dart away, but I don¡¯t even take three steps before his armes around my front. I let out a cry as he yanks me toward him, my back mming into his chest. His other hand grips my throat, and I quickly grab hold of his wrist. ¡°Shh¡­¡± The sound so close to my ear sends chills rushing over my skin. I hear him take a deep breath of me, then his voice rumbles against the side of my neck as he says, ¡°Maybe I am insane.¡± His lips ghost over my skin, causing intense tingles to spread over the area. ¡°Maybe that something I can¡¯t ce my finger on makes me insane.¡± God. I let out a whimper as I cling to his wrist, trying my best to ignore how good his woodsy cologne smells and the warmth of his body behind me. Leo¡¯s grip around my throat lessens, and for a moment, his touch turns tender before he suddenly lets go of me. I dart a safe distance away before I turn to look at him. I ce my hand on my throat where I can still feel his touch, my chest heaving from how fast I¡¯m breathing. His eyes are dark and as cold as dry ice. ¡°At the very least, I¡¯ll have a beautiful woman on my arm. People like me have married for far less.¡± With the air unbearably tense between us, I realize no amount of begging is going to change his mind. He¡¯s dead set on marrying me. He pats the stool. ¡°Come sit. The food is almost ready.¡± My voice is still hoarse when I mumble, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Leo returns to the stove, and as he picks up the pot to drain the water from it, he says, ¡°Out of all the ways you can die, starving yourself won¡¯t be what kills you.¡± His eyes flick to me. ¡°Sit, Haven!¡± I flinch from the danger lurking in his words and cautiously move back to the ind. I take a seat and wrap my arms around my middle again. My eyes drift shut as the realization of how much trouble I¡¯m in settles like heavy stones in my gut. Leo is going to force me to marry him. He¡¯ll probably force me to have sex with him. A sob threatens to burst from me. He¡¯ll force me to bend to his will, and my life will never be my own again. After a few very tense minutes, he ces a te down in front of me and pushes a knife and fork my way while he sits down across from me. ¡°Eat,¡± he mutters before he shovels a bite of the Alfredo into his mouth. My hand trembles so badly, I can¡¯t do anything to hide it from Leo as I pick up my fork. He watches as I take a bite, and after I swallow, he says, ¡°Let¡¯s continue to get to know each other.¡± That¡¯s thest thing I want. The less I know about him, the better for me. ¡°Are you breaking some guy¡¯s heart back in America?¡± His question has me staring at the food, which is actually delicious. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Did you have a boyfriend?¡± I let out a cynical chuckle, shaking my head. ¡°So, if I had a boyfriend, you would just expect me to break things off?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± he mutters, his tone unbothered again. I can¡¯t believe this man! Even though I¡¯m terrified, anger still rises in my chest, and I mutter with a scornful tone, ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a boyfriend.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes drift over my face, the look of warning he¡¯s giving me telling me to watch my tone. ¡°Are you a virgin?¡± His inappropriate question has my eyebrows flying up and my lips parting on a gasp. I stare at him for a few seconds before I set the fork down and stand up. ¡°Sit!¡± he orders with a threateningly calm tone that makes the tiny hairs on the back of my neck rise. I clench my jaw and keep my eyes trained on the light brown and beige marble top while I do as I¡¯m told. ¡°Answer me,¡± he demands. ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± I bite the words out. My anger wins, and I grumble, ¡°I ended my rtionship of four years, seven months ago, and I¡¯d much rather go back to my cheating ex than spend another second with you.¡± Leo tilts his head, a frown forming on his face. ¡°Your ex cheated on you?¡± I roll my eyes while letting out a heavy breath, and picking up my fork, I gather food on it before taking a bite. ¡°The idiot¡¯s loss is my gain.¡± I swallow the creamy pasta, then level Leo with a re. ¡°He might be an idiot, but at least he¡¯s not threatening to kill me and my family.¡± ¡°Your family didn¡¯t cost him the life of one of his men,¡± Leo replies, his tone dark again. When my gaze flits to his, he continues, ¡°Finish your food. I have to go to pay my respects to his widow and have two other men in the hospital to check on.¡± My heart squeezes in my chest, and my first instinct is to offer my condolences, but instead, I keep my mouth shut and focus on eating so I can return to my bedroom. With a bit of luck, I won¡¯t have to interact with Leo for the rest of the day. The Empress: Chapter 6 What the fuck am I doing? I keep asking myself that question the entire drive to Klodian¡¯s house, where Massimo is waiting for me. Every second I spend with Haven makes me feel more and more aggravated because I have no idea what it is about the woman that made me take her. She¡¯s right. I¡¯m fucking insane. Sure, Haven is breathtakingly beautiful, but that¡¯s no reason to force her to marry me. Ges¨´ Cristo, am I really going to go through with the wedding? What if we can¡¯t learn to get along, and she drives me up the wall? Fuck, I really don¡¯t want to tie myself to a woman who¡¯s going to make my life miserable. The memory of when I pinned her to me in the kitchen shes through my mind. Every time I touch her, the urge to grab onto her and not let go surges through me. What the fuck is it about Haven that has me doing things that are entirely out of character for me? When I saw her cowering beside her mother in Nicolo¡¯s house, the words that I¡¯m taking her left my mouth before I could even process the thought. I almost shot Mattia because he backhanded her. And now you¡¯re holding her prisoner. Fuck, I¡¯m never going to know a moment¡¯s peace in my own home again. I bring my Porsche to a stop in front of Klodian¡¯s house, and it pulls me out of my thoughts. When I get out of the vehicle, I can hear Carlotta weeping, and it makes my heart clench in my chest. Sucking in a deep breath, I walk to the front door and let myself in. Carlotta nces over her shoulder from where she¡¯s standing in Maurilio¡¯s embrace. Massimo is sitting on a couch, looking exhausted as fuck. Giving her a remorseful look, I walk closer and ce my hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so fucking sorry, Carlotta.¡± Lost sobs shudder from her, her eyes swollen red and drowning in sorrow. I tilt my head and promise, ¡°I¡¯ll always make sure youck for nothing. You have my word that we¡¯ll all take care of you.¡± She begins to sob uncontrobly again, and it has Maurilio holding her tight in an attempt tofort her. Locking eyes with him, I ask, ¡°Will you stay with her for a few days?¡± He nods while rubbing his hand up and down her back. ¡°I¡¯ll help make the arrangements for the funeral.¡± Carlotta lets out a wail, and her legs give out beneath her. Luckily, Maurilio has a tight hold on her. He moves her to a couch and helps her to take a seat. The sight of Klodian¡¯s widow crying her heart out isn¡¯t easy to watch, and it makes the need for vengeance surge through me. My eyes flick to Massimo. ¡°Any word on whether Luciano survived?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± my right-hand man mutters as he stands up. ¡°Cazzo,¡± I snap while I turn around and walk out of the house. I should¡¯ve made sure I killed the fucker instead of getting distracted by Haven. I fucked up today. Massimo joins me in the front yard, and giving me a confused look, he asks, ¡°What are you doing, Leo? Why did you take the girl?¡± ¡°Woman,¡± I correct him. ¡°She¡¯s twenty-three.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± he snaps at me. ¡°What the fuck is going on with you?¡± Shoving my hands into my pockets, I shake my head. ¡°I have no fucking idea.¡± ¡°Why did you take her?¡± I shrug as I meet his eyes and give him the only answer I have. ¡°I can¡¯t ce my finger on it, but there¡¯s something about her that draws me in like a moth to a fucking me.¡± Massimo lets out a sigh, his gaze boring into mine. ¡°Are you really going to marry her?¡± I intend to say no, but it¡¯s not the word that leaves my mouth. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo, Leo. Are you fucking with me right now?¡± Turning away from my right-hand man, I head to my car. ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Raffaele and Andrea.¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine. I¡¯ve already checked on them. They¡¯ll be back at work in a week,¡± he informs me. I hear his footsteps behind me, and as I open the car door, his hand grips my shoulder. ¡°Leo, talk to me.¡± Letting out a sigh, I nce at him. ¡°What do you want me to say, Massimo?¡± I turn my body to face him. ¡°I took Haven, and I¡¯m going to marry her.¡± Looking as confused as I feel, he asks, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have no fucking idea why.¡± He shakes his head, worry tightening his features. ¡°You¡¯ll tie yourself to Nicolo.¡± I know. I don¡¯t like the idea one bit. I suck in a deep breath and nce over the yard before I meet Massimo¡¯s concerned gaze again. ¡°Arrange everything for the wedding. The sooner the better.¡± Massimo stares at me for a tense moment, then he nods. ¡°Send me a photo of her passport.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I open the car door and climb into the cab. ncing up at him, I ask, ¡°Have you heard anything about Vito or Sebastiano?¡± ¡°They¡¯re both missing in action. I have men searching for them.¡± ¡°Fucking rats,¡± I growl while pulling the door shut. I let down the window, then mention, ¡°I have a meeting with the alliance tomorrow, and I¡¯ll be at home. Keep me up to date with what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Massimo ces his hand on the roof and leans down. ¡°Take some time to think about what you¡¯re doing with Haven Romano.¡± ¡°Yeah-yeah,¡± I mumble before starting the engine. My eyes flick to him again as he takes a step away from the car. ¡°Get some rest, Massimo.¡± He nods. ¡°You too.¡± Driving away from the house, I take a deep breath before letting it out slowly. I better stop at my mother¡¯s ce and tell her about the wedding. Fuck, she¡¯s probably going to have a lot to say about it as well because she hates the Romanos as much as I do. I rey the day¡¯s events in my mind during the trip, and by the time I park the Porsche in front of my mother¡¯s house, I feel even more aggravated. Usually, I¡¯m calm and collected, but Haven¡¯s appearance in my life has shaken me up so much, I have no fucking idea what I¡¯m doing. Getting out of the car, I give Rardo, my mother¡¯s guard, a chin lift. He¡¯s sitting on a bench having a smoke break. ¡°How¡¯s everything here?¡± I ask on my way to the front door. ¡°Quiet as usual.¡± Letting myself into the house, I call out, ¡°Mamma?¡± ¡°In the kitchen.¡± I find her putting the leftovers from dinner in containers. Mamma gives me a loving smile. ¡°This visit is unexpected. Is everything okay?¡± I lean down and kiss both of her cheeks before I take a seat at the wooden kitchen table. ¡°It was a crazy day.¡± Her eyes flit over me. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± When I shake my head, she asks, ¡°Do you want coffee?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± I pat my hand on the table. ¡°Come sit.¡± The loving expression fades, and worry creeps into her gaze while she takes a seat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Locking eyes with her, I say, ¡°I¡¯m getting married.¡± Shock flutters over her face, and she gapes at me. ¡°What? I wasn¡¯t aware you were dating! Who are you marrying?¡± I brace myself for one hell of a strong reaction from her. ¡°I¡¯m marrying Haven Romano. She¡¯s Nicolo¡¯s niece.¡± An unhappy frown instantly forms on Mamma¡¯s face. ¡°A Romano! Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for business,¡± I say, ying the only card I have in my hand. Mamma never interferes with anything mafia-rted. ¡°But, Leo!¡± she exims. ¡°This is marriage we¡¯re talking about. Why arrange one with a Romano?¡± Clenching my jaw, I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to talk about work with you.¡± Mamma is visibly upset as she stares at me. ¡°When are you marrying the woman?¡± ¡°As soon as Massimo makes all the arrangements. It will be a small and quick wedding.¡± She shakes her head, leaning back in her seat while crossing her arms over her chest. Just like Haven, Mamma¡¯s easily half my size. She¡¯s almost sixty, and the difficult life she lived with my father shows on her face. I make an effort to soften the expression on my face. ¡°Haven¡¯s from America. She¡¯s beautiful.¡± She lets out a heavy sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t want an arranged marriage for you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I get up from the chair and move around the table. I wait for Mamma to climb to her feet, then pull her into a hug. ¡°I just wanted to tell you about the wedding and to get the ring.¡± I never thought the day woulde when I¡¯d ask my mother for the wedding ring that¡¯s been passed down for four generations in my family. Mamma pulls away from me, and I follow her to where the wall safe is in her bedroom. She keys in the code, and when the door clicks open, she removes the tiny box from the safe. I watch as she opens the box, and for a moment, she stares at the ring. ¡°I hope it will give your bride more happiness than it brought me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will,¡± I say. She ces the box in my palm before her eyes lift to mine. ¡°Are you sure, Leo?¡± No. Not at all. Lying to my mother, I nod. ¡°Yeah.¡± Tucking the box into my pocket, I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. ¡°I have to head home.¡± As we walk toward the front door, Mamma asks, ¡°Will I meet Haven before the wedding?¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m too busy right now.¡± I can see Mamma¡¯s not happy with my reply, but she doesn¡¯t push the subject. Lifting my arm, I give her shoulder a squeeze while pressing kisses to both her cheeks. ¡°Have a good night, Mamma.¡± She watches me from the front door as I walk to the Porsche, and when I start the engine and drive away, I¡¯m overly conscious of the wedding ring in my pocket. I have the meeting with the other alliance members tomorrow. Other than that, I can take some time to get to know Haven better. I need to find some rity on the matter before Massimo is done making all the arrangements. Yeah, maybe I should take a couple of days off. After the wedding, I have to focus all my resources on finding Vito Santoro and that fucking rat, Sebastiano. Feeling better now that I have some kind of n, my aggression lessens during the drive home. I park the car in the garage, and getting out, I enter the mansion through the kitchen entrance. As always, silence greets me. There¡¯s no sign of Haven, so I take the stairs to the second floor, where I¡¯m met with a shut door. I suck in a deep breath before I knock. It takes close to a minute before I hear movement, and Havenes to open the door. Her features are tight with caution and fear, so I keep my tone as gentle as possible when I say, ¡°Give me your passport.¡± Her eyes widen. ¡°Why?¡± I¡¯m not used to being questioned, and it has annoyance re up in my chest. ¡°Just get your passport.¡± With a frown on her forehead, she walks to the bed and digs her passport out of her handbag. I pull my phone out of my pocket, and when she hands me the book, I open it to the page with her details and take a photo. Done, I hand the passport back to her. ¡°Come join me in the living room so we can talk.¡± It¡¯s clear she doesn¡¯t want to be around me, but at least she doesn¡¯t put up a fight. After she shoves her passport back into her handbag, she follows me down the stairs. When I take a seat on the couch facing the foyer, Haven sits on the one across from me, which gives her a clear view of the ocean through the floor-to-ceiling windows situated behind me. She doesn¡¯t lean back but remains perched on the edge, her hands mped together on herp. I take in how tense she is and realize I don¡¯t like seeing her so terrified. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± I say, hoping it will set her at ease. Her eyes dart to my face, and a flicker of hope ignites in those light brown irises of hers. ¡°Will you let me go?¡± Letting out a sigh, I lean forward and rest my forearms on my thighs. ¡°The wedding is going to happen, Haven. I just want you to know you¡¯ll be safe here, so you¡¯ll stop being scared of me.¡± She turns her head and stares at therge foyer. ¡°I¡¯ve known you less than a day, and you shot my cousin twice.¡± Her gaze swings back to me. ¡°You pointed a gun at my mother¡¯s head and gave me no choice but toe here with you.¡± An incredulous look blends with the constant fear on her face. ¡°Then I find out you¡¯re the head of the Italian mafia and you want me to trust that you won¡¯t hurt me?¡± ¡°Luciano survived,¡± I mutter. ¡°You shot him!¡± she practically shrieks. Panic res over her face, and she presses a hand to her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with the mafia. Just let my mother and me return to the States, and you¡¯ll never hear from us again. I promise on my life we won¡¯t tell anyone about you.¡± I stare at Haven¡¯s beautiful face, taking in her high cheekbones, full lips, and button nose. Her long, brown hair hangs in waves down her back, the strands looking soft as silk. My gaze moves lower to her slender neck and glides over the top she¡¯s wearing. The fabric doesn¡¯t do shit to hide her hard nipples, and when she realizes what I¡¯m looking at, she pulls the cardigan she¡¯s wearing tightly around her and turns her head away from me again. Her shoulders curl forward as if she¡¯s trying to make herself a smaller target. She¡¯s so fucking petite and feminine, it calls to my predatory side, making me want to sink my teeth into her skin while I make her writhe with pleasure beneath me. I couldn¡¯t exin why I took such an interest in Haven, but as I stare at her, I realize the answer is simple. I want to own her. I¡¯ve never seen anything more beautiful than her. She¡¯s a fucking work of art. Up until now, I¡¯ve poured all my energy into work, but for the first time in my life, I¡¯m going to be selfish. I¡¯m going to force her to marry me, and with time, she¡¯ll warm up to me. I want Haven Romano because every inch of her calls to me. A faint red blemish on her jaw draws my attention, and it reminds me of when Mattia backhanded her. ¡°I apologize for my man hitting you. It will never happen again.¡± ¡°I just want to go home,¡± she whispers, her voice hoarse and making it sound like she¡¯s close to tears. I struggle to keep my tone soft as I say, ¡°Stop asking me to let you go. That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Again, I nce over the open space of the foyer before settling my attention back on her. ¡°The sooner we get to know each other, the better. You can ask me anything.¡± Haven refuses to look at me as she mutters, ¡°I seriously don¡¯t want to know what¡¯s your favorite color and whether you enjoy walks on your private beach that¡¯s covered with the bodies of your enemies.¡± Her jaw clenches. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know anything about you.¡± Ges¨´ Cristo, she¡¯s going to make me work my ass off just to get to know her, never mind winning her over. ¡°What¡¯s your favorite color?¡± I ask the first question thates to mind. She shakes her head before her eyes settle on me. A stubborn expression ghosts over her face, and I expect her to refuse to answer me, but then she replies, ¡°Pink.¡± ¡°What do you like to do in your spare time?¡± I ask another question. She nces down, rubbing over her forehead with her fingertips, and it makes me realize how slender they are. Her hands are probably half the size of mine. I wonder if the ring will fit. I hear her suck in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you I like to read.¡± Lifting her head again, she looks tired. ¡°Can we not do this? No matter how much we get to know each other, it won¡¯t make me trust you. We¡¯replete opposites and from different worlds.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to my world,¡± I mutter. Suddenly, a thought pops into my mind, and I ask, ¡°Do you speak Italian?¡± She lets out a huff. ¡°Very little. When you talk fast, I don¡¯t understand a thing, so you don¡¯t have to worry. I have no idea what you and the other man were speaking about earlier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not why I asked. My housekeeper doesn¡¯t understand English.¡± I lean back against the couch and stretch my legs out, crossing them at the ankles. ¡°Her name is Sofia. Shees in on Tuesdays and Fridays and only works until three pm.¡± Haven nces at the scenic view of the ocean, notmenting on what I just said. A few minutes pass before I ask, ¡°Can you cook?¡± She lets out a sigh. ¡°I can make the basics, so if you expect me to cook for you, you better be okay with grilled cheese sandwiches.¡± I let out a chuckle, which has her eyes snapping to my face. ¡°When I¡¯m home, I¡¯ll make the food. I just don¡¯t want you to starve when I¡¯m busy or away for work.¡± She sits up a bit straighter. ¡°Are you away often?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When there¡¯s a flicker of relief on her face, I wonder if I should give her space to adjust to everything. ¡°Are you an introvert or extrovert?¡± I ask. Haven goes back to looking ufortable with all the questions I¡¯m asking. ¡°I¡¯m a little of both.¡± For a moment, silence fills the air while I just stare at her, taking in how fucking exquisite she is. Wanting to know more about the fucker who cheated on her, I ask, ¡°So you dated an idiot for four years? What was the rtionship like?¡± A frown forms on her forehead, and I can see she doesn¡¯t want to answer me, but when I continue to stare at her, she gives in. ¡°It was like any other rtionship.¡± ¡°How did you meet?¡± She lets out another huff. ¡°We met at school. He was busy with his second year studying business. Once he graduated and started working, he met someone else and they hit it off.¡± Haven wraps her arms around her, giving me the impression she¡¯s cold. ¡°Is the aircon too cold for you?¡± Her eyes flit to me. ¡°Your house feels like a freezer.¡± I get up and walk to the panel that¡¯s situated on the wall behind Haven. While I adjust the temperature, I ask, ¡°And before the idiot? Do you have other exes in your past?¡± When I turn around, it¡¯s to find her eyes locked on me, the guarded and fearful expression back on her face. ¡°One, but we only dated for a few months my senior year.¡± Instead of heading to the couch I was sitting on, I move around the side of hers and take a seat, leaving a few inches between us. Haven scoots as close to the armrest on her side as she can, her body wound tense. The corner of my mouth lifts. ¡°I don¡¯t bite, principessa.¡± Her gaze lowers to my lips, and even though she¡¯s shit scared, desire makes the brown of her irises look like melted caramel. The slight smile on my face turns into a smirk, and I tilt my head. ¡°Like what you see, principessa?¡± Her gaze widens, and she jumps to her feet. Before she can dart away, I grab hold of her wrist and tug her back down onto the couch. She ends up right beside me, her lips parted with breaths rushing over them. When I lift my other hand to her face, and my fingers skim over her cheek where I saw the dimple the night of the party, she freezes and holds her breath. I lean closer, and it has her squeezing her eyes shut. My hand lowers to her neck, and positioning my fingers over her pulse, I feel how fast her heart is beating. She¡¯s fucking terrified of me. I let go of her wrist, and cing my arm around her shoulders, I gently pull her against my chest. ¡°Calm down, Haven. I said I won¡¯t hurt you, and I meant it.¡± I brush my other hand over her hair, realizing it¡¯s as soft as it looks. Cazzo, she smells sweet like a dessert, making my mouth water for a taste of her. When I press a kiss to the top of her head, a sob sputters from her, and she actually leans into me. ¡°Today was a rough day for you,¡± I murmur, my tone gentle. ¡°I promise it will get better. I¡¯ll protect you from the violence in my world, and I never bring work home. The mansion will be a safe space for you.¡± She pulls away from me, and this time I don¡¯t hold her back when she climbs to her feet. Without saying anything, she heads toward the staircase and goes to her bedroom. I let out a sigh as I rx against the couch and stare at the view of the moonlight reflecting on the dark waves. Did I make progress with Haven or not? The Empress: Chapter 7 My heart is thundering in my chest, and I use my fingertips to wipe the tears from my cheeks as I shut my bedroom door behind me. Honestly, I hate that Leo is so damn attractive. It¡¯s unnerving as hell and makes him seem even more dangerous. I hate that he picked up on the stupid desire I felt when the hot smirk graced his lips. And then I had to lean into him. What was I thinking? Lifting my hand, I ce it against my forehead as I shake my head. When he held me, there was a split second it actually feltforting, but I can¡¯t let anything like that happen again. He might get the wrong idea. I have to do my best to keep him at a distance, or I¡¯ll never be able to escape him. He made it crystal clear he¡¯ll never let me go. God. Leo is really going to force me to marry him. Panic pours through my body, but before it can spiral out of control, my phone rings, and I rush to dig the device out of my handbag. Seeing Mom¡¯s name on the screen, sobs instantly burst from me as I quickly answer, ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°Haven! Are you okay? Where are you? Has that man hurt you?¡± Intense relief fills me because I get to hear her voice, and it takes a few seconds before I¡¯m able to say, ¡°I¡¯m at his mansion. He hasn¡¯t hurt me.¡± Her voice is filled with fear, worry, and an urgent need to get to me. ¡°Where is the mansion?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I walk out onto the balcony and nce at the dark beach and ocean. ¡°I remember a long stretch of road. The mansion is on the side of a hill, and it has a private beach.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the name of the street?¡± ¡°No. I was too scared to think of looking at directions. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± she exims. ¡°Can you get out of there?¡± Even though she can¡¯t see me, I shake my head. ¡°There are armed guards everywhere, and I don¡¯t want to risk Leo killing you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Haven. If you get the chance to escape, then do it. Go straight to the embassy so they can send you home.¡± I¡¯ll never risk Mom¡¯s life for my freedom. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask. ¡°Nicolo won¡¯t tell me anything. He said we just have to go along with everything, but he can go to hell. I¡¯ll find a way to get you away from that man.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, Mom.¡± I nce over my shoulder to make sure I¡¯m still alone. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself if something happens to you. With Daddy gone, you¡¯re all I have.¡± I take a seat on one of the chairs out on the balcony and pull my legs up. Wrapping my arm around my shins, I say, ¡°Leo promised he won¡¯t hurt me. So far, he¡¯s fed me and only asked me questions.¡± I don¡¯t tell her about the two times he yanked me to him or about the hug he gave me a few minutes ago. ¡°God. Did he say why he took you?¡± ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s something about me that caught his attention. I have no idea what, though.¡± ¡°Do you know who he is, Haven?¡± ¡°He told me he¡¯s the head of the Italian mafia.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what your uncle said.¡± Mom¡¯s voice brims with fear. ¡°Shit. What are we going to do? Nicolo won¡¯t let me leave the mansion. He has guards watching me, but the moment I get a chance, I¡¯ll try to escape.¡± Worry tenses my tone. ¡°Don¡¯t risk your life, Mom. If something were to happen to you and I¡¯m stuck alone here in Italy, I don¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡± Sobs burst from me, and I start to cry. ¡°Oh, sweetheart. I¡¯m so sorry I brought us here.¡± She sniffles. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this somehow.¡± I force the tears back, but my voice is hoarse as I say, ¡°What if we can¡¯t escape? Leo¡¯s made it clear the wedding¡¯s happening.¡± Mom sobs, ¡°No. I won¡¯t let you marry him. I don¡¯t care what I have to do.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do,¡± I whisper, my tone forlorn. ¡°If I don¡¯t go through with the wedding, he¡¯ll kill me. He said he¡¯ll wipe out the Romano name.¡± My head snaps up when his words from earlier pop into my mind. ¡°Wait. Leo said he¡¯ll never hurt me, and it looked like he meant it.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t trust that man! He¡¯s a criminal, Haven.¡± Still, Leo seemed sincere when he said it, which makes me believe he won¡¯t kill me. But Mom¡­ I shake my head again. ¡°We just have to y along for the time being.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening.¡± Mom cries harder, and it breaks my heart. ¡°Now I understand why your father never brought us to Italy. I thought it would be good for you to meet the rest of the family, but God was I wrong.¡± My teeth tug at my bottom lip, then movement below catches my eye. With the light from the moon, I see Leo taking the steps down from the veranda and walking onto the beach. He tucks one of his hands into the pocket of his pants and takes a sip of whatever he¡¯s drinking. Standing in the dark, looking out at the ocean, he seems even more menacing. Mysterious, dark, and too handsome for me to handle. ¡°What am I going to do if we have no choice but for me to go through with the wedding?¡± I ask Mom, my gaze glued to Leo. He nces up as he takes a sip of his drink, and I feel the intensity of his gaze through the dark and distance. My voice is almostpletely gone from fear as I say, ¡°What do I do if he tries to force himself on me?¡± Mom cries even harder, and it has tears sneaking from my eyes while Leo keeps staring at me. My heartbeat speeds up, and I feel the air tense. ¡°Haven,¡± Mom whimpers, ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get you away from him, even if I have to kill Nicolo and that man.¡± I¡¯ve had a taste of Leo¡¯s strength. Mom doesn¡¯t stand a chance against him. It really starts to sink in that I¡¯m staring at the head of the mafia, and I¡¯m going to have to marry him. He¡¯ll probably force me to have sex as well. Getting up from the chair, I rush into the bedroom and shut the doors behind me before I go to turn off the light so he can¡¯t see me. When I¡¯m standing by the light switch in the darkness, breaths burst over my lips, and my emotions spiral out of control. For long minutes, I cry while Mom alternates between trying to soothe me and swearing to all that¡¯s holy she¡¯ll get me out of this mess. When we both begin to calm down, I say, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do, Mom. Uncle Nicolo and Leo are killers. If we want to stay alive, we have no choice but to do as we¡¯re told.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just idly stand by and watch you marry that criminal.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to.¡± My voice fills with urgency. ¡°Please don¡¯t risk your life, Mom. If they kill you, I won¡¯t survive the heartbreak. I need to know you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°Oh, Haven.¡± My tone grows more determined. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this.¡± Now that I¡¯ve had a good cry and I¡¯ve been able to talk to Mom, my mind feels clearer. ¡°Leo¡¯s been trying to get to know me. Maybe if I show him I¡¯m a good person who has people who love me, he¡¯ll soften and let me go?¡± ¡°What if that doesn¡¯t happen and the man ends up falling in love with you?¡± Mom voices her worry. ¡°If he falls for me, it will mean he cares, and maybe he¡¯ll let me go?¡± I¡¯m grasping at freaking straws right now. The memory of Leo trying tofort me earlier flits through my mind. Maybe it¡¯s not such a far-fetched idea. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Haven. I think you¡¯re ying with fire.¡± My mind keeps racing. ¡°If I keep fighting Leo, it might make him angry, and I can¡¯t think that will be much better than trying to win him over.¡± ¡°Just keep your distance from Leo,¡± Mom snaps, panic rising in her voice. ¡°If you anger him, he¡¯ll hurt you, and if you make him care about you, he¡¯ll want more.¡± Yeah, I¡¯m stuck between a rock and a hard ce. My phone beeps, indicating my battery is low. I dig my charger out of my bag, and sitting down on the side of the bed, I plug it in. One thought after another pops into my mind as I connect the cable to my phone. ¡°Leo lost a man today, and I think two more were hurt,¡± I mention. ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll calm down over the next few days and realize how insane it is to marry me. He might change his mind and let me go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Momtches onto my words, and hope returns to her voice. ¡°Just stay away from him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s put me in one of the guest rooms. I¡¯ll stay in here.¡± ¡°Can you lock the door?¡± Mom asks. ¡°He¡¯ll probably just kick it down or shoot his way in,¡± I mutter. ¡°True,¡± Mom sighs. ¡°But stay in the room. Don¡¯t interact with him unless you have no choice.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Maybe things will change tomorrow,¡± Mom murmurs. ¡°I¡¯ll try talking to Nicolo again as well.¡± ¡°Can you stay on the phone with me?¡± I ask. ¡°Of course, sweetheart,¡± Mom¡¯s voice softens with love. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± I lie down on the bed and get asfortable as possible. We¡¯re quiet for a while, then Mom sniffles, ¡°I wanted to give you this amazing trip before you started working. I¡¯m so sorry, Haven.¡± ¡°None of this is your fault, Mom.¡± Thinking about home, there¡¯s a sharp pain in my chest, and I close my eyes. ¡°I just want to go home with you.¡± ¡°I want that, too.¡± Mom¡¯s quiet again for a few seconds, then she says, ¡°If we don¡¯t return and I don¡¯t pay the rent on time, thendlord will throw all our belongings out.¡± Shit. I didn¡¯t even think about that. ¡°If things get worse here in Italy and they don¡¯t let us go, I can ask Kristen to pack up everything for us.¡± My teeth tug at my bottom lip. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to get her involved in this mess.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Mom gasps. ¡°You can talk to Kristen. Tell her what¡¯s happening so she can go to the police, and they cane to rescue¨C¡± ¡°Mom,¡± I say, interrupting her. ¡°Leo and Uncle Nicolo will kill us, and it will put Kristen in harm¡¯s way. It¡¯s too big a risk.¡± Mom¡¯s quiet again for a few seconds before she says, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Giada and Liliana. Maybe they¡¯ll help us.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡± For the next few hours, we keep having the same conversation, over and over, but never manage toe up with a solution. At some point, I drift off to sleep, and when I jerk awake, the sun is starting to rise. ¡°Mom?¡± My voice is hoarse, and I clear my throat. ¡°Are you still there?¡± ¡°Yes, sweetheart.¡± ¡°Did you sleep at all?¡± I ask as I sit up. ¡°No.¡± Oh, Mom. ¡°I wish I could hug you right now,¡± I whimper as my grim reality grips my heart in a strangling hold. ¡°I wish that too.¡± She sounds exhausted. ¡°Try to get some sleep. We can¡¯t stay on this call forever.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to nap for two hours. Keep your phone charged and stay near it. I¡¯ll call the second I wake up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I love you, Haven.¡± Her voice grows thick with tears. ¡°You¡¯re all that matters to me.¡± ¡°I love you, too, Mommy.¡± I end the call quickly, otherwise I¡¯ll beg her to stay on the line with me. Letting out a sigh, I stand up. Hoping Leo is still asleep, I decide to take a shower. Not knowing what today will hold for me, I take out a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a sweater from my luggage. I¡¯ll wear my sneakers again, that way I¡¯ll be dressed asfortable as possible. God, I hope Leoes to his senses and lets me go. The Empress: Chapter 8 When it¡¯s almost lunch time and it¡¯s clear Haven¡¯s going to hide in her bedroom as much as possible, I head up the stairs. Knocking on the door, I say, ¡°Come eat something.¡± It takes a few seconds before she opens. My eyes drift over her T-shirt and the words ¡®Not friendly. Do not touch.¡¯ printed in bold letters on the gray fabric. Finding it funny, I let out a chuckle, which has Haven darting past me. When she walks down the hallway, I get a spectacr view of how fucking tight the light blue jeans she¡¯s wearing sit on her. Cazzo. My teeth tug at my bottom lip as I shamelessly stare at her sexy ass all the way to the kitchen. I¡¯ve already prepared pastrami and cheese on ciabatta rolls for a light lunch. Haven sits down on the same stool as yesterday and immediately reaches for the ss of orange juice I¡¯ve poured for her. She almost downs it in one go, and it has me muttering, ¡°You can help yourself to anything when you¡¯re thirsty or hungry.¡± I take the seat across from her as she picks up the roll, and I watch as she focuses all her attention on eating. I¡¯ve decided to give her some space, but as I stare at her, all I want to do is ask questions until I know everything about her. When Haven drinks thest of her orange juice, I set my ss down in front of her so she can have it, then continue to stare at her. Her face is pale, and it makes her look even more feminine. She probably didn¡¯t sleep much. The lunch will help her feel better. After she takes thest bite of her roll, she lowers her head, and her hair falls like a curtain around her. Her body tenses as she swallows the food, then she asks, ¡°Please, let me go.¡± Not answering her, I stand up, and gathering her empty te and the two sses, I take them to the sink. I hear the stool scrape over the tiles, and when I nce over my shoulder, it¡¯s to see Haven looking at me with the saddest expression I¡¯ve ever seen. The instant I feel a glimmer ofpassion for her, I stalk out of the kitchen. ¡°Leo,¡± she cries, then she surprises the fuck out of me bying after me. I head for the sliding doors so I can leave the house, but suddenly Haven grabs hold of my arm. ¡°Please, Leo,¡± she begs as she darts in front of me. ¡°Let me go.¡± The second my eyes lock with hers, she lets go of my arm and takes a step backward. My hand darts out, and gripping the back of her neck, I tug her closer to me. Haven lets out a startled gasp, her gaze widens with fear when her face stops an inch from mine. Slowly, I tilt my head as my gaze burns over every inch of her before stopping on her parted lips. The urge to kiss her so I can taste if she¡¯s as sweet as she smells almost overwhelms me. I lean closer until I¡¯m able to draw my nose along the curve of her jaw. ¡°Cocoa, sugar, creamy mascarpone, vani, and coffee,¡± I murmur, desire deepening my voice. ¡°You smell like my favorite dessert. Tiramisu.¡± Haven trembles severely, and when I let go of her, it¡¯s to see terror tightening her features. Grabbing and sniffing her didn¡¯t do me any favors. ¡°Stop asking me to let you go,¡± I say with a firm tone while I step around her and let myself out of the mansion. I walk across the veranda, the air cool because of a storm that¡¯s brewing in the distance. It eases the heat of desire burning beneath my skin. When I take the stairs down to the beach, I nce over my shoulder. Haven is gone, and knowing she¡¯s returned to her bedroom, I nce up at her balcony. As Ie to a standstill on the soft sand of my private beach, I keep staring at the shut balcony doors, and only when lightning hits the choppy waters to my right do I return to the mansion. After I pull the sliding doors shut, my phone vibrates with the reminder I¡¯ve set for the meeting with the alliance. I walk to the couch, and once I¡¯ve taken a seat, I go into the link Dominik sent. It takes a few seconds to connect, then the screen shows the boardroom on the ind, with Santiago and Dominik sitting at the desk. ¡°Hey,¡± Santiago says with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How are you?¡± I shrug as I rx against the couch, crossing one leg over the other and resting my ankle on my knee. I prop my hand on my thigh so I won¡¯t get tired of holding the phone, then say, ¡°Things are busy on my side. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. Ciara is due any day now.¡± A smile curves my lips. ¡°Are you looking forward to bing a father?¡± Excitement fills Santiago¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m like a kid on Christmas morning.¡± ¡°I can see that.¡± My attention turns to Dominik. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Kristian and Nina are keeping us awake twenty-four-seven. I might die of sleep deprivation.¡± Dominik has a one-year-old son and a newborn baby girl. I don¡¯t know how he and Grace do it. ¡°Don¡¯t talk shit,¡± Santiago says with a yful tone. ¡°Evinka babysits the kids half the day. You get plenty of sleep.¡± ¡°Not everyone can survive on four hours,¡± Dominik mutters while shooting Santiago a re. The screen downsizes as Cassia, the head of the Greek mafia, joins the call, and a few seconds after her, Enzo, who runs a syndicate in Portugal, appears. Where Cassia is sitting in her office, that¡¯s situated in Athens, Enzo is in his car and on the move. Fuck knows where in the world he is right now. The man is always working, but it¡¯s paying off because he¡¯s made quite a name for himself. Enzo would¡¯ve killed the Romanos without a second thought. He wouldn¡¯t have fucked up like I did. Dominik waits for everyone to exchange pleasantries, then he asks, ¡°Cassia, how are things with the bratva?¡± ¡°Much better. They haven¡¯t given me any more trouble.¡± ¡°Enzo,¡± Dominik says to get his attention because he¡¯s looking at the road while driving, ¡°How are things in Portugal?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Enzo mutters, only sparing his phone before returning his attention to driving. ¡°Why did you call a meeting?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking a break for the next six months so I can focus on my family. If any of you need weapons, you¡¯ll have to deal with Evinka. That also counts for any help if you¡¯re attacking someone or being attacked. Evinka will take my ce until I return.¡± Once Dominik is done talking, Santiago says, ¡°I¡¯ll be taking off a month once Ciara gives birth. Pedro will carry on with business in my stead.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Enzo nces at the screen again. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for two men,¡± I mention. ¡°Vito Santoro and Sebastiano Caprino. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could all put out feelers.¡± ¡°Send any information you have on the men to the security team,¡± Dominik replies. I nod, then add, ¡°I¡¯m getting married. It¡¯s going to be small and quick, so I¡¯m not sending out invites.¡± Santiago¡¯s eyebrows lift. ¡°Who are you marrying?¡± ¡°An American. She¡¯s rted to Nicolo Romano.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a surprise. Last I heard, you and Romano didn¡¯t get along,¡± Cassia says. ¡°We don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Congrats, Leo,¡± Enzo jumps into the conversation. ¡°Is there anything else to discuss?¡± ¡°No, you can go,¡± Dominik replies. Enzo ends the call, leaving the four of us. ¡°Does he ever take time off?¡± Cassia asks. ¡°No. He¡¯s a workhorse,¡± I chuckle. Dominik gets up from his seat, drawing our attention to him, as he asks, ¡°Do you just need help finding the men, Leo?¡± ¡°Yes. Dead or alive. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I have another meeting. Good luck with the kids and enjoy your vacations,¡± Cassia says. ¡°All the best for your wedding, Leo.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± we all mutter before she ends the call on her side, leaving me with Santiago and Dominik. An iing call from Massimo grabs my attention. ¡°Talk to you at ater stage.¡± Santiago and Dominik nod, and I exit the meeting before epting Massimo¡¯s call. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made the arrangements for the wedding. I had to grease a few palms to expedite all the relevant paperwork.¡± ¡°Good. Is Father Esposito on board with everything?¡± ¡°Yes. I made a donation to the church, he couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± Climbing to my feet, I walk toward the stairs. ¡°When is it happening?¡± ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± Massimo¡¯s voice tenses. ¡°Are you sure about this, Leo?¡± No, but I¡¯m still going to go through with it. The sooner, the better, because Haven might change my mind with that sad expression of hers that turns me soft. ¡°Yes, don¡¯t ask me again,¡± I mutter as I take the stairs up to the second floor. ¡°Contact Nicolo and tell him to meet us at the church in an hour.¡± ¡°The fuck!¡± Massimo gasps. ¡°What¡¯s the fucking hurry?¡± ¡°Massimo, I¡¯m marrying Haven today so that we can focus our attention on work. Get Nicolo and Haven¡¯s mother to the church. One hour.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he finally relents. ¡°Get a white dress for Haven. She¡¯s the same size as my mother.¡± He sounds disgruntled as fuck. ¡°Now I have to go wedding dress shopping?¡± I soften my tone as I say, ¡°Please, Massimo.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll get everything done. See you at the church.¡± We end the call, and I dial my mother¡¯s number while I pull my keys out to unlock my bedroom door. I¡¯ve kept it locked because I don¡¯t want Haven going through my personal belongings. ¡°Hello,¡± Mamma answers. ¡°Hey, Mamma. The wedding is happening in an hour. Father Esposito will marry us. Have Rardo take you to the church.¡± ¡°Why so soon?¡± she exims. ¡°I have other work to attend to and can¡¯t be distracted with a wedding. See you in an hour,¡± I say before ending the call. A weird urgency fills my veins as I change out of my clothes into a ck three-piece tuxedo. When I¡¯m ready, I tuck my gun into my pants behind my back and shove my phone into my breast pocket. Leaving my bedroom, I lock behind me before I go to knock on Haven¡¯s door. When she opens for me, her eyes widen at the sight of me dressed in a tuxedo, and for a few seconds, I see the attraction in her caramel-colored irises. ¡°It¡¯s time, principessa.¡± ¡°Time for what?¡± she asks, and when her gaze moves over me again, intense fear tightens her features as she realizes why I¡¯m dressed so formally. She swings around to run away from me, but I lunge forward and wrap an arm around her middle. When I lift her off her feet, she lets out a cry and starts to struggle in vain to get free. With no time to waste, I haul her over my shoulder and walk toward the stairs. Haven¡¯s fists connect with my back, and the moment I feel her take hold of my gun, I yank her back down my front. Without any effort on my part, I wrench the gun from her hand and level her with a look of warning. ¡°Do you want your mother to die today?¡± ¡°No!¡± Tears stream down her face as she stares up at me, desperate breaths bursting over her lips, and her hair a wild mess. Except for the terror in her eyes, she looks like she¡¯s just been fucked. My voice is deep and rough as I mutter, ¡°Then you¡¯ll behave and carry out every order I give you.¡± Her features tighten with a pleading expression. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t do this.¡± Still holding my gun, I use it to gesture toward the stairs. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time, principessa. You don¡¯t want to keep our mothers waiting at the church.¡± Her eyes widen again. ¡°My mother will be at the church?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Haven swings around and hurries down the stairs. As I follow her out of the mansion, my conscience starts to niggle at me, but for the second time today, I harden my heart. Cazzo. I¡¯m really doing this. I¡¯m going to force Haven, whom I know very little about, to marry me. Yep. I¡¯ve lost my mind. The Empress: Chapter 9 As we pull up to an old church that has a rocky hillside for a backdrop, my heart is pounding in my chest while panic ys me raw. I notice Uncle Nicolo¡¯s car parked near the entrance, and the second Leo stops the Porsche, I shove the door open and jump out. I run through the front door and hardly notice the murals on the roof and walls. There are armed men, an older woman I don¡¯t recognize, and then I see Mom, where she¡¯s trying to pull her arm free from Uncle Nicolo¡¯s grip. ¡°Mom,¡± I shout before I dart down the aisle to get to her. ¡°Haven!¡± ¡°Let go of the woman,¡± Massimo orders Uncle Nicolo. Mom yanks away from him just as I reach her, and we fall into an embrace. ¡°God, sweetheart,¡± Mom sobs, her arms wound so tight around me, it hurts. ¡°Good. Everyone¡¯s here,¡± Leo says somewhere behind me, his confident footsteps echoing through the church. ¡°Massimo, show the women to a room where Haven can change into the dress.¡± ¡°No!¡± Mom shouts. She pulls me behind her and locks eyes with Leo. ¡°My daughter won¡¯t marry you.¡± Not looking bothered at all, Leo adjusts his cuffs while he says, ¡°You can either enjoy a few minutes with your daughter, or I¡¯ll have you locked in a room. The choice is yours.¡± ¡°Mom,¡± I whisper. ¡°Juste with me.¡± ¡°This way,¡± Massimo says, and I take hold of Mom¡¯s hand. When we step into the room, Massimo says, ¡°You have twenty minutes to change into the dress. I hope it fits.¡± He pulls the door shut, and we hear a lock engage. Still struggling to process the shock of the bomb Leo dropped on me, I look at Mom and burst out in tears. She quickly wraps me up in a tight hug, her body trembling as much as mine. We hold each other for a while before she pulls back to look at my face. ¡°You¡¯re not marrying Leo Toscano.¡± ¡°I have no choice. He¡¯ll kill you.¡± Frustration tightens Mom¡¯s features, then she says, ¡°When they open the door, I¡¯m going to distract them so you can run away.¡± ¡°No!¡± I cry. Grabbing hold of Mom¡¯s arm, I shake my head wildly. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you get hurt.¡± My mind races toe up with another n, but then my eyes fall on the white dress hanging on the outside of a closet, and my heart plummets. I grow cold as the realization sinks in. ¡°I have no choice but to marry Leo.¡± To keep Mom out of harm¡¯s way, I pull away from her and walk to the dress. When I tug my T-shirt over my head, she begins to cry, the sound heartbreaking. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± I say for both our sakes. ¡°I¡¯ll marry him, and when everyone eventually lets their guards down, we can escape.¡± ¡°Oh God, Haven,¡± Mom weeps inconsbly as I step out of my sneakers and jeans. My parents raised me in a loving home in Whitefish. I used to dream about leaving the small town and living in a city, but now I¡¯d do anything to go home. My hand trembles badly when I reach for thece dress that has a corset bodice and A-line skirt. Floral ents cover ayer of chiffon. It¡¯s pretty. The thought is fleeting as I put on the wedding gown, and when I nce at Mom, she cries harder. My voice is hoarse as I say, ¡°Can you help me?¡± Even though she shakes her head, shees closer and pulls the zipper up. It¡¯s a tight fit, and I worry thece will tear. Luckily, the high heels are the right size, and when I¡¯m dressed, I pull my fingers through my hair. Mom¡¯s tone is raw and broken when she says, ¡°I can¡¯t let you do this, Haven.¡± I meet her fearful gaze and shake my head. ¡°We have no choice. I¡¯m not going to let you risk your life.¡± There¡¯s a knock at the door, which has me closing the distance between me and Mom. I wrap my arms tightly around her and press a kiss to her cheek. ¡°I love you, Mom. More than anything.¡± ¡°I love you, too,¡± she whimpers. Letting go of her, I rush to the door and meet Massimo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lock my mother in the room. If she gets hurt, the wedding is off.¡± ¡°No, Haven!¡± Mom screams. My heart breaks into a million pieces as I hurry down the hallway, and when I hear her letting out a harrowing cry, tears roll over my cheeks, and I clench my jaw to keep a sob from bursting free. I have to do this for Mom. ¡°My baby,¡± she wails. ¡°No!¡± When I walk into the central part of the church, I lift my chin and lock eyes with Leo, where he¡¯s standing by a priest. I stop in front of him and don¡¯t bother to wipe the tears from my cheeks while I suck in a shuddering breath. For a few seconds, his features soften as he stares at me, but then they harden again. His voice sounds like thunder that¡¯s about to unleash a destructive storm on my life as he orders in English, ¡°You can proceed, Father.¡± The priest has a thick Italian ent when he says, ¡°Leonardo Toscano, do you take Haven Romano as your wife?¡± Leo doesn¡¯t hesitate for a second to reply, ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Haven Romano, do you take Leonardo Toscano as your husband?¡± Mom. I swallow hard on the lump in my throat, and my voice is almost gone as I whisper, ¡°I do.¡± Leo pulls a small box out of his pocket, and opening it, he removes a vintage ring. It looks hundreds of years old. When he takes hold of my left hand and pushes the ring onto my finger, hopelessness sinks into my bones. There are no vows of love and loyalty as the priest deres, ¡°I pronounce you husband and wife. Sign the register.¡± With Leo still gripping my hand, he leads me to a table where a register lies. He signs on the line before holding the pen out to me. I pull my hand free from his and take the pen, but I hesitate for a moment when I realize Leo doesn¡¯t know what my signature looks like. As if he can read my thoughts, he grumbles, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about faking it, Haven.¡± My chin quivers, and more tears escape as I scribble my signature on the line beside his. Leo pulls me away from the table, then he watches as Uncle Nicolo and Massimo sign as witnesses. I nce to my left, and my gaze connects with a woman who seems to be in her sixties. She climbs to her feet, where she¡¯s sitting in the front pew, and walks toward us. Once shees to a standstill in front of us, she says, ¡°I wish you all the best for your future.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mamma,¡± Leo replies. This is his mother? My lips part with shock as he leans down to kiss both her cheeks. She must be as corrupted as her son. Keeping quiet, I lower my eyes to the floor, and a secondter, the realization that I¡¯m married to Leo Toscano, the head of the Italian mafia and aplete stranger, ms hard into my gut. My legs feel numb as darkness creeps in around the edges of my vision, and when I sway, Leo quickly wraps his arm around my lower back and pulls me tightly against his side. With his other hand, he takes hold of my jaw and tips my head backward. ¡°Are you going to pass out?¡± The shock begins to lessen, and I pull my face away from his hand, looking down again as I whisper, ¡°No. Can I go to my mother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He removes his arm from around me. ¡°Massimo, go with Haven.¡± I don¡¯t wait for Massimo and hurry away from Leo, but when I reach the locked door, I have to wait for it to be opened before I¡¯m able to go inside. Mom stands in the middle of the room, her face torn with anguish, and when she sees the ring on my finger, she begins to shake her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say, then my emotions spiral out of control, and I break down. Mom quickly closes the distance between us and wraps me up in a tight hug. For long minutes, we just hold each other before Mom pulls slightly back so she can see my face. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this, Haven.¡± Even though our futures look grim right now, I nod. ¡°We¡¯re alive. It¡¯s all that matters.¡± Using her thumbs, she wipes the tears from my cheeks. ¡°Whatever happens, just know that I love you.¡± ¡°Love you, too, Mommy.¡± In my distressed state, I don¡¯t keep track of time, and when Leo appears in the doorway, my heart sinks. ¡°It¡¯s time to go. You¡¯ll see your mother soon.¡± A sliver of hope trickles into my chest. ¡°Promise.¡± He just nods before walking away while saying, ¡°Come, Haven.¡± Uncle Nicolo stalks into the room, and grabbing hold of Mom¡¯s arm, he forcefully begins to drag her out into the hallway. ¡°No!¡± I rush after them and shout, ¡°You don¡¯t have to yank her around! Stop handling her roughly.¡± ¡°Nicolo,¡± Leo snaps. Uncle Nicolo instantly stops dragging Mom and mutters under his breath, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. Let¡¯s just leave before someone gets killed.¡± I give Mom a quick hug and whisper near her ear, ¡°Just go with Uncle Nicolo. I¡¯ll talk to Leo and see if he¡¯ll let youe stay with me.¡± Hope flits over Mom¡¯s face. ¡°Yes. Ask him.¡± Lifting the skirt of my dress a little, I dart away from her and rush to catch up with Leo as he stalks toward the main entrance of the church. ¡°Leo,¡± I call out, and it has him ncing over his shoulder. ¡°Please let my Mome with us.¡± His eyes flick to the back of the church before he continues to walk toward the Porsche. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I cry as I go after him. ¡°Stop, Haven!¡± he snaps as he opens the front passanger door. ¡°Get in. I have work that needs my attention.¡± Hatred fills my veins as I re at Leo, grinding out through clenched teeth, ¡°You¡¯re a coldhearted bastard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a coldhearted bastard with a gun.¡± He tips his head toward the car. ¡°Get in.¡± I nce at the entrance of the church, but there¡¯s no sign of Mom. ¡°Now!¡± Leo¡¯s voice thunders between us, making me jerk with fright. I quickly climb into the car, and my eyes remain glued to the doors, but as Leo slides in behind the steering wheel and starts the engine, there¡¯s still no sign of Mom. As he drives away from the hellhole where my fate was sealed, I struggle to cope with the nightmare that¡¯s been unleashed on me. How am I going to survive being married to a ruthless mobster? The Empress: Chapter 10 I¡¯m annoyed with everything and everyone. But mostly with myself. My fucking conscience is riding me hard as I drive us home. Honestly, I¡¯m a little shocked that I just went through with the wedding. I forced an innocent woman who has nothing to do with the mafia to marry me. Haven is right. I¡¯m a fucking bastard. Not wanting to face what I¡¯ve done, I shove the thoughts aside. I nce at Haven, and seeing how pale she is, my heart squeezes. Her hands are mped together on herp, and she¡¯s trembling like a leaf in a shitstorm. The dress Massimo got for her is fucking beautiful. The moment I saw her in it, something in my chest shifted. Up until that moment, I was still in two minds about going through with the wedding, but then Haven came stalking toward me with her chin held high and tear streaks on her cheeks. A fucking masterpiece. ¡°At least it¡¯s over and done with,¡± I mutter. Even though her voice is soft, it¡¯s brimming with hatred as she says, ¡°Go to hell.¡± ¡°Careful,¡± I murmur, my fingers clenching around the steering wheel. ¡°Why can¡¯t my mome to live with me?¡± I let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Because the two of you together will be trouble, and I have a lot of work to take care of.¡± I nce at her again. ¡°Right now, your mother is the only leverage I have, so you don¡¯t try to kill me.¡± ¡°Keep pushing me and see what happens,¡± she mumbles. I let out a chuckle, the corner of my mouth curving up. I like this fiesty version of Haven. It¡¯s a turn on. ¡°What do you think? Should we consummate our marriage?¡± I tease her. She bends over and yanks a shoe from her foot before gripping it tightly. ¡°Try and I¡¯ll stab you with my five-inch heels.¡± ¡°See, now I¡¯m in a position to tell you not to do anything stupid for your mother¡¯s sake.¡± A sob bursts from Haven, and it has my eyes flicking to her as I steer the car through the gates of my property. She¡¯s shaking badly, and I instantly regret teasing her. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not going to force myself on you.¡± Her terrified gaze snaps to me, and she searches for the truth in my words. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal. No sex until you beg me,¡± I say as I pull the Porsche into the garage. Her voice quivers as she replies, ¡°I¡¯ll never beg you for that.¡± Switching off the engine, I grin at her. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Haven shoves the door open and climbs out. I follow her into the kitchen, where she suddenly stops and yanks the ring off her finger. She ps it down on the counter, then removes her other shoe and runs into the foyer. ¡°I want my clothes and sneakers that are still at the church,¡± she shouts. I stare at the antique family ring before I move closer to pick it up. It doesn¡¯t look like something that belongs on Haven¡¯s finger. No. Only the biggest diamond will be able toplement her beauty. Not this ring that¡¯s only brought my mother heartache. I tuck the family heirloom into my pocket before pulling my phone out. Pressing dial on Massimo¡¯s number, I don¡¯t have to wait long for him to answer. ¡°Yes.¡± His tone is brisk, telling me he¡¯s pissed off. ¡°Haven¡¯s clothes and sneakers are still at the church.¡± ¡°I have them. Want me to bring them?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll shower and get changed, then we can leave to get to work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to stop at my ce to grab my bag and say goodbye to everyone.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I head to my bedroom, where I shower while trying not to think about everything that¡¯s happened over the past twenty-four hours. Last week, I had all my shit together, but now everything has derailed around me. All because of Haven Romano. If I had killed Luciano and Nicolo and left the women, I¡¯d be filled with satisfaction for finally getting the revenge I¡¯ve been thirsting for. But no. Both Romano men are still alive, and I have a brand new wife who¡¯s terrified of me. I¡¯ve traumatized the hell out of Haven, so it¡¯s safe to say she¡¯ll never warm up to me. Great. I¡¯m married to the most beautiful woman, and I¡¯ve done everything in my power to make her hate me. Angry at myself, I put on a fresh suit after I¡¯m done showering, then pack myself a bag. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be away from home, but I¡¯m hoping it will give Haven time to adjust to her new life. When I zip the bag shut, my gazends on the photo next to my bed. I walk to the bedside table and gently pick it up. I stare at Carina¡¯s face, and the bitter taste of failure fills me. I¡¯m sorry, stellina mia. Cazzo. I¡¯m so fucking sorry for not finding you. My eyes move to Diego¡¯s face, and I know if he were alive today, he¡¯d probably beat the shit out of me for the way I¡¯m treating Haven. Yeah. I fucked up, brother. I wish you were here. My life would¡¯ve turned out very different if I had never lost the Messinas. If we weren¡¯t attacked and only my father was assassinated, I wouldn¡¯t have taken over as head of the mafia because I never wanted any part in the family business at sixteen. But that didn¡¯t happen. I set the framed photo down, and grabbing my bag, I leave my bedroom, pausing to lock the door. I pocket the keyring holding all the important keys, like the one for my safe where my weapons are stored. Stopping at Haven¡¯s bedroom, I knock. This time, she doesn¡¯t respond, and when I push the door open, it¡¯s to find the room empty. The wedding dress is lying discarded on the floor. I head downstairs, and not seeing her in the living room, I notice the sliding doors are open. Leaving my bag in the foyer, I walk out onto the veranda and see Haven running along the beach. I¡¯m about to go after her so I can say goodbye, but she suddenly sinks down onto the soft sand with a cry that sends chills over my body. God help me, what have I done to her? There¡¯s a painful stabbing sensation in my chest, and unable to witness the destruction I¡¯ve caused any longer, I stalk back into the mansion. I grab my bag and head out the front door. Luckily, Massimo pulls up the driveway. When he stops the SUV, I yank the back door open and throw my bag inside before climbing into the front passanger seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Without a word, he makes a U-turn and drives us away from the one ce on Earth where I used to find peace and rest. Now it¡¯s filled with fear and sorrow. Haven will have two to three weeks where she can deal with everything that¡¯s happened. She¡¯ll probably spend all her time with her mother. The only reason I don¡¯t want Dakota living with us is because I don¡¯t need her fighting me as well. I¡¯ll deal with the mother once I¡¯ve made progress with the daughter. Cazzo. I¡¯m an asshole. ¡°You okay?¡± Massimo asks, worry tensing his voice. I shake my head, and pulling my phone out of my pocket, I send a few orders to Edoardo, who¡¯s in charge of security at the mansion. Leo: Make sure nothing happens to my wife. Have Sofia keep the fridge and cupboards stocked with easy-to-prepare meals. Edoardo: Will do, boss. Is Mrs. Toscano allowed to leave the property? Leo: Yes, but you and four other men apany her at all times. I want her home before it gets dark. She¡¯s not allowed to leave the town under any circumstances. Edoardo: Got it. Leo: While she¡¯s at home, only you¡¯re authorized to interact with her. If I find out any of the other men have spoken a word to her, the penalty will be death. She¡¯s traumatized enough. I don¡¯t want anyone upsetting her even more. Edoardo: I¡¯ll make sure they all keep their distance from her while we¡¯re at home. Leo: Protect her with your life. Edoardo: I will, boss. Done, I shove my phone back into my pocket and nce around us. Noticing we¡¯re almost at the airport where my private jet is, I ask, ¡°Do we have any leads on Vito and Sebastiano?¡± ¡°Sebastiano was spotted in Sicily. We¡¯re heading there first, while Mattia and his team keep searching for Vito.¡± ¡°I want Sebastiano alive. I need to kill someone to get rid of this fucking edgy feeling.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think killing someone is going to make any difference,¡± Massimo mutters. ¡°Want to talk about the shit that¡¯s gone down since yesterday?¡± I check the time on the dashboard. It¡¯s been twenty-seven hours since Klodian died and I took Haven. Twenty-seven hours of me losing my mind and fucking up everything around me. I need to regain control of my life, or I¡¯m going to end up dead soon. My tone is a mere whisper. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to talk about it at all. Let¡¯s focus on work.¡± Massimo nods as he brings the SUV to a stop near the private jet where a group of my men are waiting. I think time away from home will do me good as well. With a bit of luck, I¡¯ll get my shit together before I return to Haven. Then I¡¯ll have to do some serious damage control and do my best to win her heart. The Empress: Chapter 11 I only go back into the mansion after the sun has disappeared. When I step into the dark living room and pull the sliding doors shut, the lightse on automatically, startling me. At least I won¡¯t have to search for light switches. I cautiously nce into the foyer and up the stairs, and keep still for a moment. Not hearing Leo moving anywhere nearby, I quickly walk to the kitchen. Maybe I¡¯m lucky, and he¡¯s not home. He said he had work to do. When the lightes on and I don¡¯t see any signs that Leo¡¯s prepared dinner, I go to the fridge and open it. I nce over all the produce before helping myself to an orange and an apple. I grab two bottles of water and a can of soda that looks like it¡¯s orange-vored. I set my haul down on the marble ind and search through the drawers and cupboards until I find a shopping bag. I load my fruit and drinks into it, then look through the cupboards, helping myself to a pack of cashew nuts and a box of salted crackers. At thest second, I decide to take another two cans of soda and the remaining four waters. Now I can hide in my room for a day or so. I quickly head back to my bedroom and lock the door behind me. Knowing Leo can easily break it down, I set the shopping bag down on my bed. I spend the next ten minutes struggling my butt off to move the heavy dressing table in front of the door. Hopefully, that will be enough to keep Leo out. My phone begins to ring, and I rush to where I left it to charge on the bedside table. Seeing Mom¡¯s name, I quickly answer, ¡°Mom. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Where have you been?¡± she shrieks. ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried. Did Leo do anything else to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Feeling awful for not keeping my phone with me, I say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was outside. I couldn¡¯t be in the same mansion as Leo. He hasn¡¯t done anything else. I think he¡¯s out, probably killing some poor soul.¡± I pause to take a breath. ¡°I got food and water from the kitchen, and I¡¯ve barricaded myself in my bedroom.¡± ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± Mom lets out a heavy sigh, and for a few seconds, silence falls between us. Knowing I¡¯ve hurt her today, my voice is filled with remorse as I apologize, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for locking you in that room. I knew you¡¯d fight for me, and they¡¯d end up hurting or killing you. I did what I had to do to protect you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my ce to protect you, Haven.¡± She sounds distraught, and it has me sitting down on the bed and closing my eyes. ¡°How am I supposed to live with the fact that I didn¡¯t keep you safe from that monster?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t stand a chance against him.¡± I shake everything from the shopping bag and pack my haul on the bedside table. Taking a bottle of water, I unscrew the cap and drink some. ¡°I know, but I still have to try. I can¡¯t just leave you there with the head of the mafia.¡± ¡°Maybe we get lucky, and the police arrest him,¡± I mutter. ¡°We can only hope!¡± I put Mom on speakerphone before I lie down, gettingfortable. ¡°How are things on your side?¡± ¡°Nicolo is a madman. He¡¯s locked me in my room, and I heard him yelling at Giada and Liliana to stay away from me.¡± We¡¯re both prisoners, but at least I can walk around the mansion. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mom.¡± A tear sneaks out of my eye, and I brush it away. ¡°Things can¡¯t stay like this forever.¡± ¡°As long as they don¡¯t get worse,¡± she mutters. We¡¯re quiet for a while again before I say, ¡°I gave him back the stupid ring. I refuse to wear it.¡± ¡°Good! The bastard can shove that ring where the sun doesn¡¯t shine.¡± I let out a tired chuckle. ¡°Besides all the crap we¡¯ve had to deal with, how are you holding up, sweetheart?¡± ¡°I had a good cry when we got home.¡± Realizing what I just said, I quickly correct myself. ¡°I mean, back to Leo¡¯s ce. I sat outside on the beach for hours, so I feel better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. When you get a chance, send me photos of the mansion. I want to search on Google and see if I can find out where you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you the photos tomorrow morning.¡± Just like the night before, we keep talking about the same thing, over and over, until I drift off to sleep. I¡¯m lying beside someone, and he¡¯s brushing his hand over my hair. Feeling safe, I snuggle closer to him. ¡®I love you too, stellina mia.¡¯ Suddenly, Ind on the floor, and somebody falls over me. I look up and see a younger version of Leo, but the next second, the adult version hauls me over his shoulder while gunshots fill the air. Screaming, I dart upright, my heart thundering in my chest. ¡°Haven!¡± Mom calls out, and it takes a moment before I make sense of my surroundings and that Mom is still on the phone with me. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°It was a nightmare,¡± I gasp through the emotions I experienced in the dream. ¡°Oh no. What did you dream?¡± ¡°It was simr to ones I had as a child, but this time Leo was the monster carrying me out of that bedroom.¡± After taking me to years of therapy, Mom knows every detail of the nightmares I used to suffer from. Besides the nightmares, I can¡¯t remember anything from before my parents adopted me. My therapist said it¡¯s because something bad happened, and my mind blocked it. Mom and Dad don¡¯t know anything about my past. They just epted me with open arms and did their best to help me heal from whatever happened when I was six. ¡°Shit. All this violence has probably triggered you,¡± Mom says, pulling me out of my thoughts. ¡°Yeah. The shes returned when Leo shot Luciano.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sweetheart. Do you want to do a mental exercise?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I lie down on my side and close my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m lying beside you, brushing my hand over your hair.¡± ¡°I feel safe because you¡¯re with me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t hear the gunshots. You don¡¯t see the monster. There¡¯s only you and me.¡± I picture Mom holding me tightly, and nothing is able to pull me out of her protective arms. ¡°You¡¯re loved and safe with me,¡± Mom murmurs, her tone soothing. ¡°I¡¯m loved and safe,¡± I repeat her words, and my emotions start to settle. ¡°Thanks, Mom. I feel better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, sweetheart. I¡¯m going to hang up so I can take a shower. I¡¯ll call in a few hours again, but if anything happens and you need to talk, just shoot me a message.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to read for a little bit.¡± ¡°I love you, Haven.¡± ¡°Love you, Mom.¡± We hang up, and I reach for the bedside table for my Kindle. I scroll through my endless TBR, the sight of the mafia romances I used to love so much now making me angry. I begin to delete them, but realize I have no inte connection. Shit, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m asking Leo for his wifi password. I check how much data I have on my phone, but there isn¡¯t much, and I don¡¯t want to waste it. I¡¯ll just shove all the books into a folder. I spend the next few hours sorting out my Kindle before I take a break to eat the fruit. When lunch timees and goes, and Leo doesn¡¯te to knock on my door, I decide to take a rxing bath. Heading to the bathroom, I open the faucets before looking at the products on the counter. I pick up the bottle of bath oil and sniff it. It smells like some kind of expensive perfume. I pour a few drops into the tub and wait until there¡¯s enough water and the temperature is the way I like it before I switch off the faucets. I grab clean underwear, a pair of leggings, and an oversized T-shirt, wanting to cover as much skin as possible. Gathering my phone and Kindle, I walk back to the bathroom and lock the door behind me. I set my clothes down on the counter and the devices on the floor beside the tub. While I put my hair up in a messy bun, my thoughts fill with everything that¡¯s happened since Leo barged into my life and kidnapped me. Unlike the past two days, there¡¯s no wave of shock, which must mean I¡¯m getting used to the trauma. I strip out of my clothes and climb into the tub. Determined to lose myself in a book, I pick up my Kindle and lie back. I look through the small town romances and pick one that has good reviews, noting it¡¯s a light and funny read. After everything Leo has put me through, I¡¯ll never read anything remotely dark again. I force myself to focus as I start with chapter one, but every few minutes, the hell I¡¯m stuck in pops into my mind like a creepy Jack-in-the-box. I can¡¯t believe he made me marry him. He said ¡®I do¡¯ so easily. Why? What the hell is it about me that caught his attention? Was it love at first sight? I let out a disgruntled snort and mumble, ¡°Yeah, right.¡± A beep from beside the tub draws my attention, and I set the Kindle down before picking up my phone. Kristen: You¡¯ve been quiet. How are things with your family? Any idea when you¡¯reing home? I might never go home to Whitefish again. My heart clenches as I contemte what to say to my best friend. Haven: Things are a shit show this side. I can¡¯t talk about it yet, but I have a huge favor to ask. Kristen: Oh no! I¡¯m so sorry. What can I do to help? Haven: If we¡¯re not back by the end of the month, can you pack all our belongings and put them into storage? I don¡¯t want thendlord to throw everything out. Kristen: What the hell? Is there really a chance you won¡¯te back? How long will you stay in Italy then? Haven: I don¡¯t know. Kristen: That¡¯s insane! How am I supposed to survive without you for so long? My chin begins to quiver, and a lump forms in my throat. Haven: I miss you so much. I wish we never took this trip. It¡¯s awful. Kristen: I miss you too. I¡¯m crying my eyes out. At most, you can only stay in Italy for three months. You¡¯lle back before then, right? I want to keep Kristen safe, so it has me typing out another lie. Haven: I don¡¯t know. We might get another visa. I have no idea how things work here. Kristen: Nooooo. That sucks. You can¡¯t stay there longer than three months. I swear I¡¯ll get on a ne and bring your ass home. Knowing she doesn¡¯t have enough money for international travel, I don¡¯t worry about her threat. Instead, it warms my heart. Haven: Yeah, you can kick everyone¡¯s asses and save me. LOL. Kristen: Well, while you¡¯re stuck there, I discovered a new mafia author. Natalie Kane. I read the sample, and it¡¯s freaking good. We can do a long-distance buddy read. Oh hell no. God, Kristen¡¯s going to lose her mind when she finds out I was forced to marry a mafia boss. Haven: I just started a small town romance. I¡¯m in the mood for light books. Kristen: Okay. I¡¯m going to read the mafia romance, though. I¡¯ll let you know what I think of it once I¡¯m done. The water starts to grow cold, and it has me saying goodbye. Haven: I have to go. Love you! Kristen: Love you too. I set the phone down on the floor beside the tub and quickly wash myself before climbing out. I dry off, and after getting dressed, I grab the box of salted crackers and a soda, then head out onto the balcony to sit by the table. Time crawls by, and when the sun begins to set, I frown, realizing Leo didn¡¯t call me for lunch or supper. Is he ignoring me? Not that I¡¯mining that he¡¯s leaving me alone, but I¡¯m hungry for actual food. I stand up and nce down at the veranda. Not seeing any light spilling from the living room, I wonder if Leo¡¯s still away for work. I walk into my bedroom, and leaning over the dressing table, I press my ear to the door. When I don¡¯t hear anything, I let out a sigh and struggle to push the table out of the way. As quietly as possible, I unlock the door and pull it open. I nce up and down the dark hallway, noticing Leo¡¯s bedroom door is closed. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s home. I sneak down the stairs and hurry to the kitchen, where I make a sandwich for myself. While I¡¯m eating, I nce around me, taking a moment to admire how stunning the kitchen is. Hmm. With Leo gone, I can explore a little. With my sandwich in hand, I begin to walk through the mansion. I don¡¯t feel bad as I snoop through the drawers and closets I find in a study. It¡¯s decorated with a heavy oak table and leather armchairs, but it doesn¡¯t look like Leo spends a lot of time in here. Taking thest bite of my sandwich, I head up the stairs and check the other rooms. Not finding anything interesting, I stop in front of Leo¡¯s bedroom. Careful not to make a sound, I try the handle, but the door is locked. I wonder what he¡¯s hiding in there. Probably guns. I shudder at the thought and head back down to the first floor. I find the remote for the huge-ass TV mounted on the wall, and taking a seat on the couch, I try to figure out how it works. I¡¯m not used to being alone. Usually, I¡¯m either with Mom or Kristen, so the silence in the foreign house makes me feel lonely as hell. After spending minutes trying to find a channel to watch, I give up and switch off the TV. Suddenly, I hear the front door open, and I jump to my feet. I rush to the stairs, and seeing an armed man, I let out a shriek and hurry back up to the second floor. ¡°Mrs. Toscano!¡± the man calls out, but I don¡¯t wait around to hear what he has to say. I rush into my bedroom and m the door shut before locking it. With my breaths bursting over my lips, I shove the dressing table back into ce. God. Was that one of the many guards I¡¯ve seen out in the front yard, and if so, why did hee into the house when Leo¡¯s not home? Shit. Do I have to worry about Leo¡¯s men hurting me? The Empress: Chapter 12 I grab Carina and toss her over my body so shends on the floor at the side of the bed. Darting up, gunshots ring through the air. I roll over and fall on top of Carina. I take in her scared face, but when I blink, Haven stares up at me. ¡°L-Leo,¡± she sobs, terror etched into her features. Realizing I¡¯ve destroyed her, unspeakable pain tears through me. ¡°Leo!¡± she screams, the sound howling around me as I¡¯m pulled away from her. ¡°What the fuck have you done?¡± Diego¡¯s voice booms through the air, the force of his rage plunging me into darkness. I shoot upright, my hand pping over the tattoo covering my heart. Ges¨´ Cristo! I suck in a desperate breath, and it takes a moment for the remnants of the nightmare to fade before I be aware of my surroundings. I nce around the hotel room, then slump back down on the bed. Letting out a heavy sigh, I rub my thumb over the tattoo of stars I got on the one-year anniversary of losing the Messinas. Knowing I won¡¯t be able to fall asleep again, I get out of bed and walk to the small kitchen to prepare a cup of espresso for myself. While I sip on the beverage, my thoughts dwell on Haven. Over the past few days, Edoardo has reported that Haven doesn¡¯t leave her bedroom. She doesn¡¯t evene out when Sofia is there. However, I¡¯ve been assured she¡¯s eating. I¡¯m tempted to call her, but I don¡¯t. After all I¡¯ve done, the least I can do is to give Haven some space. My phone rings, pulling me out of my thoughts. I ce the cup in the sink before walking back to the bedroom. Seeing Massimo¡¯s name, I answer, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Sebastiano was just spotteding out of a club. Get dressed. We¡¯re leaving in five minutes. Dante is tracking the fucker.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I end the call and hurry to put on a suit. I grab my gun from beneath the pillow and check the magazine before tucking it into the back of my pants. When I open the door of my hotel room, Massimoes walking from the direction of his room. ¡°Dante just informed me that Sabastiano is on foot. He must have a ce somewhere near the club.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I mutter. We hurry to the elevators, and the ride down to the first floor feels way too fucking long. By the time we climb into the SUV, five minutes have passed. I pull my phone out and send Dante a message. Leo: Do you still have eyes on Sabastiano? It takes a few seconds before my man replies. Dante: No. He went into a house. I¡¯m out front. The rest of the guys just pulled up. Sending you the address. Leo: Wait for me. Our phones beep as the addresses through. I read it to Massimo so he doesn¡¯t take his eyes off the road. ¡°Got it,¡± my right-hand man mutters. When we near the house, I see Dante waving at us. Massimo pulls over to the side of the road and switches off the engine. We climb out and nce at my other three men, who are keeping an eye on the house. The six of us should be more than enough to take down one man. ¡°He¡¯s still inside,¡± Dante informs us. ¡°How do you want to handle this, boss?¡± ¡°Kick in the door,¡± I order. ¡°Mattia, you and Ro go around the back,¡± Dante orders before we make our way to the front door while he screws a silencer onto his gun. He points at the lock and fires a shot at it, then throws his shoulder into the door, which shudders open. With our weapons drawn, we follow Dante into the house that smells like stale takeout and dirty socks. Sabastiano runs from the living room on our left into the kitchen on our right, and Dante takes a shot at the fucker. We rush into the kitchen, in time to see Sabastiano yank open the back door. Mattia¡¯s fist ms into the fucker¡¯s face, dropping him on his ass. Dante hauls Sabastiano onto one of the kitchen chairs while my men spread out through the house to make sure there are no surprises. While Dante shuts the back door, I stop in front of Sebastiano and stare down at him. With his head lowered and blood dripping on his jean-d thigh, he mutters, ¡°Sorry, boss.¡± My voice is mercilessly cold as I demand, ¡°Why did you do it?¡± He shakes his head, then nces up, giving me a pleading look. ¡°Money.¡± ¡°How much did your loyalty cost?¡± Massimo growls. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sabastino sobs. ¡°Klodian died because of you,¡± I growl while I tuck my gun into my pants behind my back. ¡°Everything went to shit because of you!¡± I lunge at the fucker, grabbing his shirt with my left hand while my other fist connects with his jaw. I shove Sebastiano onto the dirty floor and throw one punch after another. Haven¡¯s terrified face shes through my mind, and it makes me lose control. Blinded by rage, Massimo has to pull me away from Sebastiano¡¯s lifeless body, his blood dripping from my hands. ¡°Enough,¡± Massimo says, his arm locked around my chest that¡¯s rising and falling with heavy breaths. My emotions are all over the ce, and in a moment of weakness, my conscience gets the better of me. Cazzo. I rip away from Massimo, and with a roar, I throw the small kitchen table over onto its side. Massimo¡¯s arms lock around me, and he uses all his strength to drag me toward the front door. ¡°Take care of this shit,¡± he shouts an order at my men before he shoves me out of the house. He grips hold of my arm and leads me toward the SUV, where he fucking hovers over me as I climb into the passenger seat. While Massimo slides in behind the steering wheel and drives away from the crime scene, I¡¯m bombarded with the grief and guilt I¡¯ve carried around for seventeen years, and the unforgiving remorse I feel for what I¡¯ve done to Haven. My voice is hoarse as I groan, ¡°I¡¯m a fucked-up mess.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Massimo mutters. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the ind. You need to get your shit together. Some time there will do you a world of good.¡± Knowing Massimo is right, I nod while I wipe the blood on my busted knuckles off on my pants. My breaths begin to slow down, and slowly my emotions settle until all that I feel is the relentless guilt. ¡°She¡¯ll never forgive me,¡± I whisper. ¡°I¡¯ve tied myself to a woman who¡¯s going to hate me until we die.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± I shoot a re at Massimo, his expression tight with anger. ¡°I¡¯ve been at your side through thick and thin, but you¡¯ve never fucked up like this.¡± His words hang heavy between us during the ride to the hotel. ¡°You¡¯re covered in blood. Wait in the SUV,¡± Massimo orders. I sit in total silence while he goes into the hotel to get our luggage and check us out. The only way to soothe my conscience is by letting Haven go, but every time I think about it, everything in me revolts at the thought. Why the fuck can¡¯t I let her go? The trunk opens, and Massimo loads our luggage before he ms it shut. He climbs in behind the steering wheel, and without saying a word, he starts the engine and steers the SUV out of the parking area. My thoughts return to Haven. I¡¯ve dated plenty of women, but none of them has ever caught my attention the way she has. The instant I start to inspect my feelings, I shut that shit down hard. There¡¯s nothing to inspect. An intense emotion grips my heart, and I shut my eyes. Cazzo. No, I don¡¯t care about her. I only took her because she¡¯s beautiful. I fight an internal battle all the way to the airfield, and when Massimo stops the SUV near the private jet, I shove the door open and head straight for the steps. The second I board my ne, I go to the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I scrub my hands clean and ssh water over my face before I go back into the cabin to take a seat. Massimo is already sitting and doesn¡¯t even look at me, but after we¡¯ve taken off, he gets up and retrieves a first aid kit from apartment. Hees to take the seat beside me, and without a word, he opens the kit and begins to clean the cuts on my knuckles. I stare at the man who¡¯s dragged me through hell, and knowing I owe him an apology, I say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the shit.¡± He nods. ¡°We¡¯ll talk once we¡¯re on the ind.¡± When he¡¯s done cleaning the cuts, he gets up to put the first aid kit away, then says, ¡°Stop overthinking everything and get some rest, Leo.¡± I nod and recline my seat into a bed. Closing my eyes, I try to focus on the hum of the engines in an attempt to silence my thoughts. A momentter, a nket is draped over me, and I open my eyes. Massimo hands me a pillow, and while I tuck it under my head, he stares at me. The worry he feels for me is written all over his face. ¡°We have to stop in Italy to fill up for the flight to Chile,¡± he informs me. ¡°Okay.¡± I shut my eyes again and let out a deep breath. I hear Massimo moving around the cabin, then it grows quiet, and again I try to focus on the hum of the engines. Haven. Haven. Haven. What the fuck am I going to do with you? The Empress: Chapter 13 Oh my God. I¡¯m going to lose my mind! Feeling ustrophobic, I rush out of the mansion and head to the beach. Besides talking to Mom and texting with Kristen, I¡¯ve barely interacted with another human the past two weeks. There¡¯s been no sign of Leo, and I¡¯m avoiding the guards because they¡¯re scary as hell. When the housekeeper came in today, I tried to use a trantion app tomunicate with her, but it wasn¡¯t very sessful. I only seemed to make her ufortable. The first couple of days after Leo left, I was too relieved to feel lonely, but then homesickness set in. I¡¯ve never experienced anything like it before. Every fibre in my being knows I¡¯m on foreign soil and longs to return to the States. I wish I could visit with Mom. I¡¯d feel so much better. I hear a rumbling of thunder and nce up at the sky. As a storm starts to roll in, the clouds look beautiful, and wanting to take a photo for Mom, I head back to the veranda. Stepping into the living room, I pull the sliding doors shut. This mansion is as cold as its owner, and the loneliness is killing me. I wrap my arms around myself, and while I try to rub some warmth into my biceps, I walk to the panel against the wall and increase the temperature of the AC a little. I nce around the foyer as I head up the stairs and don¡¯t even bother shutting my bedroom door as I walk into the space I¡¯ve grown used to. I pick up my phone from where it¡¯s lying on my bed and walk out onto the balcony. I decide to try to FaceTime with Mom. Pressing the video icon, I watch as it connects. When her face appears on my screen, I force a smile to my lips. ¡°Hey, Mom.¡± There are ck circles beneath her eyes, and she looks ten years older than when we arrived in Italy. ¡°Hi, sweetheart.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a storming, and the sky looks pretty,¡± I say as I turn the screen so she can see the view I¡¯m looking at. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s so beautiful,¡± I hear Mom say. ¡°Yeah.¡± I bring the screen back to face me as I lean against the railing. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Mom shakes her head, her chin quivering. I watch as she battles her emotions, and it makes my eyes well with tears. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± She looks at me again, then lets out a sob. After ranting and raving the past week and a half, we¡¯ve run out of words and just stare at each other. I don¡¯t even have it in me to offer her false hope anymore. If things continue like this, I¡¯m going to die of loneliness, Mom. She wins the battle against her emotions, and a smile forms around her mouth. ¡°With the storm behind you, you look so beautiful, sweetheart.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mommy,¡± I whisper. As I nce up at the sky, there¡¯s a sh of lightning freaking close to me, and I let out a shriek. My phone goes flying out of my hands, then a loud bang vibrates through the air. ¡°Noooo!¡± I scream as I grab hold of the railing, leaning over it to look down at he rocks below. ¡°Shit!¡± It takes me a few seconds before I see the shattered pieces of my phone, and it has despair knocking the air from my lungs. Not caring about the storm, I run through my bedroom and race down the stairs. I yank the sliding doors open and hurry across the veranda. Turning left by the steps, I run to where the rocks begin and look for a way to climb them. My phone is the only way I can contact Mom and Kristen. I have to get to it! The wind tugs at my hair and clothes as I climb onto the nearest rock. I carefully make my way in the direction of where my phone is lying, but then a big wave crashes beneath me, sending a spray of water high up. The droplets hit me, but I keep going. Lightning hits the water in the distance, making panic re hot through me. The wind picks up drastically, and as I look at the rocks ahead of me, my foot slips, and I lose my bnce. Letting out a loud scream, I try to catch myself with my left hand, and my palm ms against the sharp edge of a rock, which rips through my skin. The rest of me follows suit and hits the hard surface, causing me to slide down a few feet before I¡¯m able to catch myself. Breaths explode over my lips, and my heart beats a mile a minute as I try to recover from the shock of almost falling to my death. My left hand and wrist are on fire, and I let out a groan. Knowing I don¡¯t have a lot of time, I struggle back to my feet. ¡°Mrs. Toscano!¡± a man shouts, making my head snap in the direction of the beach. Shit. A guard. I nce at the rocks where I think my phone is, and my heart sinks because I know the guard will get to me before I can make it to my phone. Barely able to keep my bnce on the rocks while another wave crashes below, the guard easily grabs hold of me and hauls me over his shoulder. I don¡¯t bother putting up a fight as he carries me back to the house. I can¡¯t talk to Mom anymore. When I¡¯m ced on my feet in the living room, the guard grabs hold of my hand that¡¯s a bloody mess. The sudden movement makes a sharp pain explode in my wrist. ¡°You got hurt. Cazzo. He¡¯s going to kill me.¡± Hearing him speak English has my eyes flying to his face. He looks like he¡¯s in his thirties, and there¡¯s a thick scar on the side of his neck. God. He looks dangerous as hell. He grips me by my elbow and leads me to the kitchen, where he wraps a dish towel around my hand. I watch as he pulls his phone out of his pocket and dials a number. Unfortunately, he speaks Italian and I can¡¯t make out what he¡¯s saying, but then I hear Leo¡¯s voicee angrily over the line. The guard locks eyes with me. ¡°What were you doing out on the rocks?¡± I swallow hard on my chaotic emotions and fear as I admit, ¡°I dropped my phone.¡± I think he rys my answer to Leo and listens for a few seconds before he ends the call. When he makes another call, I nce down at my aching hand, the blood already seeping through the fabric. Shit. It hurts. ¡°A doctor ising,¡± the guard suddenly says in English, then he takes hold of my hand again, and tightens the towel even more. I let out a painful whimper, then snap, ¡°Careful!¡± I¡¯m surprised when he says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We need to stop the bleeding while we wait for the doctor.¡± He makes a tight knot at the back of my hand, then dials another number. While he¡¯s on the phone, I walk to one of the stools and sit down. God, why did I drop my phone? My eyes snap to the device in the guard¡¯s hand. I know Mom¡¯s number off my heart. When he ends the call, I ask, ¡°Can I use your phone?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± My eyebrows fly up because I expected him to say no. When he holds it out to me, I quickly take it before he can change his mind. I type in Mom¡¯s number and press dial. It rings a few times before she answers, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Mom. I dropped my phone, and it smashed to smithereens on the rocks.¡± ¡°Haven! God, I was so worried. Is this Leo¡¯s number?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not back yet. I¡¯m using one of the guards¡¯ phones.¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting you a new phone,¡± the guard informs me, making my jaw drop. ¡°I¡¯ve sent a man to buy one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting a new phone. I¡¯ll call you as soon as I have it,¡± I ry the news to Mom. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll talk to you soon, sweetheart.¡± I end the call and hand the device back to the guard. He puts it in his pocket before he looks at my hand again. When I hiss with pain, he murmurs, ¡°Sorry.¡± With the shock of the fall fading, I begin to feel ufortable with the guard. I recognize him from the two times I¡¯ve seen hime into the house, but I never stuck around to talk to him. His eyes touch on my face, then he says, ¡°My name is Edoardo. I¡¯m in charge of security here at the mansion.¡± In other words, it¡¯s his job to make sure I stay put and don¡¯t escape. Last week, I would¡¯ve made a run for my bedroom, but I¡¯m so freaking starved for human interaction, I remain seated on the stool, and say, ¡°I¡¯m Haven.¡± He smiles, but it looks menacing as hell. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide when Ie into the house.¡± A very ufortable silence falls between us, and the minutes feel torturously long. Edoardo¡¯s phone rings, and he quickly answers. I hear Leo¡¯s voice again, and suddenly the urge to talk to him strikes. Nope. He¡¯s responsible for the hell you find yourself in. Anger rears up in my chest, but every time I hear the timbre of his voice, the urge grows. It¡¯s on the tip of my tongue to ask Edoardo if I can speak to Leo, but thankfully, he ends the call, and the urge passes. Other voicese from the direction of the front door, and I nce over my shoulder. ¡°The doctor is here,¡± Edoardo informs me. A man carrying a ck bages rushing in. He talks to Edoardo while he sets the bag down on the ind. Opening it, he removes antiseptic wipes, an injection, and a small vial. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Toscano,¡± the doctor greets me. ¡°I¡¯m going to tend to your hand.¡± I almost tell him I¡¯m not Mrs. Toscano, but end up replying, ¡°Okay. Thanks.¡± ¡°This will hurt,¡± he informs me as he starts to clean my palm. ¡°Are you allergic to anything?¡± ¡°No,¡± I mutter before sharp bolts of pain shoot through my hand and wrist, making me clench my jaw. Turning my head away, I stare at one of the cupboards. ¡°I¡¯m giving you an injection for pain because you need stitches.¡± I nod and brace for the sharp prick. God! The injection makes the pain worse before it starts to fade. I keep staring at the cupboard while the doctor works on my hand, and after a few minutes, he says, ¡°It looks like you sprained your wrist.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Edoardo asks. I look at my hand and see the cut is two inches long. The sight of the stitches makes my stomach feel queasy, and I nce away again. Holy crap. No wonder it hurts so much. ¡°Don¡¯t use your left hand for anything, and keep it as still as possible,¡± the doctor instructs as he wraps a bandage around my palm. ¡°I¡¯ll give you painkillers. Take two every six hours or as needed for pain.¡± I¡¯m guessing the doctor is on Leo¡¯s payroll, but it doesn¡¯t stop me from being polite. ¡°Thank you for taking care of my hand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mrs. Toscano.¡± He looks at Edoardo and switches over to Italian. The men walk out of the kitchen, and it has me slipping off the stool. I cradle my left hand against my chest as I pick up the box of painkillers. Wait. I can¡¯t go to my room yet. I walk to the doorway between the kitchen and foyer and watch as Edoardo lets the doctor out of the mansion. When the guard turns around, I ask, ¡°Do you know how long it will take to get the new phone?¡± He checks the time on his watch. ¡°Probably another thirty minutes.¡± He gestures to the staircase. ¡°If you want to go rest, you can. I¡¯ll bring the phone to you when it arrives.¡± Not wanting him near my bedroom, I shake my head and walk to the living room. I sit down on the nearest couch and nce at the rain pelting the windows. As the sound of the storm fills the air, the crushing loneliness that¡¯s been torturing me for the past two weeks settles heavy in my heart. God. I just want to see Mom. When a tear escapes, I turn my head toward the window so the guard won¡¯t see I¡¯m crying. The Empress: Chapter 14 I¡¯ve only been on the ind for four days when the calles through that Haven got hurt. After losing my shit with Edoardo, I walk to the living room where Massimo is watching TV. ¡°Why were you shouting?¡± he asks when he sees me. ¡°Haven fell on the rocks.¡± He lifts an eyebrow. ¡°Did she try to escape?¡± ¡°No,¡± I mutter. ¡°She dropped her phone and went on a reckless mission to get it back.¡± I gesture in the direction of the bedrooms. ¡°Pack. We¡¯re going home.¡± Massimo shakes his head. ¡°No, we¡¯re not going anywhere until you talk to me.¡± ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo,¡± I snap. ¡°We can talk on the flight home.¡± He keeps shaking his head. ¡°You agreed we would talk when we got to the ind, and that didn¡¯t happen. If you want to go home, you better start spilling your guts.¡± I drop down on the couch and re at Massimo. I¡¯ve been holed up in my house and only greeted Dominik and Santiago when I arrived on the ind. I haven¡¯t made any effort to interact with the men. Besides, they¡¯re busy with their families. And I¡¯m not one to talk about my feelings. Massimo returns my re, and it makes me want to punch him. ¡°We¡¯ve been gone from home for two weeks, Leo. I miss my wife and kids.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go home,¡± I mutter. His re darkens, and I know he¡¯s a second away from losing his temper with me. ¡°Talk.¡± I nce through the windows on my right and stare at the tropical gardens. The words taste bitter as I finally admit out loud, ¡°I feel guilty for what I¡¯ve done to Haven.¡± ¡°Why did you do it?¡± I shake my head and suck in a deep breath, then admit, ¡°The instant I saw Haven, I wanted her.¡± ¡°So you decided just to take her? Ever heard of dating?¡± My gaze snaps to his. He lets out a sigh. ¡°Are you going to let her go?¡± I know I have to, but I find myself shaking my head. ¡°No. We¡¯re married.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only been married a couple of weeks, and you¡¯re practically strangers. Let Haven go.¡± Anger bubbles in my chest, and I look through the windows again. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what are you going to do?¡± For the hundredth time, I think about how I should handle the situation with Haven, and once again, Ie up with the same idea. ¡°I¡¯m going to make her fall in love with me.¡± Massimo lets out a bark ofughter, which has me ring at him. He shakes his head as hisughter fades. ¡°Good luck with that.¡± His expression turns serious. ¡°Are you in love with her? Is that why you lost your mind?¡± I¡¯m still not ready to inspect my feelings for Haven and climb to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m going home, with or without you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so fucking difficult it¡¯s going to take a miracle for Haven to fall in love with you,¡± he taunts me as I walk to my bedroom. ¡°What are you going to do if she keeps hating you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fucking grow on her like a bad habit,¡± I snap. I hear my right-hand man chuckling as I begin to pack my bag. The two weeks away from Haven, while we searched for Sabastiano and came to the ind, have done nothing to give me rity. I¡¯m just going to have to suck it up and fix the damage I¡¯ve done to Haven.
When Massimo drives the SUV through the gates of my property, my eyes lock on the mansion. Here goes nothing. He stops the vehicle and looks at me. ¡°Take a week off to get to know Haven. I¡¯ll make sure the business runs smoothly.¡± After all the shit I¡¯ve given him the past two weeks, I meet his stare and say, ¡°Thank you for putting up with me and not telling me to go fuck myself.¡± He ces his hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve been at your side for twenty-four years, Leo. You¡¯re stuck with me for life.¡± I give him a grateful look before I shove the door open and climb out of the SUV. I grab my bag from the trunk, then stop at the open window. ¡°Give my regards to Franca and tell her I¡¯m sorry for keeping you away from home.¡± Massimo nods, then he tips his head in the direction of the mansion. ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to need it,¡± I mutter as I walk to the front door where Edoardo is standing guard. I hear Massimo drive away as I lock eyes with my head of security. ¡°How¡¯s my wife?¡± As the words leave my mouth, my chest fills with a burst of possessiveness. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Mrs. Toscano since I gave her the new phone yesterday. Dr. Caprino will be here at five to check her hand.¡± Nodding, I push the front door open and step into the mansion that¡¯s warmer than usual. I nce at the living room before I head up the staircase. When I get to my bedroom, I put my bag by theundry basket so Sofia can wash the clothes. As I walk to Haven¡¯s room, my heartbeat speeds up. I stop outside her door, and for the millionth time since I took her, I think about what I should do with her. Lifting my hand I knock. ¡°Who is it?¡± she calls from the other side. ¡°Leo.¡± I hear her unlock the door, then she yanks it open. Holy shit, she¡¯s even more beautiful than I remember. Shock tightens her features for a few seconds as she stares at me, then her face crumbles and she lunges at me. I bring my arms up to block whatever blows she throws my way, but instead of trying to hit me, her arms wrap around my waist, and she bursts out in tears. It takes a moment to realize Haven¡¯s hugging me, then my arms shoot around her, and I squash her body to mine. Hell. Fucking. No. I¡¯m never letting her go. Nothing has ever felt so perfect as getting to hold this woman who¡¯s woven some kind of magical spell over me. ¡°Please,¡± she whimpers, her voice sounding broken. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want. Just let me see my mother. I¡¯m losing my mind.¡± A frown forms on my forehead. ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen her?¡± Haven pulls back, the distraught look on her face causing my heart to clench painfully in my chest. ¡°Ist saw her at the church.¡± What? My frown darkens even more. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you visit her?¡± Another blow of shock ripples over her face, then her eyes widen. ¡°I was allowed to visit her?¡± ¡°Yes. I never said you weren¡¯t allowed to. I only said I didn¡¯t want her living here.¡± She goespletely still for a long moment, and just as I start to get worried, she lunges at me again. This time, it¡¯s not for a hug, and her fists connect with my chest and neck. ¡°You never said I could!¡± she screams before it¡¯s followed by a whimper. ¡°Ow!¡± I grab hold of her left arm and quickly look at the bandage wrapped around her hand. There¡¯s purple bruising on her wrist, the sight making me unreasonably angry. ¡°Next time you do something so stupid and hurt yourself, I¡¯m putting you over my knee and spanking you.¡± Haven res at me as she pulls her arm out of my hold. ¡°I want to see my mother right now.¡± I gesture for her to walk. ¡°Your wish is mymand, my wife.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± she snaps as she hurries toward the stairs. As we cross the foyer, I hear Haven sob, and it makes me walk faster to catch up with her. I wrap my arm around her shoulders, and when she doesn¡¯t pull away but instead begins to cry again, I tighten my hold on her. Cazzo, giving her space was the worst thing I could¡¯ve done. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t make it clear that you could visit your mother,¡± I apologize. I lead her through the kitchen and into the garage. ¡°Did you ask Edoardo to take you anywhere?¡± As I open the passenger door, she shakes her head while climbing into the Porsche. The blood chills in my veins. ¡°So you never left the mansion while I was gone?¡± Haven nods, her face unnaturally pale. ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo,¡± I mutter as I m the door shut. I walk around the front of the car and get in behind the steering wheel. As I reverse out of the garage, my gaze locks on her, and I notice the dark circles beneath her eyes. I put the car in drive, and while I steer us toward the gates, I say, ¡°You¡¯re not a prisoner, Haven. You can go out as long as you¡¯re home for dinner. Just don¡¯t disappear on me every day. I¡¯ll be home for the next week, and I¡¯d like to get to know you better.¡± ¡°Is my mom still not allowed to visit me at the mansion?¡± I think for a moment, and knowing I¡¯ll never see Haven during the day, I have no choice but to relent. ¡°She can visit, but I want you all to myself after five, and I don¡¯t want her here every day. That would be too much for me. I like my space quiet.¡± She processes what I say, then she whispers with a hoarse tone, ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to let me go.¡± ¡°No.¡± I take a deep breath before I add, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to make you happy.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not a possibility,¡± she mutters under her breath. I nce at Haven, and now that I¡¯m sitting beside her, after being away from her for two weeks, it¡¯s difficult to ignore the emotions she evokes in me. As I drive to the Romano mansion, I have no choice but to acknowledge I fell head over fucking heels for Haven the second Iid eyes on her. Admitting my true feelings to myself makes panic bleed through me. What if I can never win Haven over? What if she hates me forever? Cazzo! My grip on the steering wheel tightens, and my mind begins to race, trying toe up with ideas of how I can make her fall in love with me. When I turn up the driveway of Nicolo¡¯s ce, the guards recognize me and open the gates. I drive to the mansion, and as I stop the Porsche, Haven throws her door open. I have to move fast to switch off the car and climb out. Setting after my wife, I catch up to her as she shoves the front door open. ¡°Mom!¡± she shouts as she runs toward the stairs. Nicoloes rushing out of a room to my right, looking surprised as fuck. ¡°Mom!¡± Haven hurries up to the second floor, and I set after her with Nicolo following us. ¡°You should¡¯ve let me know you wereing,¡± he says. When I reach the second floor, it¡¯s to see Haven yanking on a door handle. Realising Haven¡¯s mother is locked in the room, my head snaps to Nicolo, and I snap, ¡°Unlock the fucking door.¡± He hurries past me to do as he¡¯s told. Haven looks like she¡¯s a second away from having aplete breakdown while she impatiently waits. The instant Nicolo shoves the door open, she pushes past him. ¡°Haven,¡± her mother cries, and listening to the women crying makes me feel like absolute shit. I level Nicolo with a re. ¡°You kept her locked in the fucking room?¡± ¡°I had no choice. She kept trying to escape.¡± Cristo, I fucked up. I walk into the room and say, ¡°Pack your belongings, Dakota.¡± ¡°What?¡± she gasps, clinging to Haven as if she would die if she was forced to let go of her. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to my mother¡¯s ce, where you¡¯ll stay until I can arrange a house for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to get a house for my mother?¡± Haven gasps, looking shocked out of her mind. ¡°Yes. Pack so we can leave.¡± The women rush to the closet, and I watch as they throw Dakota¡¯s belongings into the bags, not bothering to fold a thing. It takes them less than fifteen minutes, and as they leave the bedroom, Dakota pauses to re at Nicolo. Her face is tight with rage. ¡°Santo did the right thing to write you all off. I now understand why he hated you so much. You¡¯re an asshole.¡± Nicolo lifts his chin and looks at her with hatred. ¡°You¡¯ll regret saying that.¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± I ask as Ie up behind the women. He visibly struggles to school his face before he looks at me. ¡°No. Of course not.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought,¡± I mutter as I ce my hand on Haven¡¯s lower back, giving her a nudge so she¡¯ll walk. ¡°Hopefully, we won¡¯t see each other again, anytime soon, Nicolo.¡± I take the bags from Haven and Dakota. ¡°Go to the car.¡± I don¡¯t have to tell the women twice. I walk fucking fast to get out of the mansion, and only when they reach the Porsche do they stop to hug again. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much,¡± I hear Haven whisper. I load the luggage into the trunk, then as I shut it, I say, ¡°Get in the car,dies.¡± Dakota gives me one hell of a hate-filled re before she climbs into the backseat. Haven gets in beside her mother, and knowing I¡¯ve put her through hell, I don¡¯t argue. I let out a sigh before I open the driver¡¯s door, then slide in behind the steering wheel. I¡¯m so thankful I slept on the ne because I can already tell I¡¯m in for one hell of a long afternoon. The Empress: Chapter 15 Sitting in the backseat with Mom, my heart is still beating a mile a minute. When I opened my bedroom door and saw Leo, I just reacted and hugged him. I refuse to admit I¡¯m relieved he¡¯s home, and I¡¯m blocking the fact that it felt so freaking good when he held me. Mom clings to my arm, her eyes darting between Leo and me, then she whispers, ¡°How¡¯s your hand?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I tell her, but it¡¯s a lie because it¡¯s been aching like hell since I hit Leo¡¯s chest. The man is made of freaking steel. Mom and I stare at each other, and the world falls away around us. She wraps her arm around my shoulders and holds me so tight, I feel safe for a precious moment. ¡°When did he get home?¡± she whispers. ¡°Right before we came to get you.¡± ¡°Has he said anything about letting you go?¡± I shake my head. ¡°He says he won¡¯t.¡± She pulls back and levels the back of Leo¡¯s head with a re. ¡°Let my daughter go.¡± Leo takes a deep breath before exhaling, then mutters, ¡°No.¡± His eyes flick to the rearview mirror. ¡°I told Haven you can visit each other. While you¡¯re a guest in my mother¡¯s house, you¡¯ll treat her with respect. She has nothing to do with the choices I¡¯ve made, and she¡¯s just as unhappy with the marriage as you are.¡± ¡°Why is she unhappy? She¡¯s not the one whose daughter is being held captive,¡± Mom snaps at him. ¡°She hates the Romanos.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I ask. When he remains quiet, I assume he¡¯s not going to answer, but then he says, ¡°She thinks Nicolo is responsible for the assassination of my father.¡± Holy shit. I stare at Leo¡¯s side profile while his words sink in. Damn, I forgot how handsome he is. I take in the scruff on his jaw, which only makes him more attractive, and when my stomach flutters, I quickly nce at Mom. ¡°But we don¡¯t have proof,¡± Leo adds. ¡°That¡¯s the only reason Nicolo is still alive.¡± ¡°Haven and I have nothing to do with the mafia. We knew nothing about the shady business Nicolo is involved in until we arrived in Italy. We have people in the States who will ask questions.¡± Leo doesn¡¯t respond to what Mom says. When she opens her mouth to speak again, I shake my head. ¡°Don¡¯t. He¡¯s letting us see each other, and you¡¯re out of that mansion. One battle at a time.¡± ¡°Listen to your daughter,¡± Leo murmurs. Mom¡¯s eyes drift over my face, then she whispers, ¡°You need to eat more.¡± ¡°I will. I just haven¡¯t had much of an appetite.¡± Leo turns up a driveway, and I nce at the house that has vines growing up the side of the walls. There are rose bushes and various other flowers and nts, giving the yard a cozy feel. It looks like something out of a fairytale. A man stands up from where he¡¯s sitting on a bench, and when he kills a cigarette in an ashtray, I catch a glimpse of the gun tucked in behind his back. He¡¯s probably a guard. ¡°It looks pretty here,¡± I whisper to Mom while Leo gets out of the Porsche. ¡°Yeah, but now I have to live with a woman who hates us.¡± Worry tightens her features as she nces over the garden. ¡°Love her roses, though.¡± Mom¡¯s always had a green thumb. ¡°It¡¯s only for a little while. Leo said he¡¯ll get you a house soon.¡± Mom¡¯s eyes lock on me. ¡°And you believe him?¡± I push the door open while shrugging. ¡°The past two weeks I¡¯ve been alone, and it was absolute hell. I¡¯m choosing to cling to hope right now, or I¡¯ll gopletely insane.¡± When I climb out of the car, Leo stands right by the door, his eyes drifting over my face. I see worry and something else darkening his brown irises, and it makes something stir in my chest. It looks like he actually cares about me. At least he doesn¡¯t have me tied up somewhere. The thought pops suddenly into my mind, and I realize even though things have been bad, they could¡¯ve been so much worse. While we wait for Mom to get out of the car, Leo ces his hand on my lower back. With him standing right by me, I get a whiff of his addictive woodsy scent, and it has tingles spreading around the area he¡¯s touching me. Your reaction is only because you¡¯ve been starved for human contact. As we walk to the front door, his hand gently brushes up and down my back, and it feels as if he¡¯s trying to give me somefort. I try to ignore the way my stomach flutters and my skin tingles. A nervousness that makes me super aware of Leo has me grabbing hold of Mom¡¯s arm. When she looks at me, I give her a smile that I hope looks real. You¡¯re just overwhelmed because you were alone for so long. Leo opens the front door, then calls out, ¡°Mamma.¡± She replies in Italian from somewhere in the house, then Leo gestures at the living room. ¡°Take a seat while I speak with my mother.¡± Mom and I slowly walk into the living room that¡¯s decorated with two sofas that are covered in a floral fabric. Leo¡¯s mom sure loves flowers. I see a bunch of photos standing on a side table, and letting go of Mom, I walk closer so I can look at them. I see one of a married couple, and assuming they¡¯re Mr. and Mrs. Toscano, I stare at Leo¡¯s father. There¡¯s a dark expression on the man¡¯s face that gives me the creeps, and I quickly put the photo down. I see one of a teenage boy, and my lips part as I pick it up. Staring at the younger version of Leo, he looks exactly the way he does in the nightmares I¡¯ve been having since he took me. He looks happy in the photo, and the longer I look at the younger version of Leo, the more something inexplicable trickles into my heart. Arms wrap tightly around me. ¡°Stellina mia.¡± ¡°Haven?¡± Mom¡¯s voice rips me out of my thoughts, and rattled by the shback I just had, I identally drop the photo. ¡°Crap.¡± I quickly bend down and pick it up. I check that I didn¡¯t damage the frame before putting it back on its ce. When I turn to Mom, Leo and his mother¡¯s voices sound up,ing in our direction. Theye into the living room, and I feel a little nervous seeing Mrs. Toscano again. ¡°Hello,¡± she greets us, a smile forming around her mouth. At least she doesn¡¯t look upset like she did at the church. ¡°Hi,¡± Mom and I chirp at the same time. ¡°Leo told me everything,¡± Mrs. Toscano says, then her expression turns bitter. ¡°Nicolo is a vile man.¡± ¡°You can say that again,¡± Mom agrees. Mrs. Toscano smiles at Mom again. ¡°You¡¯re wee to stay with me while Leo makes other arrangements.¡± Mom¡¯s tone is super tense as she replies, ¡°I¡¯d much rather prefer your son lets my daughter go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even go there,¡± Leo mutters, his tone filled with warning. ¡°I have no say over what Leo does,¡± Mrs. Toscano informs us. ¡°Just like everyone else, I live by his rules.¡± ¡°Jesus,¡± Mom whispers. Taking a step forward, I jump in so things don¡¯t spiral out of control. ¡°Thank you for letting my mom stay with you. I appreciate it.¡± Mrs. Toscano¡¯s eyes lock on me, then shees closer, and her gaze softens a bit. ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do for you.¡± It feels as if she¡¯s trying to apologize for what Leo¡¯s done without actually saying the words. Needing to check with her, I ask, ¡°Is it okay if I visit a lot?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Her mouth lifts into a smile again. ¡°You¡¯re always wee here. After all, you¡¯re my daughter-inw.¡± I forgot about that. Holy crap, I have a mother-inw. I haven¡¯t thought much about being married to Leo, but as I stand in his mother¡¯s lounge, it sinks in. ncing at Leo, I try to think of him as my husband, but my cheeks me up at the mere thought. I turn to Mom. ¡°At least it will be better staying here than with Uncle Nicolo.¡± Mom nods, the tension on her face easing slightly. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She gives Mrs. Toscano a tight smile. ¡°Thank you for letting me stay here.¡± Mrs. Toscano nods. ¡°Let me show you to your room.¡± Mom takes hold of my right hand, and knowing she feels ufortable, I walk with them. When we step into the guest room, I take in the armchair that¡¯s covered with beige fabric that has yellow roses printed on it. The bedding matches, and it has me whispering to Mom, ¡°It¡¯s your favorite flower.¡± ¡°You love yellow roses?¡± Mrs. Toscano asks. ¡°Yes. They¡¯re the flowers myte husband gave me when we went on our first date,¡± Mom tells her. ¡°They¡¯re my favorite, too.¡± ¡°You have something inmon,¡± I say, letting out a chuckle that sounds a little nervous. A few secondster, the guard we saw outside brings Mom¡¯s luggage into the room. ¡°This is Rardo. He¡¯s my guard,¡± Mrs. Toscano introduces us. I give him ame wave while Mom just nods. ¡°We have to go,¡± Leo suddenly says from the doorway. ¡°No,¡± Mom gasps. ¡°The doctor ising at five to check Haven¡¯s hand,¡± he exins. ¡°You can see each other tomorrow.¡± ¡°The doctor can¡¯te here?¡± Mom asks. I can see that Leo wants to say no as he thinks about it, and I give him a pleading look. ¡°Please.¡± His features soften, then he nods and pulls his phone out of his pocket. Wow! He actually agreed. Today is a day for miracles. I walk to the doorway and as he brings the device to his ear, I say, ¡°Thank you, Leo.¡± The corner of his mouth lifts, and he nods before talking into the phone. When I move back into the room, Mrs. Toscano says, ¡°I¡¯m going to get started with dinner. Is there anything you don¡¯t eat, Dakota?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mom looks awkward again. ¡°Ah¡­can we help with anything?¡± Mrs. Toscano shakes her head. ¡°Take your time to get settled.¡± She leaves the room, and I nce at Mom, giving her a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡°Considering we¡¯re being held against our wills,¡± Mom mumbles while she looks around the room. ¡°It sure is pretty, though.¡± I walk to where Rardo left the luggage and open a bag. While I begin to unpack Mom¡¯s belongings, I say, ¡°At least we can see each other. I¡¯ll visit a lot.¡± ¡°Is he getting to you?¡± she suddenly asks. Holding a pair of cks in my hand, I frown at her. ¡°Why would you ask that?¡± ¡°You seem to be okay with Leo keeping us captive.¡± I lock eyes with Mom and shake my head. ¡°I¡¯ve been alone the past two weeks, Mom. I¡¯m just happy to be around people finally¡­to be with you. I need this good moment.¡± Her features instantly soften, and shees to give me a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart. You¡¯re right.¡± When she pulls back, our gazes meet again, and I say, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t let me go, I¡¯ll have no choice but to make the best of the situation.¡± ¡°I wanted so much more for you,¡± she whispers, heartache flitting over her face. ¡°We can¡¯t change our circumstances, so let¡¯s make the best of it. Okay?¡± Mom nods as she brushes her palm over the side of my head. ¡°Okay.¡± As we unpack Mom¡¯s belongings, I just soak up being near her. We¡¯ve talked about everything there is, so afortable silence wraps around us. When we¡¯re done, I sit down on the side of the bed, and Momes to join me. I lean my head on her shoulder and cradle my left hand against my chest because the pain is getting worse. ¡°How¡¯s your hand?¡± Mom asks. ¡°It hurts a lot because I hit Leo earlier.¡± She leans forward to see my face. ¡°What did he do to make you hit him?¡± ¡°He never told me I could¡¯ve visited you over the past two weeks.¡± When Mom¡¯s lips part with surprise, I add, ¡°I was allowed to leave the mansion all this time, and I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Mom breathes. ¡°So, he isn¡¯t holding you captive in the mansion?¡± ¡°Apparently not. We¡¯ll see what happens when I try to go out on my own tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah. Actions speak louder than words.¡± Leo appears in the doorway again. ¡°Dr. Caprino is on his way. Let¡¯s sit in the living room.¡± We climb to our feet and follow Leo to the front of the house. The framed photos draw my attention again while Mom sits down on a sofa. When I walk closer to the table, Leoes to stand beside me. I gesture at the photo of him as a teenager. ¡°You look happy.¡± ¡°I was,¡± he murmurs. When I nce up at him, it¡¯s in time to see a sh of sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your father,¡± I whisper. Leo shakes his head. ¡°He was a bastard. Everyone is better off with him six feet under.¡± His harsh words make shivers rush down my spine, and I go to sit beside Mom. When Leo takes a seat across from us, his eyes lock on me. For the next few minutes, he proceeds to stare at me, clearly not caring that Mom is in the room with us. Finally, his intense gaze shifts to Mom. ¡°What was Haven like growing up?¡± Mom gives Leo a look filled with disdain. ¡°My daughter is amazing, and I can understand why she¡¯s caught your attention, but what you¡¯re doing to her is wrong.¡± Leo leans forward and rests his forearms on his thighs. With the sleeves of his ck shirt rolled up, it makes the veins pop beneath his skin. Come on, Haven. Now is not the time to check him out. Leo and Mom get caught in a stare off, the air tensing more and more by the second. His tone is unforgiving when he finally breaks the silence. ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing straight, Dakota. I don¡¯t care what you think. The more you annoy me, the less you¡¯ll see Haven. I¡¯d try to get on my good side if I were you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak to my mother like that,¡± I snap before I can censor my words. His eyes flick to me, and with utter surprise, I watch as he visible reins in his temper. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal. For Haven¡¯s sake, let¡¯s at the very least be civil with each other. There¡¯s nothing on this fucking that will make me let her go. I¡¯ll give her a life every woman dreams of. That¡¯s the only guarantee I can give you.¡± Mom continues to stare at him for a moment before she says, ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t hurt her.¡± Her features turn pleading. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself on her.¡± Chills spread over my body as my eyes snap to Leo. He seems to calm down more, his expression softening. ¡°I promise.¡± Mom lets out an audible sigh of relief, then a knock at the front door interrupts the tense conversation. Leo climbs to his feet, and as he walks to the door, my gaze follows him across the room. There¡¯s no way I can ignore the confident way he moves. The way his suit fits his muscr body does things to my abdomen that have me feeling overly conscious of him as a man. As I listen to him greet someone, I realize this is my life now. I¡¯ve been taken by the head of the mafia, and I¡¯m married to him now. There¡¯s no escaping the unexpected direction my life has taken. Somehow, I¡¯ll have to find a way to ept it. The Empress: Chapter 16 By the time we get home, I¡¯m fucking exhausted. I make a beeline for the whiskey and pour more than usual into the tumbler. When I take a much-needed sip and the liquid burns down my throat, I hear Haven¡¯s soft footfall behind me. There¡¯s no fear quivering in her voice as she says, ¡°Thank you for today.¡± With the drink in hand, I turn around to look at her. Her light brown eyes are calm, and even though her features are tense with nervousness, there¡¯s no terror. Taking another sip of my drink, I walk to a couch and sit down. When Haven doesn¡¯t move, I gesture at the other couch, and once she¡¯s sitting across from me, I say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left you alone for so long. I had a lot to deal with.¡± ¡°Can we talk about what I¡¯m allowed to do, and where we¡¯ll go from here?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I cross my legs, resting my ankle on my knee while I lean back against the couch. ¡°We¡¯re married, Haven. You¡¯re not my prisoner. I¡¯m going to take you on dates and spend time with you, but when I don¡¯t have ns for us, you¡¯re free toe and go as you please. You¡¯ll always have four guards with you when you leave the house.¡± ¡°Four guards?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for your protection. I have a lot of enemies.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She nces through the window at the ocean. My eyes drift over the tight leggings that fit her like a second skin, and even though she¡¯s wearing an oversized shirt, I don¡¯t like it one bit. ¡°No tight clothes when you leave home.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Her attention snaps back to me. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to wear leggings outside of the mansion. I won¡¯t have any other man oggling what¡¯s mine.¡± I¡¯m surprised when a pink flush creeps up her neck, ending in her cheeks. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll never wear leggings again. I don¡¯t need you oggling me.¡± I let out a chuckle. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me what you wear, principessa. You wearing a trashbag will be hot to me.¡± Her breathing speeds up a little, drawing my attention to her breasts as they rise and fall. I can¡¯t fucking wait to see her naked. The thought has me hardening, and I rest my arm over myp while I take a deep sip of the whiskey. As I continue to stare at Haven, she grows more and more ufortable, and eventually the blush remains on her skin. ¡°How innocent are you?¡± I ask. Her eyebrows draw together. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°How many men have you slept with?¡± ¡°Jesus,¡± she whispers before looking at the windows again to avoid my gaze. ¡°One.¡± The idiot she dated for four years. ¡°Was he vani?¡± She sucks in a deep breath, then nods. Suddenly, her eyes widen as they snap back to me. ¡°Don¡¯t even try weird-ass-kinky shit with me.¡± I let out a bark ofughter while I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m not into BDSM, but I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯ve never been fucked hard.¡± ¡°Stop, Leo,¡± she snaps, turning her gaze away from me again while the blush on her face deepens. ¡°You¡¯re even ufortable talking about sex,¡± I mention. ¡°Because you¡¯re a stranger to me.¡± ¡°Ask me anything,¡± I say before I drink thest of the whiskey. When I lean forward and ce the tumbler on the coffee table, Haven asks, ¡°What calms you down when you¡¯re upset?¡± ¡°When I get angry, I need time to process shit.¡± I rx back against the couch again and tilt my head as I look at her beautiful face. ¡°Me too,¡± she whispers. ¡°You¡¯ve given me the impression you have a quick temper.¡± Her tongue darts out to wet her lips. ¡°Have you ever hit a woman?¡± ¡°No.¡± My expression grows serious. ¡°I¡¯ll never hit you, Haven. It¡¯s my privilege to protect you. I meant it when I promised your mother that I wouldn¡¯t hurt you.¡± I gesture at her left hand. ¡°When Edoardo called me yesterday morning, I cut my trip short toe back to you. I hate that you hurt yourself. Don¡¯t ever put yourself in danger again.¡± Haven¡¯s gaze searches mine for the truth in my words. When she seems to believe me, tension visibly drains from her body, and she rxes. She scoots back on the couch and crosses her legs beneath her. ¡°What makes you angry?¡± The fact that she keeps circling the topic of anger makes me think she¡¯s trying to find out how she can keep me calm. ¡°When people disobey me,¡± I reply. ¡°I get the feeling that seeing you talk to another man will make me lose my shit, so let¡¯s avoid that.¡± Her lips curve up in an incredulous smile, making the dimple appear on her left cheek. ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous. At some point, I¡¯ll have to interact with other men. What about when I¡¯m out with the guards?¡± ¡°You only talk to Edoardo and ignore the others, unless shit goes down and Edoardo gets killed.¡± Her eyes widen again. ¡°Is that a possibility?¡± ¡°Everything in life is a possibility, Haven.¡± Wanting to be closer to her, I climb to my feet and, as I walk around the coffee table, I add, ¡°The only men you¡¯re allowed to be alone with are Edoardo and Massimo. If I find you with any other man, I¡¯ll kill him.¡± I sit down beside her, and just like two weeks ago, she shifts away from me and closer to the armrest. Her gaze flits over me before she looks down at her bandaged hand. ¡°How many people have you killed?¡± ¡°A lot.¡± She tenses up again. ¡°It¡¯s survival of the fittest in my world. Everyone wants to be at the top of the food chain.¡± She shakes her head before she looks at me. ¡°This life you live is insane. Ie from a small town where there¡¯s hardly any crime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you from my world as much as possible,¡± I promise. Lifting my arm, I rest it on the back of the couch, so I¡¯m able to brush my fingers through her soft hair. Haven nces at my hand before her eyes lock with mine. ¡°You promised you wouldn¡¯t force yourself on me.¡± ¡°I did,¡± I murmur, my voice dropping to a seductive tone. ¡°But I never said anything about not trying to seduce you.¡± Laughter bursts from her, and when her face mes up with a blush, I drink in the absolutely breathtaking sight of her. ¡°If you try to seduce me, I¡¯m going tough at you.¡± Keeping my voice low and seductive, I ask, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Iugh when I get nervous.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I tilt my head and move my hand to the side of her neck, brushing my fingertips over her pulse that¡¯s racing fucking fast. ¡°Do I make you nervous, principessa?¡± Her features grow tense, and her lips part. ¡°Yes.¡± I move closer until the side of my thigh touches her knee, and I stare deep into her eyes while slowly leaning into her. Haven¡¯s breaths speed up, and when I brush my nose along the curve of her jaw, her right hand presses against my chest. When she doesn¡¯t push me away, I press a soft kiss beneath her ear. Her energy spikes fucking high, and she starts to tremble. I pull back slightly to look into her eyes again, and not seeing terror, the corner of my mouth lifts. ¡°Did I just discover a sensitive spot?¡± Her chest heaves, and her tongue darts out to wet her lips before she lies to me. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Lying makes me angry,¡± I say before I lift my other hand to the side of her neck. ¡°Be honest with me, Haven. If I learn where all your sensitive spots are on your sexy as fuck body, it will make your pleasure a hell of a lot more intense when you beg me to fuck you.¡± ¡°Holy shit,¡± she gasps. ¡°You have no filter, do you?¡± ¡°When you face death as often as I do, there¡¯s no ce for filters.¡± Her eyebrows draw together, and I think she¡¯s forgotten about her hand resting on my chest. ¡°What happens if you die?¡± ¡°The guards will take you and our mothers to an ind where you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Haven shakes her head, worry creeping into her eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of dying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fear the inevitable. It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± I ce my hand over hers, pressing her palm harder against my chest. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve faced off with death before and keep surviving. I think the fucker likes me.¡± I give her a reassuring look. ¡°I¡¯m not easy to kill. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t worry about you,¡± she mutters, pulling her hand from beneath mine. I stare at her for a moment, then ask, ¡°You¡¯re not terrified of me anymore. What changed?¡± ¡°I learned the hard way there¡¯s something I fear more than you.¡± She lowers her head, and it makes her hair fall over the side of her face like a curtain. ¡°Loneliness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologize again before I ask, ¡°Do you get cabin fever if you stay at home too long?¡± She nods. ¡°It feels like the walls close in on me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I brush her hair away from her face and pin the strands at the back of her neck with my hand, feeling how cold she is. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± My thumb brushes over her skin. ¡°Are you always cold?¡± She nods, then lifts her eyes to mine. ¡°I¡¯ve always gotten cold easily.¡± ¡°I tend to run hot, so I can be your heater.¡± Her lips curve up on the left, making her dimple appear again. Unable to resist, I grip hold of her jaw with my other hand and keep her in ce while I press a kiss to her dimple. Haven¡¯s hand shoots up, and she grabs hold of my forearm, a gasp bursting from her. Her sweet scent fills the air I breathe, and being so close to her has my self-control slipping dangerously fast. Our eyes meet for a moment, and whatever she sees on my face, has her breathsing even faster. I press another kiss to her cheek, and she tightens her grip on my forearm. Again, she doesn¡¯t push me away, and I let my fingers brush down from her jaw to her corbone. I take a deep breath of her sweet scent and groan, ¡°You¡¯re driving me fucking wild.¡± My words break the spell I was able to weave around Haven, and she pulls away from me. She darts to her feet and walks toward the kitchen. Getting up, I go after my wife because now that I¡¯ve been able to touch her, I want to keep touching her. It¡¯s just be my life¡¯s mission to break down every single wall she has up. I don¡¯t care what it takes. I will be the most important person in her life. I will im every inch of her sexy body. I will own her fucking heart and soul. If it¡¯s thest thing I do. The Empress: Chapter 17 Holllleeeee shit. That was freaking intense. My heart is pounding wildly against my ribs, and it feels as if every nerve ending in my body has been set alight with desire. The attraction I feel for Leo is swimming in my head, but I¡¯m far from ready. Yesterday, I was still cursing his name and condemning him to hell. It¡¯s going to take more than him giving Mom a safe ce to stay and treating me like a decent human being for me to forgive him for kidnapping me and forcing me to marry him. I look in the fridge and grab a soda from thepartment on the inside of the door. Before I can open the can, Leo takes it and pulls the tab for me. When he hands it back to me, there¡¯s a hot smirk on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t want you using your left hand until it¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I dart around him and head for the doorway. As I walk across the foyer, Leo wraps an arm around my shoulders and steers me toward the sliding doors that lead to the veranda. ¡°Let¡¯s sit on the beach for a while.¡± He lets go of me to open the doors. When we step outside, I take a sip of the fizzy orange-vored drink that I¡¯ve grown quite fond of. It¡¯s a little cooler tonight, but nothing near as cold as it would be in Whitefish. ¡°What are the winters like here?¡± I ask. ¡°They¡¯re not bad. The nights get cold with the winding from the ocean.¡± We take the steps down to the beach, and after walking for a while, Leo shrugs off his jacket. I stop beside him and watch as heys it down on the sand before he gestures for me to sit. Okay, I¡¯m not going to lie. That¡¯s kind of sweet. When I sit down, I push the bottom of the can into the sand so it doesn¡¯t topple over. Leo takes a seat right beside me, our sides and arms touching. He folds his one leg at the knee and rests his arm on it before looking at me. I cross my legs beneath me and stare at the ocean while Leo¡¯s eyes don¡¯t leave me for a second. ¡°You¡¯re making me feel self-conscious,¡± I mutter. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you keep looking at me.¡± ¡°Why does that make you self-conscious?¡± I shrug and scoop some sand into my right hand before letting the grains sift through my fingers. ¡°It just does.¡± ¡°Can you me me?¡± he murmurs, his voice taking on that seductive tone that has weird hypnotic powers over me. ¡°How can I not stare at the most beautiful woman on this? It¡¯s impossible to look away. You¡¯re an incredible work of art.¡± I¡¯m overwhelmed by Leo and let out a nervous chuckle while my face heats up. I lean back and nce up at the night sky while muttering, ¡°Look at the stars, Leo. They¡¯re much prettier.¡± He lies back onto the sand, pushing his arm beneath his head to use it as a pillow. Patting his chest, he says, ¡°Lie down.¡± I know I told Mom earlier that we have to make the best of our situation, but maybe this is taking things too far. Should I fight harder or just make peace with the fact that I¡¯m married to Leo? ¡°Stop overthinking it,¡± he murmurs, his tone almost sounding gentle. ¡°Please lie down, Haven.¡± This friendly and seductive version of Leo is much better than the asshole he was when he kidnapped me and forced me to marry him. Wanting the weird peace between us tost longer, I lie down and rest my head on his shoulder. His arm wraps around me, and I¡¯m pressed to his chest. I feel his breath warm my hair right before he kisses the top of my head. It¡¯s good to know he can be gentle. Looking at the stars twinkling far above us, I remember the shback I had earlier and whisper, ¡°Stellina.¡± Leo tenses beside me, and I instantly feel a shift in his demeanor. The peaceful moment vanishes, and when I tilt my head backward, I see his features are drawn tight as if he¡¯s in pain. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± I ask as I begin to sit up. His arm tightens around me and keeps me pressed to his side while he shakes his head. ¡°Just never say that word again.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It¡¯s clear the word touches a very sensitive nerve for him. ¡°May I ask why?¡± The pain shes over his face again. ¡°It¡¯s something I don¡¯t talk about.¡± Up until now, I didn¡¯t think of Leo as someone who could feel pain, but just as a ruthless mafia boss who takes what he wants. But as we lie on the beach, I realize he¡¯s a human being with normal emotions. For a while, Leo remains tense beside me, but then he finally rxes again. His tone is soft as he asks, ¡°What makes you angry?¡± ¡°If someone interrupts me while I¡¯m reading.¡± His chest shakes as heughs silently. ¡°Only that?¡± ¡°Being kidnapped and force to marry a mafia boss,¡± I add, and I¡¯m surprised when there¡¯s no bite to my words. ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡± I listen as he takes a deep breath, then he says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Haven. I could¡¯ve handled things better.¡± He moves, partially rolling over me. My head ends up resting on his bicep, and when he looks down at me with remorse, I feel my resolve slipping a bit more. ¡°I should¡¯ve asked you to dinner like a normal man.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s usually what sane people do.¡± His voice is low and deep, and oh so seductive when he says, ¡°I promise to take you out for thousands of dinners.¡± ¡°What if our first date sucks? It¡¯s not like I can ghost you.¡± A smile spreads over his face, and I stare at the hot-as-sin man like a dumbstruck idiot. ¡°The first date won¡¯t suck,¡± he says, sounding very confident of himself. ¡°That remains to be seen,¡± I whisper. Leo¡¯s eyes drift over my face, and the way he looks at me makes me feel like I¡¯m all he sees. I have all his attention right now. Slowly, he begins to lean down, and I¡¯m hit with such an intense wave of anticipation, my heartbeat sets off at a crazy pace. Don¡¯t let him kiss you! Leo¡¯s eyes be hooded with desire, and holy shit, it makes my abdomen clench hard. Then his expression turns predatory, and like the helpless prey I am, I realize I don¡¯t stand a chance against him. I feel his breath on my lips. I smell his woodsy scent. I feel the heating from his strong body. I¡¯mpletely powerless against the strong attraction I have for him, and I think he knows it. At the veryst second, he turns his head and kisses my left cheek before he whispers, ¡°Beg me, Haven.¡± ¡°For sex?¡± I exim. ¡°Hell no!¡± When he chuckles right by my ear, goosebumps erupt over my skin. ¡°Not sex.¡± His lips brush over my jaw, and I almost let out a moan, my right hand gripping hold of his shoulder. ¡°A kiss.¡± My mind screams no while my body wildly nods yes. I push against his shoulder while I turn my head away from him. ¡°No.¡± I¡¯m surprised when Leo doesn¡¯t force things, keeping the promise he made. He rolls onto his back and tucks his other arm beneath his head again. ¡°Be ready at six tomorrow evening for our first date.¡± Feeling like I¡¯m ying with fire by lying beside him, I sit up and cross my legs under me. Staring at the moonlight reflecting on the ocean, I say, ¡°It¡¯s going to take a hell of a lot more than you being nice to me for one day and taking me on a date.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He sits up as well, and reaching past me, he picks up the can of soda and takes a sip. Holding it out to me, he says, ¡°I have an entire lifetime to win you over, Haven. You don¡¯t be the head of the mafia by giving up quickly. I¡¯ll wear you down.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± I mutter. ¡°Just what every girl dreams of hearing.¡± He chuckles, the corner of his mouth lifting into the dangerous smirk that makes me forget who he really is. Climbing to my feet, I say, ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Looking down at him, I ask, ¡°You¡¯re noting in?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Night, principessa. Dream of me.¡± ¡°Night.¡± I walk across the beach and head up to the veranda. When I step into the living room, I nce over my shoulder, and even though it¡¯s dark, I can make out that Leo¡¯s looking at me. Great. He¡¯s just seen me nce back at him and will probably take it as a win. I walk to the kitchen and pour the rest of the soda down the drain before putting the tin in the correct recycling bin. Heading to my bedroom, I shut the door behind me and stare at the key in the lock. Leo could¡¯ve overpowered me easily at any time tonight. He didn¡¯t kiss me when I said no. Not locking the door, I decide to take a chance. If this mansion is my home for the rest of my life, I want to feel safe in it. I¡¯m going to give Leo the benefit of the doubt and trust that he won¡¯t hurt me. I grab a pair of shorts and a cami and head to the bathroom. Not in the mood for a bath, I quickly shower. When I¡¯m ready for bed, I crawl beneath the covers and pick up my phone from beside the bed. Seeing a text from Mom, I click on it. Holy crap, she wrote a lot! Mom: I hate to admit this, but it¡¯s much better at Martina¡¯s ce than staying with Nicolo. She said we should call each other by our first names, seeing as we¡¯re family, whether we like it or not. We spent some time bonding over our discontent regarding the wedding. She didn¡¯t want an arranged marriage for Leo, but seeing as he¡¯s the boss, no one dares go against him. Mom: It was really lovely having dinner with you, even if Leo was there. Mom: God, the man is so stubborn, he infuriates me. Mom: But I heard what you said. I¡¯m going to try to make the best of this shitty situation. Mom: As long as he doesn¡¯t hurt you. If he does, all bets are off. Mom: I can¡¯t wait to see you tomorrow. Letting out a chuckle, I shake my head while I type a response. Haven: I¡¯m d you bonded with Mrs. Toscano. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning at nine. Sweet dreams, Mom. Love you! I set the device down on the bedside table, then turn onto my side and snuggle into my pillow. I begin to think about everything that¡¯s happened today. I feel a hell of a lot better after getting to spend time with Mom. And Leo being nice to me helped a lot. He was more than nice to me. If he keeps turning up the heat around me, I¡¯m going to melt at some point, because after all is said and done, I¡¯m very attracted to him. If only he¡¯d gone the normal route and asked me on a date instead of kidnapping me. I would¡¯ve fallen in love with him in a heartbeat. The Empress: Chapter 18 After getting to spend the whole day with Mom, I walk into my bedroom, d to be rid of the guards. It¡¯s going to take some time getting used to traveling around with four armed, but very quiet, men. Seeing a big, white box on my bed, I walk closer and pick up the note tucked into the bow. Please ept this gift as a token of my remorse. I couldn¡¯t find something as beautiful as you, but it will have to do. Your coldhearted bastard, Leo. Ps. The tablets beside your bed are for travel sickness. I suggest you take it if you¡¯re prone to getting nauseated while flying. Damn, that¡¯s actually cute. Wait. Flying? Where is he taking me for our date? I put the note down and pull on the bow. When ites loose, I carefully lift the lid. There are three more boxes inside, all different sizes. Excitement trickles into my chest as I open the biggest one. At the sight of the ck silk, my lips part. I gently lift the dress out, and holding it up in front of me, I whisper, ¡°Wow.¡± I carefully ce it on the bed before checking the next box, finding a pair of ck heels. When I pick up thest gift and lift the lid, I gasp as I stare at the ck diamond choker and stud earrings. ¡°Oh. My. God.¡± I brush my fingertips over the stunning pieces. These must¡¯ve cost Leo a fortune. I carefully set the box down and check the time. I only have an hour and forty-five minutes to get ready. I hurry to the bathroom and open the faucets in the shower before rushing to grab a pair of ck seamless panties so they don¡¯t show under the silk of the dress. I won¡¯t be able to wear a bra, though. I shower as fast as possible, washing my hair. Time freaking flies, and I start to worry that I won¡¯t be ready in time. I¡¯ve just finished drying my hair when I hear the sound of a helicopter, and it has me running to the bed. I quickly put on the dress and shove my feet into the high heels, then pause to take a deep breath. Calm down, or you¡¯re going to be all sweaty. I exhale slowly, and when I pull the choker out of the box, I notice my hands are trembling. God, I¡¯m nervous! I struggle to put on the choker, but I finally win the battle. I slip the earrings into the holes in my earlobes then walk to the dressing table to pull a brush through my hair onest time. I went all out with my makeup, and as I look at my reflection in the mirror, I worry it¡¯s too much. Just as I grab a tissue to try to wipe off the red tint on my lips, there¡¯s a knock at the door. My heartbeat sets off at a crazy pace, and my stomach dips and sours as if it¡¯s taking flying lessons. I walk to the door, and when I open it, Leo¡¯s head snaps back. cing his hand over his heart, surprise tightens his features. ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo, sei Bellissima.¡± I recognize ¡®Jesus Christ¡¯ and ¡®beautiful¡¯ as Leo looks at me in awe. Dressed in a ck silk shirt and suit pants, he looks drop-dead handsome as always. He lets out a heavy breath. ¡°Cazzo, Haven. Are you even human?¡± I let out a chuckle. ¡°Enough. You¡¯re making me feel self-conscious.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°You better get used to me giving youpliments.¡± Taking a step closer to me, he lifts his hands and ces them on my shoulders. His eyes fill with a serious look before he leans down and kisses my left cheek. ¡°Thank you for going out on this date with me.¡± When he pulls back, I¡¯m hit with a wave of emotion, and my eyes mist up. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you have been this great when we met instead of kidnapping me? I would¡¯ve fallen in love with you.¡± His thumbs brush over my skin. ¡°I like doing things the hard way.¡± A chuckle burst over my lips. ¡°God, you¡¯re impossible.¡± Leo holds out his arm, and when I hook mine through his, he leads me to the stairs. He keeps his pace slow, and as I walk beside him, my stomach flutters as if a kaleidoscope of butterflies has been set loose inside me. When we walk out of the front door, I see the helicopter I heard earlier standing in the middle of the yard. Edoardo nods at me, then he stays in front of us as we make our way to the aircraft. The anticipation in me keeps growing, and I¡¯m a trembling mess by the time Leo helps me into the helicopter. ¡°Did you take the travel sickness pill?¡± he asks as he sits down beside me on the cream leather seat. ¡°Yes.¡± I watch as the guards board, then Leo hands me a set of headphones. I put them on, then hear him say, ¡°We¡¯re ready for take off.¡± The pilot starts the engine, and when we begin to lift into the air, I grin so hard my cheeks hurt. Leo wraps his arm around my shoulders and leans into me. ¡°Look out the window.¡± I turn my head and see as the entire mansion and propertye into view. ¡°Wow,¡± I whisper before looking at Leo, whose eyes are glued to me. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Somewhere I can have you all to myself.¡± When we fly over the ocean and head away fromnd, I start to think we¡¯re going to an ind, but then minutester, a massive yachtes into view. The pilot sets the helicopter down on a designated spot, and when Edoardo opens the door, a cool wind hits me. Leo instantly shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. After the guards get out, we follow. As we walk toward a set of steps that leads down the side of the yacht, Leo says, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re eating inside where it¡¯s warm.¡± He keeps a tight hold of me as we take the steps down, then he leads me into a very luxurious room that¡¯s big enough to host a party. A table stands in the center, candles and flowers decorating it. When Leo pulls out a chair for me, I whisper, ¡°Thank you.¡± As he sits down across from me, I remove his jacket and drape it over the back of my chair while I joke, ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say I wouldn¡¯t have ghosted you if this were our first date.¡± ¡°Just for tonight, forget the past two weeks and give me a chance to show you who I really am.¡± ¡°You mean you¡¯re not normally insane?¡± He chuckles. ¡°No, that¡¯s something only you bring out in me. I¡¯m actually quite polite and respectful of people¡¯s boundaries.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I let out a burst ofughter, then nod. ¡°Okay. Just for tonight, I¡¯ll pretend the past two weeks didn¡¯t happen.¡± A serveres to pour wine for us, and when she leaves, Leo picks up his ss and takes a sip. ¡°I think you¡¯ll like this particr wine. It¡¯s sweet like you.¡± I drink some, then nod. ¡°It¡¯s really good.¡± I nce around at the open space, then suddenly three people with instruments enter and take their position in the corner of the room. The musician with the violin begins to y, then the cello joins in, followed by the flute. The music sounds like something from Bridgerton, and I listen while my heart fills with an emotion that scares the crap out of me. It took Leo less than twenty-four hours to arrange this perfect date for me. What is he capable of doing if I give him more time? He¡¯s capable of making me fall for him. It¡¯s inevitable. I take two huge sips of my wine while I try to calm my racing heart. When I look at Leo, it¡¯s to find him watching me with that stupidly hot smirk that makes my heart skip a beat. He tilts his head. ¡°Tell me something about you.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Anything. Nothing is insignificant.¡± My heart. ¡°I was home-schooled until I was thirteen.¡± ¡°Why?¡± When my parents adopted me, I couldn¡¯t speak English. Dad had to teach me, so he ended up homeschooling me until I was ready. The memory of my biological mother¡¯s body shes through my mind, and I quickly shake my head while trying to shove it away. Leo leans forward, his features tightening with worry. ¡°Haven?¡± Not wanting to get into that part of my past, I say, ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯m not ready to share with you yet.¡± A frown line appears between his eyebrows. ¡°Something bad?¡± I shrug. ¡°It depends on how you look at it.¡± ¡°How do you look at it?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Can we talk about anything else, please?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± His dark gaze searches my face, then he says, ¡°Tell me about your happiest memory.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy.¡± A smile tugs at my mouth. ¡°Sunday mornings when my dad was still alive. I¡¯d wake up to the smell of bacon and eggs. We always had breakfast together on Sundays and spoke about what had happened the past week.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. I was told he died recently?¡± I nod, sadness welling in my chest. With everything that¡¯s happened, it¡¯s overshadowed Dad¡¯s death. ¡°He had a heart attack almost two months ago. It was a huge shock to us.¡± Leo reaches across the round table and gives my hand a squeeze. ¡°You haven¡¯t even had time to mourn.¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± His eyes fill with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Haven. Just tell me if there¡¯s anything I can do to make things easier for you.¡± ¡°Seeing as freedom is off the table, getting my mom a ce of her own is number one on my list.¡± I can see he means it when he replies, ¡°I¡¯ll make it a priority.¡± I enjoy another sip of wine, then say, ¡°Tell me about your childhood.¡± Leo¡¯s face grows somber, and it looks like his thoughts drift off for a moment before he says, ¡°My father was a cruel man.¡± He lets out a sad-sounding chuckle, and it makes me want to hug him. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a ray of sunshinepared to him. He loved to beat us when he was stressed out.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t your Mom leave him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as divorce in the mafia. A wife overhears things she shouldn¡¯t, so there¡¯s no walking away.¡± Compassion fills my heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He taps his fingers on the white cloth, then nces over at where the musicians are ying. ¡°It wasn¡¯t all bad. I had a best friend. His family and home were my safe ce.¡± ¡°Massimo?¡± Leo shakes his head, then intense sorrow tightens his features. ¡°No.¡± When he lifts his eyes to meet mine, I can¡¯t hold back and reach for his hand. Our fingers intertwine, then he whispers, ¡°I don¡¯t talk about them. It hurts too much.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I whisper, rubbing my thumb over his skin. ¡°But I¡¯m here if you ever change your mind and you want to talk about what happened.¡± He nods, his eyes flicking to the server as she pushes a cart toward the table. ¡°Enough with the heavy subjects. Let¡¯s enjoy the meal and keep the topics lighthearted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Pulling my hand away from Leo¡¯s, I stare at him while the server ces the tes in front of us. If things continue like this between us, I know without a doubt it¡¯s only a matter of time before I learn to love him. The Empress: Chapter 19 While we enjoy the linguine with lobster risotto, I ask, ¡°Have you told your best friend about us?¡± Haven shakes her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to put her in danger.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hurt her, and if she ever visits you, I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s protected.¡± ¡°Kristen will lose her everloving mind if she finds out I married the head of the Italian mafia.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a criminal?¡± Haven lets out a chuckle. ¡°No. Weirdly enough, I think she might actually be okay with that.¡± She shakes her head, then asks, ¡°So, besides killing people, what otherws do you break on a daily basis?¡± I let out a bark ofughter, loving her humor. ¡°I create false information and situations.¡± When she gives me a confused look, I exin, ¡°If there are two politicians in the run for the same position, I¡¯ll bury the rival in scandals.¡± ¡°Ohhhh. Have you ever done that to someone I might have heard of?¡± I nod. ¡°I¡¯ve helped presidents win elections.¡± ¡°Holy crap,¡± she gasps. ¡°It pays really well,¡± I chuckle. With her full attention on me, she asks, ¡°What else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I deal in. I¡¯m a part of an alliance with four other people whom you¡¯ll meet at some point. If they ever encounter trouble, I¡¯m bound by an oath to help them.¡± ¡°Then why is there so much killing?¡± ¡°I only kill when I¡¯m betrayed or threatened. Luciano got one of my men killed while we were attacking a drug dealer operating in my territory.¡± She lifts an eyebrow at me. ¡°Do you deal in drugs?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t shit where I eat.¡± She lets out a burst of silentughter. ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way of putting it.¡± When the serveres to collect our empty tes, I ask, ¡°Would you like more wine?¡± Haven shakes her head. ¡°Any more, and I¡¯ll get drunk. I don¡¯t drink alcohol often.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I narrow my eyes at her. ¡°What are you like when you¡¯re drunk?¡± Smiling, she shakes her head. ¡°Unless me hanging onto the side of a toilet does it for you, I wouldn¡¯t rmend it.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Standing up, I move closer to her chair and pick up my jacket. ¡°Put this on so we can go to the deck.¡± Haven gets up and pushes her arms through the sleeves. My jacket dwarfs her, making her look fucking cute. I link my fingers with her right hand, then lead her out of the room. When we reach the deck at the front of the yacht, Haven nces around us at the open water. ¡°I¡¯ve never been on a boat before,¡± she admits. ¡°Do you like it?¡± She inches closer to the railing and carefully peeks over the side, then quickly moves back. ¡°It¡¯s a little scary knowing we¡¯re so far away fromnd.¡± The wind blows her hair into her face, and without thinking, I brush the strands away and tuck them behind her ears while I step closer to her. She nces up at me, and when I let my fingers trail down the side of her neck and over the diamond choker, the nervousness returns to her eyes. I lean down and press a soft kiss to her left cheek, then say, ¡°Thank you for letting me take you to dinner. I really enjoyed it.¡± ¡°I enjoyed it, too,¡± she whispers. I pull a little back to meet her eyes while bringing my fingers to her chin. My thumb tugs at her bottom lip, and it has her breathing faster. She likes it when I touch her. There¡¯s no hiding the desire in my voice as I say, ¡°I¡¯m dying to taste you.¡± Her tongue darts out to torture me as she wets her lips, then she looks me dead in the eyes and demands, ¡°Beg.¡± Lifting my other hand, I frame her face and step as close as I can to her. The tension building between us bes damn near explosive. ¡°Please.¡± I close the distance between our faces until her quick breaths hit my lips, and beg, ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo, per favore.¡± She lifts her right hand, and wrapping her fingers around the back of my neck, she pushes up, and the moment her mouth touches mine, it¡¯s game over for me. I move an arm down, wrapping it around her back, and lock her body to mine. Tilting my head, I enter her mouth, my tongue stroking hard against hers. Sweetness burst over my taste buds, making a satisfied groan rumble from my chest. For a torturous second, I break the kiss, my voice hoarse as I say, ¡°I knew you¡¯d taste fucking perfect.¡± Our eyes lock, as I nip at her lips with mine, then I take her mouth with pure fucking desperation and devour her. I feel a tremble move through Haven¡¯s body while she makes a sound that drives me absolutely wild. It¡¯s a cross between a moan and a whimper. I¡¯ll give everything I own to hear it again. My teeth tug at her bottom lip, and my tongue takes hers in hard caresses. Fucking hell. My head swims, and my chest overflows with the powerful desire she makes me feel. My hand coasts down from her cheek to her side, and I grip the silky fabric of her dress, ready to rip it from her body. Unable to stop myself from touching more of her, my hand moves up again until I find the soft swell of her breast. The instant I feel her pebbled nipple, Haven breaks the kiss, turning her head away from mine while pushing my hand down. ¡°Wait.¡± I step backward to give her space, and suck in deep breaths of air while it takes all my strength to regain control over my desire for her. Once the overpowering need recedes, I close the distance between us, once more, and hug her to me. She realizes I¡¯m just going to hold her and wrap her arms around my lower back. I brush my hand over her soft hair and say, ¡°Thank you.¡± We stand in silence for a long while, then she presses closer to me, her voice sounding vulnerable as fuck as she whispers, ¡°Promise you¡¯ll never take my choices away from me again.¡± I¡¯m a control freak by nature, so it¡¯s difficult for me to say, ¡°I promise.¡± I pull back, and bringing a hand to her chin, I nudge her face up so she¡¯ll look at me. ¡°I¡¯ll give you anything you want, Haven. Except for letting you go, you can have whatever your heart desires.¡± She narrows her eyes at me. ¡°Okay.¡± She thinks for a moment. ¡°I want¡­¡± Her teeth tug at her bottom lip, making me want to kiss her again. ¡°Ten million dors.¡± ¡°Done.¡± I begin to lean down, but she pulls back while letting out a burst ofughter. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s be serious. Right now, I could really do with some hot chocte because I¡¯m freezing my butt off.¡± I take hold of her hand, and linking our fingers, I lead her below deck to where there¡¯s a state-of-the-art kitchen. When the staff sees me, they go into panic mode, darting in different directions to find something to do so they¡¯ll look busy. I start searching through the cupboards, and it has the server from earlier asking, ¡°Is there something I can get for you, Mr. Toscano?¡± ¡°A mug and hot chocte.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the beverage and bring it to your table.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I want to make it.¡± She pulls a mug from the cupboard before retrieving the hot chocte from the pantry. I grab milk from the fridge and pour some into a pot. After putting it on the stove so it can warm up, I pour four teaspoons of the powder into the mug. ¡°Do you have tiny marshmallows?¡± Haven asks. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Toscano,¡± the server replies, rushing to the pantry to get them. Mrs. Toscano. I grin like an idiot while I stare at the milk, willing it to boil faster. When the milk is finally ready, I add it to the mug and stir until there are no lumps. Haven drops three marshmallows on top of her beverage, but before she can pick up the mug, I do. I grab her hand and lead her out of the kitchen to a living room where we¡¯ll have privacy. She nces around at the cream leather couches and dark wood interior, and once she sits down, I hand her the hot chocte. I take a seat beside her, then say, ¡°I need your bank details.¡± The mug pauses midway to her mouth. ¡°Ahh¡­I was joking about the ten million.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking when I said ¡®done¡¯.¡± I pull my phone out and sign in to my banking app. ¡°Do you know your bank details off by heart?¡± ¡°No, Leo,¡± she gasps, cing her left hand over the screen of my phone. ¡°You¡¯ll hurt yourself,¡± I say a little too harshly, and feeling instant remorse, I quickly soften my tone. ¡°Be careful, principessa.¡± She moves her hand to herp and shakes her head at me. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you my banking details.¡± ¡°I have other ways of getting it.¡± I exit the app, then level Haven with a serious look. ¡°You are aware of the fact that I¡¯ll be taking care of you for the rest of your life, right?¡± She nces away from me and drinks some of the hot chocte. ¡°I¡¯m your husband, Haven.¡± She lowers the mug and stares at the brown liquid. ¡°It¡¯s going to take some time to get used to that.¡± I give her a pleading look, which she doesn¡¯t see. ¡°I understand, but in the meantime, I still want to take care of you.¡± Taking hold of her chin, I turn her face so she¡¯ll look at me. ¡°Please, Haven.¡± Her eyes drift over my face, then she surprises me by not arguing and whispering, ¡°Okay.¡± I lean forward and press a tender kiss to her mouth. ¡°Thank you.¡± My phone beeps, and ncing down, I see a text from the captain saying we¡¯ve reachednd. ¡°Are you going to give me your banking details or make me work for it?¡± Her mouth lifts at the corner. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go with the second option. I want to see how good you are.¡± ¡°I like a challenge.¡± I bring up the number for the ind and press dial. ¡°Yes, Mr. Toscano. How can we assist you?¡± ¡°I want Haven Romano¡¯s bank details. I¡¯m sending you a photo of her passport.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look out for it, Sir. Will that be all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I end the call and go into the app for the ind. After I¡¯ve uploaded the photo, I press send. Smiling at Haven, I say, ¡°I should have it in ten minutes, but in the meantime, we¡¯ve docked. Time to go.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Haven asks as she stands up. Hearing her call my mansion home has a smile spreading over my face. ¡°Yes. Home.¡± I climb to my feet and take the mug from her. As we walk to the door, I ce it on the nearest table. cing my arm around her shoulders, I lead her off the boat while Edoardo and the other guards join us. ¡°Mattia and Dante are here to meet us,¡± Edoardo informs me. Remembering Mattia hit Haven, I say, ¡°We¡¯ll go with Dante.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± As soon as we climb into the backseat of the SUV, my phone beeps and I grin again. I pull the device out, and when I see Haven¡¯s bank details, I mutter, ¡°Not even ten minutes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± she gasps as she leans over to look at the screen. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s kind of impressive.¡± Not giving a shit that she¡¯s looking at my phone, I sign into my banking app and upload her details. When I type in the amount I want to transfer, she squeaks beside me. ¡°No changing your mind. You agreed and I¡¯m holding you to it,¡± I mutter as I press send. I¡¯m asked to enter a code for extra security, which I do. When it shows the transaction is done, I close the app and push my phone back into my pocket. I turn my head and nce at Haven. She looks like she¡¯s shellshocked, just blinking with her lips parted. ¡°You okay?¡± I ask while cing my arm around her. ¡°I¡¯m going to need a minute,¡± she whispers. ¡°Holy shit. I can buy all the books in the world and then some.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want,¡± I chuckle. ¡°Oh my God!¡± She grabs hold of my thigh. ¡°I can save all the horses in the world before they¡¯re ughtered.¡± Her eyes swing to me, and when I see excitement shining in them, there¡¯s one hell of a burst of warmth in my chest. ¡°How do you feel about doing something good to make up for all the bad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Help me buy stables and employ people to take care of the horses.¡± ¡°You¡¯re serious,¡± I murmur when I realize she¡¯s dead set on spending the hundred million euros I sent her on horses. I give Haven a life-changing amount of money, and she instantly wants to spend it on saving animals. She tilts her head, her eyebrows pulling together. ¡°I¡¯m dead serious.¡± ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo,¡± I whisper inplete awe of her. ¡°You¡¯re fucking incredible, Haven.¡± ¡°Will you help me?¡± she asks again. ¡°Yes.¡± I hope it will show her how sorry I am for the hell I¡¯ve put her through, and maybe¡­just maybe, she¡¯ll forgive me. The Empress: Chapter 20 Snuggling against his side, I whisper, ¡°Leo.¡± ¡°Yes, stellina mia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Suddenly, loud bangs go off, and I scream. Darkness engulfs me as I fly through the air beforending on hundreds of hands that are wing at me. ¡°Leo,¡± I scream, the hands pulling me into the floor. My chest closes up, and I begin to suffocate. My eyes fly open, a scream tearing from me, andpletely disorientated, I struggle against the arms locked around me. When I can¡¯t get free, I let out a sob, crying, ¡°Leo!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here. Shh¡­ I¡¯m here.¡± His voice gets through to me, and I burst out in uncontroble tears, the intense terror I felt in the nightmare still fresh in my mind. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a dream.¡± He presses kisses to the side of my face while his hand brushes up and down my back. ¡°I¡¯ve got you. It¡¯s okay.¡± Feeling safe, the horrible emotions begin to retreat, and I slowly calm down until I¡¯m able to take deep breaths. It¡¯s only then that it sinks in that the bedside light is on and Leo is holding me. For the past two weeks, he¡¯s taken me on dates, and it¡¯s given me time to get used to him. I¡¯ve fallen into a routine of visiting Mom during the days and getting to know Leo better at night. Things have been good, so I don¡¯t understand why I had a nightmare tonight. Nothing upsetting happened that would trigger one. When I pull back, I notice he¡¯s only wearing boxers, and my brain short-circuits while my eyes take in every inch of his golden skin. Sculptured dips and swells carve a perfect six-pack into his abs, and his chest makes my hands itch to touch him. ¡°Better?¡± he asks, tilting his head to catch my gaze. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± I keep staring at his chest, where there¡¯s a tattoo that¡¯s a ck swash of ink with stars shining out of the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your tattoo.¡± Leo takes hold of my jaw and nudges my face up until our eyes lock. ¡°What did you dream about?¡± I shake my head, sucking in another deep breath of air. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I woke you. You can go back to bed.¡± His eyes flit over my face, concern tightening his features. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Want to talk about what had you screaming like that? Did you dream that I did something to you?¡± Realizing what he¡¯s asking, I quickly shake my head again. ¡°Oh no, it was nothing like that. I have nightmares all the time. It¡¯s really nothing.¡± The concern etched all over his face doesn¡¯t lessen. ¡°You get them all the time? I haven¡¯t heard you at night.¡± I slump back and rub my palm over my face. ¡°I got therapy when I was younger, but since you shot Luciano, they¡¯vee back. I¡¯ve had a good two weeks with no dreams.¡± ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo. I¡¯m sorry I triggered you.¡± When Leo lies down beside me and wraps his arms around me, I snuggle against his chest. He¡¯s so much warmer than me, and I soak up his heat like a sponge. I wrap my right arm around his waist, taking thefort he¡¯s giving me. Even though the stitches have been removed and my wrist has mostly healed, I still take it easy with my left hand. Lying in Leo¡¯s arms, I think about everything. Leo said Mom will be able to move into her own house at the end of the month. It¡¯s situated near Mrs. Toscano¡¯s ce, but the garden needs a hell of a lot of work. Mom¡¯s excited to start nting flowers. I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t enjoy gardening like she does. My thoughts turn tost night. Since our first date, Leo hasn¡¯t kissed me again, but after supper, while we were sitting on the couch watching a movie, I think he came dangerously close to losing control. He kept brushing his nose up and down my neck, and I¡¯m pretty sure I might have a hickey. Remembering how hot and bothered I felt, it doesn¡¯t take long before the atmosphere starts to change. The ever-present tension that¡¯s always between us skyrockets. I rub my cheek against Leo¡¯s chest, and his arms tighten even more around me. I feel his breath in my hair, then he drops kisses on the top of my head. My abdomen tightens, and every nerve ending in my bodyes alive, taking notice of where Leo¡¯s body is touching mine. Jesus, the attraction between us is going to drive me insane. I won¡¯t be able to keep him at a distance for much longer. Especially not after seeing him in boxers. ¡°Think you¡¯ll be able to sleep again?¡± he asks, his voice hoarse. When he begins to sit up, I tighten my arm around him. ¡°Stay with me.¡± What the hell am I doing? I should let him leave. Lying in a bed with him is ying with fire. Leo rxes again, engulfing me in a hug that makes me feel unbelievably safe. Instantly, the sexual tension rushes back, creating overpowering hunger deep inside me. I focus on my breathing, but that only makes me aware of how good he smells. ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo,¡± Leo growls, right before he pushes me onto my back. His mouth finds my throat, and as my eyes drift closed, his hand brushes over my middle. I feel him gripping my cami, then he scrunches the fabric in his fist right between my breasts. ¡°God,¡± I whimper, every inch of my skin begging for more. His voice is a rasp as he groans against my chest, ¡°Tell me to leave.¡± ¡°I probably should,¡± I gasp, while his lips nip and suck their way down to my corbone, ¡°but I can¡¯t.¡± I rub my palms over his shoulders and muscled back, desperate to feel all of him. Leo¡¯s left hand pushes beneath my head, and fisting my hair, he pulls me to him. Our mouths crash together, and as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, my body shudders from how amazing it feels. The tension that¡¯s been building ever since weid eyes on each other explodes between us, creating so much desperation to taste, to feel, to im. Our hands hungrily roam over each other, and when Leo grips my breast hard, my back arches, and I moan into his mouth. Suddenly, he breaks the kiss with a rough curse. ¡°Cazzo!¡± As I open my eyes to look at him, he moves down, pressing hot kisses over my chest and abdomen. He grips the side of my shorts and panties, and as he pulls them slightly down, his lips and teeth rain havoc on my hip. It¡¯s easily the most hot and sensual moment of my life, making my need for this man something I can¡¯t resist. ¡°Cazzo. Cazzo. Cazzo.¡± The words sound like a plea from him, his touch making my skin tingle. I feel his hand trembling where he¡¯s gripping my panties and shorts, telling me it¡¯s taking everything in him not to rip them off. Slowly, he stills, his rushed breaths hot against my hip, then he groans, ¡°Per favore. Tell me I can bury my face between your legs. I¡¯m fucking starving and need to taste your pussy more than I need my next breath.¡± My big, bad mafia boss is begging. I move my hand to the back of his head and pull my fingers through his ruffled hair. Leo¡¯s eyes flick up to my face, his features dark with hunger. My hand brushes over the stubble on his jaw before I tug at his bottom lip with my thumb. ¡°Yes.¡± His teeth nip at my finger, his expression growing even darker. The next second, he moves fast, ripping my clothes down my legs. My thighs are shoved open, and a predatory growl rumbles from him right before his mouthtches onto my soaked opening. Holy. Freaking. Shit. My body arches off the bed, my hands desperately searching for something to grab hold of while sharp pleasure hits the air from my lungs. Leo¡¯s tongue and lips create one hell of an inferno between my legs, tearing a cry from me. His teeth tug at my clit, then I feel his finger circle my opening. Having him touch me down there is so freaking intense, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ming or going. The pleasure buzzes in my abdomen and clit, teasing me as my orgasm remains just out of reach. ¡°Leo,¡± I gasp, then his finger pushes inside me, and he begins to lick and suck my clit into oblivion. ¡°Oh God,¡± I whimper, my back arching. His finger curls, and the next second, intense ecstasy has every muscle in my body locking up. God, within seconds of him touching me, I¡¯m going toe. It usually takes torturously long minutes. ¡°Oh!¡± I pinch my eyes shut, and gripping hold of the rumpled covers, my orgasm rolls through my core and abdomen like a destructive force hell bent on bringing me to my knees. I¡¯m lost to the pleasure Leo is wringing out of my body, and only when it begins to subside does he kiss my oversensitive clit tenderly before pulling his finger out of me. Heps at my entrance, drinking every drop of my arousal, and by the time he moves up my body, I¡¯m bathing in the afterglow of the heavenly orgasm I just experienced. Leo takes hold of my cami, pushing the fabric up. He¡¯s breathing hard, as if he¡¯s the one who came. ¡°So fucking perfect,¡± he murmurs, the dark timbre of his voice sending goosebumps over my skin, which only makes my nipples grow harder. His teeth scrape over my right nipple before his hand engulfs my breast, and heys his head on my chest. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he whispers with reverence. I bring my hand to his back and trail my fingers up and down his skin that¡¯s hot to the touch. When I don¡¯t say anything, he asks, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I move my head to the side so I can try to see his face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He shakes his head, finally lifting it to look at me. ¡°Far from.¡± I pull my hand away from his back and slip it over his shoulder and down his chest. There¡¯s a seductive tone to my voice that impresses even me as I murmur, ¡°Anything I can do to make you feel better?¡± The corner of his mouth lifts. ¡°Yes.¡± He moves partially over me and rests his forearms on either side of my head, then his mouth nips at mine. The second my hand brushes over his boxers and I feel his hard cock, his tongue strokes against mine, and he begins to kiss me wildly. I grip his thick cock through the fabric, wanting to tease him a little, but the next second his body jerks and he hisses into my mouth. Holy shit. Realizing he¡¯sing just from me gripping him, I rub my hand over him. God, he feels huge. Leo breaks the kiss as he thrusts against my hand, and I find it incredibly hot that he wants me so badly that it only took one touch from me to make him orgasm. When he stops moving, he buries his face in the crook of my neck. I pull my hand away from his boxers and wrap my arms tightly around him. ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t embarrassing at all,¡± he mutters before letting out a chuckle. Not wanting him to feel self-conscious for losing control, I say, ¡°It was hot as hell.¡± Leo lifts his head to look at me, surprise on his face. ¡°I came the second you touched me.¡± A smile spreads over my face as I stare into his eyes. ¡°Is it crazy that I love the way you want me?¡± ¡°No.¡± His expression turns tender. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what it is about you that has such a hold on me, but it¡¯s made me fall head over fucking heels for you.¡± He shakes his head, and it looks like he¡¯s struggling to process his emotions for me. ¡°You¡¯re the sweetest torture I¡¯ve ever had to endure.¡± I lift my head and press a soft kiss to his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re the hottest temptation I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡± He smirks at me as he rolls onto his back, and my eyes widen as I watch him shove his boxers down. He takes them off and uses the fabric to clean his cock that¡¯s already hardening again. Leo is easily twice the size of my ex, and I drink in the sight of the velvety look of the skin and veins snaking up to the swollen head of his cock. After he tosses the boxers beside the bed, he pulls the covers over us. He lies down, and seeing I¡¯m still wearing my cami, he orders, ¡°Take it off. I want to sleep with you naked in my arms.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to end up fucking,¡± I mutter. His smirk turns mischievous. ¡°No, we¡¯re going to enjoy torturing each other a little longer.¡± He takes hold of my cami, and I quickly lift my arms as he pulls the fabric over my head. After tossing it aside, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me against his chest. ¡°The light.¡± I reach behind me and have to stretch to get to the switch. Leo¡¯s mouth closes over my nipple, his hand massaging my breast hard just as I switch off the bedside light. When I turn back to him, he moves his hand over my side and grips my buttcheek tightly. I rest my cheek against his chest, and I get to listen to how fast his heart is beating. Closing my eyes, I settle in for the long hours of torture ahead. ¡°Thank you, Haven,¡± Leo whispers. ¡°You could¡¯ve kept fighting and hating me. Thank you for trying.¡± At first, I didn¡¯t have a choice, but over the past two weeks, it¡¯s slowly changed. ¡°I¡¯m a ss-half-full kind of girl,¡± I say, my tone lighthearted. ¡°If you can¡¯t beat ¡®em, join ¡®em.¡± ¡°Yeah? Is that the only reason?¡± I pull my arm in and ce my hand over his pec. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. Since you came home, you¡¯ve been different and not the coldhearted bastard who scared the living hell out of me.¡± I tilt my head back so I can see his face. ¡°I like this version of you much more.¡± ¡°It makes me very happy to hear that,¡± he whispers before pressing a kiss to the tip of my nose. Leo ces his hand behind my head, and I getfortable again, pressing my cheek to his chest. With the sexual tension satisfied between us for the time being, it feels very intimate lying naked in his arms. I love it. It feels as if my body has known his all my life. The Empress: Chapter 21 After getting showered and dressed, I walk through my bedroom and open the door. Haven¡¯s on her way to the stairs, but she stops to nce over her shoulder. When I lock my door, she asks, ¡°Why do you always lock it? Scared I¡¯ll snoop?¡± ¡°I have weapons in my bedroom and don¡¯t want to risk you killing me,¡± I answer truthfully, even though I now know Haven wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly. ¡°That¡¯s wise of you,¡± she teases me as she turns around andes toward me. ¡°Can I see what your bedroom looks like? I¡¯m nosy.¡± I let out a chuckle as I unlock the door again. I push it open and gesture for her to step inside. ¡°Careful, though. I might not let you out again.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She gives me a seductive look as she moves past me, making me harden at the speed of light. Now that I¡¯ve seen her naked and tasted her pussy, it¡¯s a constant battle not to throw her down and fuck her raw. But I¡¯m also loving the torture. It¡¯s be an addiction. When Haven sees the ss cabs covering the entire left wall of my bedroom, her eyes widen at all the weapons. ¡°Holy crap, Leo!¡± she gasps. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of guns.¡± I tuck my keys into my pocket and watch as she moves past my bed. The image of her naked and sprawled out on the ck covers shes through my mind, and I have to adjust my hard-as-fuck cock into a morefortable position. Haven slowly walks closer to the podium with the ss box containing Carina¡¯s stuffed unicorn. She stares at it for a long moment, then asks, ¡°Why do you have a stuffed toy on a podium?¡± Even though I hate talking about my past, I reply, ¡°It belonged to a little girl who meant the world to me.¡± Haven nces at me as I add, ¡°I lost her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You must¡¯ve loved her a lot to have kept her toy.¡± ¡°So much,¡± I whisper. ¡°I¡¯ll love her until my dying breath.¡± ¡°Was she your sister?¡± she asks. I shake my head. ¡°She was my best friend¡¯s sister.¡± Haven looks at the ss box again. ¡°As a kid, I loved unicorns. That¡¯s where my love for horses started.¡± She lifts her hand to the ss, and I almost snap at her not to touch it, but bite the words back, even though every muscle in my body tenses. ¡°I think I had one like this,¡± she murmurs. ¡°But the colors were brighter and not so faded.¡± She nces at me from over her shoulder. ¡°What are the brown marks?¡± ¡°Blood.¡± Haven¡¯s features tighten, but I can¡¯t ce the expression on her face as she nces around the rest of my bedroom. Her eyesnd on the framed photo on my bedside table, and as she walks closer to it, a frown forms on her forehead. When she picks it up, her hand starts to tremble, her face drawing tight with shock and pain. I move closer to her. ¡°Haven?¡± ¡°Why do you have a photo of me?¡± The blood drains from her face, leaving her deathly pale. ¡°Oh God. I thought I was dreaming of you because of all the crap, but I think they were memories.¡± The shock of her words hits me so hard, a powerful tremor shudders through my body, my voice a mere rasp as I whisper, ¡°What did you just say?¡± Haven¡¯s features start to crumble as her eyes slowly move from the photo to me. ¡°I think you¡¯re the teenage boy from my nightmares.¡± I¡¯m stunned out of my fucking mind for way too long as I stare at Haven, unable to process what¡¯s happening. Suddenly, she rushes toward me and starts to unbutton my shirt. She shoves the fabric off my shoulders, her eyes locking on the scar left by the bullet I took to my chest. She darts behind me, and I feel her fingers brush over the other scar. ¡°It was you! You were there that night!¡± My breathing speeds up too fast, and my head spins. ¡°Carina,¡± I groan, seventeen years of guilt filling the air between us. Shees around my side again and looks up at me with shock and heartache, her eyebrows drawn together. Our gazes lock, and I struggle to process that Haven is Carina. Slowly, I lift my hand and brush my fingertips over her left cheek. ¡°Stellina mia?¡± ¡°You called me that in my dreams.¡± Tears escape her eyes. ¡°What happened that night? I don¡¯t remember much. Other than you throwing me on the floor and falling on top of me before a monster carries me away. That, and my mother lying dead in a hallway.¡± I¡¯m hit with another wave of shock, this one so fucking intense, it makes me stagger backward before my legs go numb and I drop to my knees. My hands fall limply on my thighs. The door ms open, and not thinking, I grab Carina and toss her over me so shends on the floor at the side of the bed. Just as I sit up, one gunshot after the other fills the room with shes before the light is switched on. At the same time, I roll off the bed, falling over Carina, my mind racing to process that we¡¯re being attacked. ¡°L-Leo,¡± Carina hic-cups with terror darkening her eyes. Just as I¡¯m about to react, a bullet ms into my back, the pain more intense than anything I¡¯ve ever felt. ¡°Leo!¡± Carina screams, her hand grabbing my shirt as I fall over her. My eyes lock with her frightened ones. ¡°Shh.¡± I¡¯m grabbed by the arm and hauled off of her. As I stagger backward, I watch in horror as a man grabs Carina. ¡°No!¡± I shout, then another bullet hits me in the chest. As I fall onto my back, I can¡¯t do anything but watch as the man carries her out of the room. The pain and guilt of seventeen fucking long years tears through me, the force so destructive, I let out a hoarse cry. Thest time I shed a tear was when I was standing in front of the Messinas¡¯ graves. It was right after I cleared out their house and put everything in storage. The house was a rental, and I didn¡¯t want a single thing thrown away. After that, I searched for Carina every chance I got, but she just vanished. Until now. I lift my eyes to her as a tear rolls down my cheek. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you because they changed your fucking name.¡± I keep gasping, unable to get air into my lungs. Haven kneels in front of me. She lifts her hand to my jaw, and with tears streaming down her face, she says, ¡°You need to breathe.¡± It feels as if my chest is being torn open. My vision darkens around the edges, but then Haven moves closer, and she gives me a panicked look. ¡°God, Leo. Breathe!¡± When I inhale, it sounds desperate, as if I¡¯ve been stuck in perpetual darkness for seventeen years, and I¡¯m finally able to take a deep breath. ¡°Carina,¡± I whimper, before my arms shoot out and I grab hold of her. I squash her against me, my body convulsing as if I¡¯m being electrocuted. Unable to control my chaotic emotions, a sob escapes from me while I press kisses to her hair. Sorrow is raw in my voice as I say, ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again.¡± Another painful groan is torn from me. ¡°I thought I lost you.¡± I have no idea how long I cling to her before I¡¯m able to regain some control. Pushing her back, I lift my hands to her face. I take in every inch of her as if I¡¯m seeing her for the first time. Then the questionse hard and fast. ¡°Were you adopted?¡± She nods. Remembering what she told me on our first date, I say, ¡°That¡¯s why you had to learn English and were homeschooled. The Romanos fucking hid you from me.¡± I¡¯m bombarded with memories and thoughts. ¡°I can¡¯t remember much of my early childhood.¡± Haven leans back and picks up the photo from where she dropped it before she unbuttoned my shirt. She looks at it again, then asks, ¡°Is the other boy my brother?¡± ¡°Diego.¡± I watch as she tries to remember, but then she shakes her head. ¡°Everything is ck before that night.¡± ¡°You were only six,¡± I say, ovee with sorrow that she¡¯s forgotten her biological family. Her eyes flit back to me. ¡°What happened?¡± Needing to hold her, I pull her back to my chest. ¡°I was spending the night, and my father¡¯s enemies came to kill me.¡± The words make bile burn up my throat. ¡°During the attack, your parents and Diego were killed. I took two bullets and couldn¡¯t do shit when they grabbed you.¡± The unbearable guilt I¡¯ve had to live with bes too much, and I cry, ¡°I¡¯m so fucking sorry.¡± Haven brushes her hand up and down my back, trying tofort me. Carina¡¯s bottom lip juts out again. ¡°I don¡¯t like when he hurts you.¡± Once again, she climbs out from under the covers. Her arms circle my neck, and she squeezes me tightly. ¡°You can live here with us because I love you and I¡¯ll never hurt you.¡± I wrap my arms around her tiny body and soak in thefort she¡¯s giving me. ¡°I love you too, stellina mia.¡± The memory has me holding her tighter, and I take a few minutes to let it sink in that I have Carina in my arms. When some rity starts to return to my mind, I push her backward and lock eyes with her. Needing to make dead sure she¡¯s Carina, I ask, ¡°When is your birthday?¡± ¡°June neenth.¡± The same day as Carina. ¡°What do you remember of that night?¡± I ask. Haven shakes her head. ¡°You falling over me. Gunshots.¡± She lowers her gaze to my chest and brushes her fingers over the scar. ¡°I remember being picked up while you were shot. I was carried out of the room.¡± She closes her eyes, and I can see she¡¯s trying to remember more. ¡°I think my brother was lying on the bed? My mother was face down on the carpet in the hallway?¡± That¡¯s exactly how things were. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind she¡¯s Carina. ¡°What happened afterward?¡± I ask the question that¡¯s been torturing me for close to two decades. ¡°I think I remember men standing around me, their voices angry. I was terrified and kept crying.¡± I frame her cheeks, and it has her opening her eyes. ¡°And then?¡± I whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything after that.¡± Her gaze locks with mine. ¡°My earliest memory after the attack is of my dad teaching me English.¡± ¡°Your dad?¡± I growl, unspeakable rage shooting through me like a missile hellbent on destroying the entire fucking world. ¡°He wasn¡¯t your father! Your real dad was killed, and the Romanos kidnapped you. I¡¯m going to fucking rip everyst one of them apart with my bare hands.¡± ¡°Leo,¡± she whimpers, quickly pulling away from me and moving backward. ¡°You¡¯re scaring me.¡± Now that I finally have her, I can¡¯t stand any distance between us. I dart forward and grab hold of her again, locking her to my chest with all my strength. No one will ever take her from me again. ¡°Leo,¡± she sobs as she presses her hands against my sides. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡± Just as quickly as I grabbed her, I let her go. I move backward until I hit the doorjamb. My hand ps against my heart, right over the tattoo. I gasp for air as I try to find a way to calm down, but there are too many emotions. Overwhelming relief, destructive rage, and a frantic need to never let her out of my sight. It takes a few minutes before I calm down enough to think straight again. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m struggling to process everything.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she whispers before she crawls closer. Shees to sit beside me and leans back against the wall. ¡°Let¡¯s take a moment to catch our bearings.¡± ¡°My bearings are fucked,¡± I mutter before letting out a sound that¡¯s something between a sob and a chuckle. Suddenly, another thought hits, and it ys my soul raw. ¡°Cazzo.¡± I climb to my feet and stagger away from Haven. ¡°Ges¨´ Cristo!¡± ¡°Leo?¡± I hear here after me, and it has me breaking out in a run. Halfway down the stairs, I grab hold of the banister and fling my body over the side. ¡°Leo!¡± Haven¡¯s scream echoes through the mansion. Ind on my feet and dart forward again. When I run out onto the veranda, I keep going, my shirt pping around me. My breaths saw over my lips, and as the crippling thought digs its ws into me, Ie to a stop, a shout tearing from my chest. I destroyed her life twice. First, her family was killed because of me, then I ripped her away from the life she managed to build from the ashes. I fucking forced her to marry me. Every tear I¡¯ve made her cry, every time I¡¯ve caused her to flinch, every terrified look I¡¯ve seen in her eyes, rip my soul to shreds. The Empress: Chapter 22 When Leo leaped over the side of the staircase, I almost had a heart attack. I rush after him, and when he slows down and drops to his knees on the beach, the shout tearing from him has my heart cracking right down the middle. Ie to a skidding halt and fall to my knees in front of him. His face is torn with something akin to guilt, and the second his eyes touch on me, he lowers his head as if he can¡¯t bear to look at me. Not wanting to set him off again, I fight the urge to touch him. ¡°Hey,¡± I whisper as if I¡¯m talking to a spooked horse. ¡°Tell me what I can do to help.¡± He shakes his head before ncing out over the waves rolling to shore. ¡°Leo.¡± I keep my tone soft as I take a risk, slowly reaching out to him until I¡¯m able to ce my hand on his fist that¡¯s resting on his thigh. I cautiously scoot closer, and when I¡¯m able to wrap my other arm around his neck, I say, ¡°Shhh¡­I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve got you.¡± His body jerks, and he grabs me to him, burying his face in the crook of my neck. I see Edoardo running toward us, and I quickly raise my free arm to indicate for him to stop. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Leave us!¡± He stops but hesitates and only walks back as far as the veranda from where he watches us from. I brush my hand over Leo¡¯s hair and hold him until his breaths return to normal. ¡°Better?¡± I ask, but when I try to pull back so I can see his face, his hold on me tightens until it bes painful. ¡°I¡¯m so fucking sorry for what I¡¯ve done to you.¡± It sounds like the words are being dragged from the depths of hell. ¡°Because of me, your family was killed, and you were kidnapped.¡± He gasps, and the guilt he feels is palpable in the air. ¡°The moment you crossed paths with me again, I forced you to marry me. I¡¯m destroying you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± I strain against his hold and manage to pull back a little. cing my hands on the sides of his jaw, I lift his face so he¡¯ll look at me. ¡°You were a teenager when we were attacked. I don¡¯t know why it happened, but you were just a boy, Leo.¡± ¡°The attack happened the night my father was assassinated. If I had stayed home¡­if I hadn¡¯t gone to your house¡­¡± His breaths start speeding up again, and I have to use force to keep him from turning his head away from me. ¡°No! Don¡¯t me yourself for something that happened because your father was the head of the mafia.¡± There¡¯s so much pain in his eyes, it has tears escaping and rolling over my cheeks. My voice quivers as I say, ¡°Yes, you forced me to marry you, and there¡¯s nothing we can do to change that, but you¡¯ve also tried so hard to make it up to me the past two weeks.¡± I brush my thumbs over his stubble on his jaw. ¡°And you can continue making it up to me for the rest of our lives.¡± He stares at me, his expression constantly changing from guilt to awe to rage to disbelief. His lips part, and he sounds broken as he asks, ¡°How will you ever forgive me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive where the attack is concerned, and as for the forced marriage, time heals all.¡± I try to make light of the situation by joking, ¡°I¡¯m already a quarter of the way to forgiving you.¡± Leo closes his eyes, his features tightening with heartache. ¡°How do I live with what I¡¯ve done to you?¡± ¡°Look at me.¡± I lift myself up so I can press my forehead to his. When his eyes open, I whisper, ¡°We¡¯ll deal with everything one step at a time. You and me. Okay?¡± A tear rolls down his cheek, and it breaks my heart even more. ¡°Stellina mia.¡± I nod as I wrap my arms around him, pressing his head beneath my chin. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m your little star.¡± He kisses the point where my corbones meet then presses another to my throat. When he climbs to his feet, I try to move back, but his arm locks around me while his other hand grips my butt. I have no choice but to wrap my legs around his waist. His features are set in a grim expression as he walks back to the house. He doesn¡¯t even look at Edoardo as we pass him on the veranda. I give our guard a thumbs up so he won¡¯t worry. Leo heads for one of the couches, and when he sits down, he grips the sides of my thighs and forces me to straddle him. I try to pull his shirt back into ce, but then he leans into me and shrugs it off. He also removes the gun from behind his back and drops it on the couch beside us. My gazends on the tattoo over his heart. Once upon a time, I was so important to him, he marked his skin permanently and ced my stuffed toy in a ss box on a pedestal. Earlier, when I asked about the owner of the unicorn, he said he loved me and he always would, until the day he dies. When I tilt my head and brush my fingers over the tattoo, Leo¡¯s eyes lift to my face. What if he can¡¯t be romantic with me anymore? Fear bleeds through me, making my heart beat heavy in my chest. God, I¡¯ve already fallen in love with him. The realization stuns me, and my voice is filled with apprehension as I ask, ¡°Is it weird for you now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you see me as a little sister?¡± His head jerks back, and I begin to worry that I¡¯ve just grossed him out when he mutters, ¡°Hell no. You don¡¯t have to worry about that happening. Ever.¡± I let out a relieved chuckle. ¡°Oh, good.¡± The heartache and guilt return to his face, and it has me leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to his mouth. ¡°What can I do to help? Will talking about it make you feel better?¡± He lifts a hand and rubs over his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to process the shock. My emotions are all over the ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± Leo lets out a heavy sigh before he leans his head back against the couch, his eyes locking on my face. He stares at me for a long moment, then he whispers, ¡°I¡¯m struggling to put the two versions of you together in my mind.¡± His features soften until he looks at me with love. ¡°I swear I searched for you. There wasn¡¯t a day I didn¡¯t think about you.¡± ¡°How could you? You have a little shrine in your bedroom.¡± He bes sad again, and I wish I could magically make him feel better. His voice is brimming with emotion as he says, ¡°I loved you so much when we were young.¡± Lifting his hand to my face, he cups my left cheek. ¡°And I¡¯ve fallen in love with you now.¡± His eyes darken with possessiveness. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to let you out of my sight ever again.¡± It takes close to two hours before Leo seems to get over the worst of the initial shock, but then rage begins to burn in his eyes, which are still glued to me. ¡°Tell me again what you remember from after the attack.¡± I think hard before I answer, ¡°There was a group of men, maybe five or so. They were all shouting.¡± When I don¡¯t add anything else, he asks, ¡°Is that all?¡± I nod. ¡°After that, all my memories are of my mom and dad and growing up in Whitefish. I used to see a therapist for the nightmares, and eventually they stopped. She said I probably blocked all my memories and that it was my mind¡¯s way of protecting me.¡± ¡°They probably brainwashed you,¡± he snaps angrily. He shifts and pulls his phone out of his pocket. I watch as he brings up Massimo¡¯s number, and when the call is answered, he growls, ¡°Bring Dakota Romano to the mansion.¡± My eyebrows fly up, and realizing Mom might be in danger, I quickly move off Leo¡¯sp and climb to my feet. Wildly shaking my head, I say, ¡°Promise you won¡¯t hurt my mom.¡± Still on the call, Leo lets out a dangerous-sounding chuckle. ¡°No. If she had anything to do with your kidnapping, I¡¯m fucking killing her.¡± Horrified, I keep shaking my head. ¡°She¡¯s my mother, Leo! Even if she was involved, she raised me. I love her. If you kill her, you have to kill me.¡± Dropping the phone on the couch without ending the call, he shoots to his feet andes to stand right in front of me. His rage makes him look unbelievably threatening. ¡°You were stolen from me by those fuckers you call family. They fucking killed Diego. Your brother, Carina! They shot your unarmed mother and father as if they were dogs. They put two bullets in me.¡± His voice drops to a low hiss, ¡°I was left lying in a pool of my own blood and couldn¡¯t do shit as you screamed for me to save you.¡± His breathing speeds up dangerously fast. ¡°Because of the Romanos, I¡¯ve lived in hell for seventeen years.¡± Everything in me stills as I listen to Leo¡¯s side of what happened. I lift my hands to the sides of his neck and give him a pleading look. ¡°Hurting my mother will hurt me. Killing her will kill me.¡± I give him a pleading look. ¡°I¡¯ll never ask you for anything again, just don¡¯t hurt her.¡± Leo pulls away from me and picks up his phone before barking, ¡°You still there?¡± He listens, then his eyes lock on me again as he says, ¡°No, don¡¯t tell her anything. Just say she¡¯sing to visit. I want to see her reaction when I confront her. Send Dante and a team to Nicolo¡¯s ce and have them detain everyone. I want Nicolo alive.¡± Leo ends the call, and I give him a hopeful look. He pushes the phone back into his pocket before hees to wrap me up in a hug. I listen as he takes deep breaths, then he says, ¡°I won¡¯t hurt her.¡± A sigh of relief bursts from me, and I wrap my arms around his waist. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only doing it for you.¡± I nod quickly before I push my body up on my tiptoes to press a thankful kiss to his jaw. When I pull back, Leo brings a hand to my face and grips my chin between his fingers. His mouth ms into mine, and he kisses the everloving crap out of me. His tongue thrusts past my lips, and the wildness as he devours me makes me whimper and push my body against his. There¡¯s so much desperation and need, and for a few minutes, there¡¯s only Leo and the way his mouth ims mine. I taste his anger, his pain, and his crazed obsession with me. It should terrify me, but instead, it draws me in like a moth to a me. By the time he breaks the kiss, and we stare at each other, our faces only an inch apart, I realize I¡¯ll allow this man to burn me to ashes. There¡¯s so much emotion alive in his eyes as he says, ¡°I love you so fucking much it drives me to the brink of insanity.¡± He sucks in a deep breath, then tilts his head. ¡°Stellina mia.¡± He brushes his hand over the side of my face, his gaze taking me in as if I¡¯m all that matters to him. ¡°Princepessa mia.¡± I nod before pushing up on my tiptoes so I can kiss him again. It¡¯s tender but quick, then I pull away and say, ¡°You need to put on your shirt.¡± I pick it up off the couch and hold it open so he can push his arms through the rolled-up sleeves. Moving around him, I quickly fasten all the buttons. Leo tucks the fabric into his pants while he walks to where his gun is lying, and I feel a spike of anxiety as he tucks the weapon in behind his back. He said he won¡¯t hurt Mom. I have to trust him. The Empress: Chapter 23 Seeing the anxious look on Haven¡¯s face, I say, ¡°I¡¯m just going to talk to her.¡± She nods. ¡°Okay.¡± I walk to the side table and pour myself a drink, which I down in one gulp. I feel the wee burn of the whiskey in my throat, but it does nothing to ease my thirst for blood. It¡¯s the only thing that will calm me down. Gallons and gallons of fucking Romano blood. My top lip curls up, and I roll my shoulders as I fight the urge to kill. I need to get all my questions answered before I end Nicolo. When I hear a car pull up to the house, I nce at the front door. ¡°Can I talk to her first?¡± Haven asks. Ges¨´ Cristo, she¡¯s asking a lot of me. ¡°I¡¯ll try to give you a few minutes,¡± I mutter, not able to make any promises. When the front door opens and my gazends on Dakota Romano, my fingers grip the tumbler so hard the ss cracks. The sound has Haven¡¯s head snapping in my direction. She rushes to my side and takes the tumbler out of my hand, setting it on the side table. I watch as she inspects my palm, and seemingly pleased I haven¡¯t injured myself, she links her fingers with mine. She came to me instead of running to her mom. Her voice is strained when she says, ¡°Hi, Mom.¡± Dakota nces around the foyer before looking at us. ¡°Hi. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Come sit.¡± Haven gestures at the couches. ¡°We have to talk about something serious.¡± Massimoes in and makes a beeline for me. ¡°You okay?¡± I shake my head, then have no choice but to move when Haven tugs on my hand, pulling me to the couch across from the one Dakota is taking a seat on. ¡°We found out something today,¡± Haven begins to exin after we sit down. ¡°Leo knows me from before you adopted me. He was best friends with my older brother.¡± Confusion and shock shudder over Dakota¡¯s face. ¡°You didn¡¯t have an older brother. You were an only child.¡± ¡°Like fucking hell she was,¡± I growl. Haven squeezes my hand, then continues, ¡°Leo is the boy in the nightmares, Mom. I was taken during an attack where they tried to kill him.¡± ¡°No. Your parents were killed in a robbery gone wrong,¡± Dakota argues. ¡°She was kidnapped right in front of me.¡± I snap angrily, drawing Dakota¡¯s stunned gaze to me. She shakes her head. ¡°I saw the police report. It was a robbery gone wrong.¡± ¡°Carina Messina,¡± I bite her name out. ¡°Was that the name on the police report?¡± Dakota nods. ¡°Yes. She was given a new identity because she saw the robbers.¡± I let out a chuckle, my control slipping fast. Massimoes to sit on the armrest and ces his hand on my shoulder. I know he¡¯s doing it so he can restrain me fast if I lose my shit. ¡°Mom, I remember Leo. He has my stuffed unicorn. He has a photo of me with him and my brother.¡± Shock tightens Dakota¡¯s features again, and she looks truly confounded. ¡°I¡­but your dad¡­but how?¡± I¡¯ve dealt with so many people who¡¯ve lied to try to get out of shit, and my gut¡¯s telling me Dakota is just as in the dark as we are. My tone is a little calmer when I ask, ¡°How did Haven end up with you?¡± ¡°Santo came home with her and said we needed to protect her. He had all her legal documents.¡± She shakes her head again. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have children of our own, and we were so happy to finally have one. We threw ourselves into helping Haven work through her trauma. I didn¡¯t think to ask more questions.¡± I give her an incredulous look. ¡°Your husbandes home with a six-year-old girl that doesn¡¯t speak a word of English and is traumatized out of her fucking mind, and you don¡¯t think to ask questions?¡± Dakota¡¯s chin begins to quiver. ¡°I chose to believe what my husband told me. He arranged the adoption. Why would I question something that¡¯s approved by a court?¡± I stare at her long and hard, and it has her chin starting to quiver. When Haven pulls her hand out of mine, I let her go to her Mom. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom.¡± She wraps an arm around her mother¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We just want to get to the bottom of things.¡± ¡°Nicolo must¡¯ve arranged all the documents and paid off the judge who authorized the adoption,¡± Massimo says. ¡°This is all the proof we need to tie him to your father¡¯s assassination and the Messinas¡¯ deaths.¡± ¡°Oh my God,¡± Dakota exims. ¡°Would Nicolo really kill people?¡± ¡°He has, and he will again,¡± I reply. ¡°I always had a gut feeling he was behind it all, but I could never get solid proof.¡± ¡°That man is vile.¡± Dakota locks eyes with me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the loss you suffered, but I swear on my life, I had nothing to do with it. I just wanted to be a mother, and Haven needed a mother. She became my priority the instant I saw her.¡± My gaze drifts between the two women before I focus on Haven. ¡°Was she a good mother?¡± My wife doesn¡¯t hesitate to answer, ¡°The best. I grew up in a loving and happy home.¡± For years, it haunted me that Carina was sold into sex trafficking or killed, but instead of suffering horrors, she had a happy life. I look at Dakota again, and I don¡¯t know what she sees on my face, butpassion fills her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no one I love more than Haven. I would die for her in a heartbeat.¡± I remember how she fought when I took Haven, and her words erase thest of the suspicion I have regarding her. Massimo¡¯s phone rings, and I nce up at him as he answers the call. ¡°Yes¡­Fine, keep the women there. We¡¯lle over in the next half an hour.¡± He hangs up and says, ¡°Dante says Nicolo left right after you moved Dakota to your mother¡¯s house, and he hasn¡¯t been heard from since.¡± I rise to my feet. ¡°Giada hasn¡¯t heard from her husband in two weeks?¡± Massimo shrugs. ¡°Either that or she¡¯s lying.¡± I walk around the coffee table and lean down to press a kiss to Haven¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter. Visit with your mom.¡± Standing up, she shakes her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ming with you. I don¡¯t want you killing Aunt Giada and Liliana for something Uncle Nicolo did.¡± ¡°Stop calling him uncle! He¡¯s not your family,¡± I snap before I can censor my tone. Haven stares at me until I murmur, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, principessa.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on your side, Leo. I also want answers.¡± She ces her hand on my arm. ¡°I know.¡± I pull her to me and give her another kiss. ¡°You cane.¡± Dakota gets up and sticks to Haven¡¯s side as we head to the garage, while Massimo leaves through the front door to inform Edoardo. After the women and I get into the Porsche, I reverse out and wait for Massimo to take the lead in his SUV. Haven reaches across the center console and ces her hand on my thigh. I remove a hand from the steering wheel and rest it on top of hers. I finally have Carina back. Ges¨´ Cristo, I found her, Diego. I grip her hand tighter and clench my jaw as the wave of emotions hits me for the hundredth time since I realized Haven is Carina. When we pull up to the Romanos¡¯ mansion, my men are scattered over the front yard. ¡°I won¡¯t kill them unless they were involved,¡± I tell Haven, my voice a rumble of warning. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way.¡± After I stop the Porsche, I nce at her. ¡°I need you to trust me.¡± With a nervous expression on her beautiful face, she nods. ¡°I trust you.¡± Her words flow into my heart and settle deep in my soul, easing some of the heartache and guilt ripping me to shreds. I lift her hand and press a kiss to the back of it before I let go and climb out of the car. Knowing my guards have the area secured, I walk ahead of Haven and Dakota and pull my gun out from behind my back. Taking the safety off, I enter the mansion and head straight for where Giada and Liliana are on their knees. I stalk right up to Liliana and fire a shot into the floor that has Giada letting out a blood-curdling scream. Crouching in front of Liliana, I press the barrel of my gun to her head and level her mother with a merciless look. ¡°Where is Nicolo?¡± ¡°Per favore,¡± she begs, tears streaming down her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He just left and didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± I keep staring at her and tighten my finger around the trigger. ¡°Nooo!¡± she cries, grabbing a terrified Liliana to her while squeezing her eyes shut. She begins to recite a prayer, which has me straightening to my full length. ¡°Get up, Giada,¡± I order. She scrambles to carry out themand and moves in front of her daughter to shield her from me. ¡°What do you know of Carina Messina¡¯s family being killed and her kidnapping?¡± Confusion tightens her features. ¡°Carina who?¡± ¡°The night my father was assassinated and I was shot, my best friend¡¯s family was murdered. They took his six-year-old sister. Carina Messina.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of her.¡± I turn and point at where Haven is holding her mom, who looks terrified out of her mind. ¡°Haven is Carina. Nicolo killed my father. He murdered the Messinas in cold blood because I was at their house.¡± ¡°I know nothing about any of that. You know wives have nothing to do with mafia business.¡± Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, and she looks even more nervous as she says, ¡°But I have other information that¡¯s of importance to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but first you have to allow Luciano toe home. My son doesn¡¯t want anything to do with the business. He¡¯s not built for your world.¡± Liliana steps out from behind her mom and gives me a pleading look. ¡°Luciano is a sweet soul who just wants to create perfumes. My father forced him into the business by threatening to kill his boyfriend if Luciano didn¡¯t do as he was told.¡± I stare at the two women as more guilt piles onto the shitload I¡¯m already buried under. I nod. ¡°If your information is good, Luciano can return.¡± ¡°Nicolo is working with Vito Santoro. I think they¡¯re hiding at Vito¡¯s house in Rijeka.¡± She pulls a piece of paper from her pocket. ¡°This address is my payment to get out of the mafia.¡± I take the address from her and nce at it before I pass it to Massimo. ¡°Have men go to Croatia. I want eyes on that house at all times.¡± He nods and pulls his phone out of his pocket to start making calls. I put the safety back on my gun and look at Giada again. ¡°I¡¯m leaving some of my men here in case Nicolo returns.¡± ¡°Liliana and I will go to a hotel,¡± she replies. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here if hees back.¡± I keep her gaze prisoner as I order, ¡°Don¡¯t leave Italy until I¡¯ve killed Nicolo.¡± She nods, cing her arm around her daughter. I nce at Dante. ¡°Have men keep an eye on Giada and Liliana and leave a team here at the mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± As I turn around and walk toward Haven, I say, ¡°Massimo, please take Dakota back to my mother¡¯s ce.¡± Stopping in front of my wife, I tell her mother, ¡°I need to spend some time with Haven for a few days, so she won¡¯t be visiting. I hope you understand.¡± Dakota nods. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure you have a lot to talk about.¡± She gives Haven a hug. ¡°I¡¯ll call you.¡± ¡°Okay. I love you, Mom.¡± ¡°I love you too, Sweetheart.¡± When they pull apart, I take Haven¡¯s hand and lead her out of the mansion. Once we¡¯re alone in the Porsche and I steer the vehicle out of the gates, she says, ¡°Thank you for hearing Aunt Giadia and Liliana out.¡± She ces her hand on my thigh again, which is something I could get addicted to. ¡°And for allowing Luciano to return.¡± I only nod, the need to be alone with Haven at our home overwhelming. There¡¯s so much I want to tell her about Diego and Mr. and Mrs. Messina. My thoughts turn to Nicolo and Vito, and anger swirls in my chest. Honestly, Vito isn¡¯t a priority anymore. I just want Nicolo. I dig my phone out of my pocket and connect it to the Porsche. Dialing Massmimo¡¯s number, I don¡¯t have to wait long for him to answer. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve dropped Dakota off at home, get the private jet ready. I want a team of our best men, especially Dante, Ro, and Mattia. We¡¯re going to Croatia the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay. How are you holding up?¡± My hands grip the steering wheel tighter, and avoiding the truth, I answer, ¡°I just need time to process everything.¡± ¡°Do you want me toe over?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Haven replies on my behalf. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Leo.¡± He pauses for a moment, then says, ¡°Call me if you need anything else.¡± ¡°Thanks, Massimo.¡± I tap on the screen, ending the call, then nce at Haven. ¡°You want to take care of me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There¡¯s a possessive tone to her voice that I like a hell of a lot. ¡°You¡¯re my husband.¡± The Empress: Chapter 24 When we walk through the front door, I head straight for the side table in the living room to pour myself a drink. Just as I take a sip of whiskey, Haven grabs hold of my gun. My body tenses when she pulls it from where it¡¯s tucked into my pants, and I wait to see what she¡¯ll do. She reaches past me and ces it down on the side table. I let out a slow breath, and when she wraps her arms around me from behind and rests her cheek against my back, my body instantly rxes. I close my eyes, focusing on how incredible it feels to be held by the woman I love. The woman I love. ¡°What was I like when I was younger?¡± she asks. ¡°You were a whirlwind of energy,¡± I whisper, the corner of my mouth lifting in a sad smile. ¡°Cazzo, you never did as you were told and drove your mother insane.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Whenever I came over, I always had to give you all the attention you wanted before I could spend time with Diego.¡± Haven brushes her hand up and down my abs before settling her palm over my heart and holding me tighter. I set down the tumbler and ce my hand over hers. With my gaze on the view of the ocean, I let the memories roll over me after doing my best to avoid them for such a long time. ¡°I was there the day Mrs. Messina brought you home after you were born. It would take you an hour to fall asleep, so I used to push your stroller up and down the hallway.¡± ¡°It still takes me an hour,¡± she whispers. My sad smile widens for a moment, and I rub my hand over hers. ¡°When I used to spend the night, your mother would struggle to get you into bed. You¡¯d keep sneaking out to sleep between Diego and me. Eventually, your mother would give up and let you stay with us. I¡¯d always end up with your unicorn in my face and you sprawled over me.¡± My voice drops low, the urge to cry hitting me hard, but I swallow it back. ¡°It was my favorite way to wake up.¡± Haven moves around me, and when I see the tears on her cheeks, I lift my hand to her face and brush them away. ¡°I want to remember my family,¡± she admits. ¡°If you cared about them so much, they had to be wonderful people.¡± ¡°They were. Your family home was the only ce I felt safe. Your parents were so generous and loving. They were even prepared to take me in.¡± I take a breath as a wave of sorrow hits. ¡°Diego always took care of my injuries after my father beat me. Your family was selfless.¡± More tears escape from Haven¡¯s eyes, and I brush them away again. ¡°It hurt losing Diego and your parents, but not being able to find you,¡± I shake my head, my emotions bing too intense for a few seconds before I¡¯m able to continue, ¡°It killed me.¡± She ces her hands on my chest, an expression on her face that looks a lot like love. ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡± I frame her face and stare at her for the longest moment before I lean down and press a soft kiss to her mouth. Our eyes lock, and I whisper, ¡°Your absence killed me, and your presence gives me life. You¡¯re my beginning and end, stellina mia. Now that I have you back, I won¡¯t let anything or anyone take you away from me again.¡± I brush my palm over the side of her head, my eyes drinking in every breathtaking inch of her. ¡°My heart belongs to you. It always has and always will.¡± ¡°Is it weird that I only remember you?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Not at all.¡± The corner of my mouth lifts again. ¡°You always said I was your favorite person.¡± ¡°What was my rtionship with Diego like?¡± I think for a moment before I answer, ¡°You used to annoy the living shit out of him.¡± She lets out a chuckle that sounds like music to my ears, and when her dimple appears, I say, ¡°I should¡¯ve known it was you when I first saw your dimple as you came down the stairs at the party.¡± ¡°A lot of people have dimples.¡± I brush my thumb over the indent on her left cheek, and as my gaze moves over her face again, I say, ¡°You used to have ck hair.¡± ¡°After I graduated from school, I colored it.¡± Needing to hear the words, I ask, ¡°Did you really have a happy life?¡± Haven nods, her smile widening. ¡°Besides the nightmares and therapy, I¡¯ve had an amazing life.¡± We stand and whisper, reconnecting after seventeen years. It¡¯s only when the light flickers on in the living room that I realize it¡¯s gettingte. ¡°What do you want for dinner?¡± I ask. ¡°Something small.¡± Haven starts to walk toward the kitchen and shoots me a grin over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll make grilled cheese sandwiches.¡± I pick up my gun and tuck it into the back of my pants before I follow her. Taking a seat at the ind, I watch as she gets to work. I can¡¯t stop staring at Haven, my eyes tracking every single movement from her. My thoughts are all over the ce until Havenes to me, holding a small piece of cheese between her fingers near my mouth. My eyes lock with hers as I lean forward, and when my lips close around her fingertips, I notice her pupils dting. At least the attraction is still there, and the events of today haven¡¯t destroyed the progress I¡¯ve made with her over the past two weeks. After I pull back to eat the cheese, Haven sucks her fingers into her mouth, giving me a yful look before she returns to making our dinner. I harden fucking fast, my desire for her turning into an inferno of desperation to sink deep into her body. ¡°You¡¯re ying with fire,¡± I warn her. ¡°After the day we¡¯ve had, I have zero self-control tonight. I¡¯ll fuck you right here on the ind.¡± Her eyes dart to me, and not believing me, she lets out a chuckle while shaking her head. I climb to my feet and stalk toward her. She nces over her shoulder again, her eyes widening on me. Wrapping an arm around her, I tug her against my body. My voice drops to a seductive tone as I ask, ¡°Will you stop me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her eyes lower to my mouth. ¡°The marble top doesn¡¯t lookfortable.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± My head jerks back with surprise. ¡°So if I take you to my bed, I might get lucky?¡± Still, thinking I¡¯m joking, she lets out a chuckle and pushes against my chest. ¡°Let me finish making the sandwiches.¡± I lean forward until my mouth is an inch from hers. ¡°I¡¯d much rather have your pussy for dinner. After getting a tastest night, it¡¯s my new favorite meal.¡± ¡°God, Leo!¡± Her face flushes bright red, and she tries to pull away from me while chuckling. ¡°You need to use a filter when speaking.¡± ¡°No.¡± I brush my nose along her jaw before my lips nip at the skin beneath her ear. ¡°I love the way you blush.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blush,¡± she mumbles, her breaths speeding up a little. My lips ghost over her skin to her pink cheeks. ¡°Pink was always your favorite color. It looks good on you.¡± My other hand grips her jaw to keep her in ce, and I nip at her mouth. With my eyes holding hers prisoner, I bite and tug at her bottom lip until her breaths areing hot and fast. Haven¡¯s hands rub up and down my chest before she grips the sides of my neck, her gaze burning with desire. Letting go of her jaw, I keep our eyes locked while my fingers graze the soft skin of her neck. My touch is feather-light over the contours of her body as I move down until I reach her pussy. Her features tighten with need, her lips parting on a gasp that I inhale. I need Haven to want me as much as I want her before I¡¯ll fuck her. ¡°Beg me,¡± I whisper, so I don¡¯t break the spell I¡¯ve woven around her. Her chest rises and falls fast, her nipples hard beneath the fabric of her shirt. When it looks like she¡¯s about to start overthinking things, I m my mouth to hers. I lift both my hands to the sides of her head, my tongue thrusting past her lips to get to the addictively sweet taste. I kiss Haven with every emotion I¡¯ve experienced today. Iy im to her with my lips and teeth, my tongue dominating the fuck out of hers. She makes the sound that drives me wild, and it has my body caging hers to the counter. My hands move down her body, and I grip her breasts, massaging them roughly so I can brand her with my touch. ¡°God,¡± she gasps into my mouth before I smother her with a filthy kiss, which should give her an indication of how I n to fuck her. Deep and rough. Cazzo, I want to ruin herpletely. I let go of one breast, and when I cup her through her jeans, I can feel how fucking hot and wet she is for me. Breaking the kiss, I rasp, ¡°You¡¯re on fire for me, principessa.¡± Haven takes desperate breaths as she looks at me through hershes that are lowered over her eyes. So fucking sexy. Wanting to push her to the brink of madness like she¡¯s done with me, I pull away and swipe my thumb over my bottom lip. Smirking, because she lookspletely out of it, I ask, ¡°Should I continue making dinner while you recover a little?¡± ¡°Dinner?¡± She shakes her head then remembers what she was doing before I seduced the fuck out of her. ¡°Oh, right. Dinner.¡± Laughing, I walk toward the doorway. ¡°I¡¯m going to shower while you finish up in here.¡± When I step into the foyer, I hear her mutter, ¡°Just what I need. A mental image of him naked and wet.¡± ¡°And fucking hard,¡± I call out. ¡°You can always join me.¡± I climb the stairs, and walking into my bedroom, I leave the door open in case a miracle happens and Haven decides to join me. Fuck, I¡¯ll probablye in seconds again. I was so fucking desperate for herst night after eating her out, the instant she touched my cock, it was game over. I switch on the faucets in the shower, and after stripping out of my clothes, I step beneath the spray. Not giving two shits that Haven can walk in on me, I palm my aching cock. Ges¨´ Cristo. Remembering how hot and soaked Haven was when I cupped her pussy through her jeans, I begin to stroke myself slowly. My fist tightens more and more with every stroke, and my muscles tighten. Water runs in rivulets over my heated skin, and I let out a groan. Movement draws my attention, and I watch as Haven slowlyes into the bathroom. Dio, miracles do happen. I don¡¯t stop, but continue stroking my cock, my thumb swiping over the swollen head. Her eyes drift over my body, desire bleeding over her face and parting her lips as she takes her time to admire every inch of me. The air tenses with our powerful attraction for each other. My voice is low andmanding as I say, ¡°Take off your clothes, principessa.¡± I torture myself with slow strokes while I watch as she pulls her shirt over her head. She unhooks her bra, and my hungry gaze feeds on her breasts. I drink in the sight of her stomach and abdomen, and when she shoves her panties and jeans down her legs, I have to squeeze the base of my cock to keep froming at the mere sight of her pussy. Hoarse as fuck, I plead, ¡°Beg and I¡¯ll make youe until you don¡¯t remember your own name and scream mine.¡± Instead of saying the words I want to hear more than anything, Havenes closer and steps beneath the spray with me. She doesn¡¯t say anything as she picks up the body wash, squirting some into her palm. When she starts to wash my chest, my hand falls away from my cock. My desperation for her grows into pure fucking relentless need as I watch her hands move over me. Her fingers follow the lines at my hips and flirt with the sensitive skin dangerously close to my hard-on before her eyes lift to mine and she sinks to her knees. Cazzo. I¡¯mpletely transfixed on Haven as her hand closes around my cock, and when her lips part, I¡¯m unable to breathe. She sucks me into her mouth, only managing to take me a few inches. Fisting my cock, she strokes me while sucking hard as if she knows exactly how I like it. ¡°Christo, principessa,¡± I hiss, my hands gripping her wet hair. I¡¯m so fucking worked up for her, it only takes her head bobbing a few times to make my balls tighten. ¡°Pull away.¡± Instead of listening, Haven sucks me to the back of her throat, and I¡¯m done for. Pleasure shoots through my body, drawing a hiss from me as I jerk in her hot mouth. The instant I¡¯m doneing, I reach down and yank her to her feet, my mouth mming into hers so I can taste myself on her tongue. I blindly reach for the faucets, switching them off. Haven¡¯s hands rub up my chest, and when her arms circle my neck and she presses her wet, naked body to mine, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be able to stop myself now. My kisses turn desperate, my tongue licking and teeth biting her lips, her jaw, and her neck. ¡°Please, Leo,¡± she gasps. ¡°I want you so much. Please make love to me.¡± Hearing her finally beg, I¡¯mpletely stripped of my control. A million men won¡¯t be able to stop me from fucking her tonight. The Empress: Chapter 25 I should¡¯ve waited for us to dry off before I gave in and begged. Leo doesn¡¯t care that we¡¯re wet as he holds me to his body with one arm, moving me to his bed. My feet dangle a few inches from the floor, and I realize how strong he is to be able to carry me with one arm. ¡°We¡¯re soaking wet,¡± I mumble against Leo¡¯s mouth while he kisses me as if he¡¯ll die if he stops. ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± he grumbles, lowering me to the ck covers on his bed. Bracing himself with one hand beside me, his lips knead and suck my skin as he moves down to my chest. Leo massages my right breast and bites my nipple before his tongue eases the sting. I ce my hands on his chest, my hands gliding over his wet skin, and seeing the drops on his pecs and abs is like watching porn. He licks and kisses his way to my abdomen, and it looks like he¡¯s savoring the feel of my skin on his lips as he takes his time. His fingers slowly trail over the curls between my legs, then he parts me and caresses my clit way too softly. ¡°More,¡± I moan, arching my back. ¡°Patience,¡± he murmurs against my heated core, sending tingles exploding over my body. ¡°You tortured me enough the past two weeks,¡± Iin. ¡°That¡¯s all on you, principessa. I was ready to fuck you the instant I saw you in that tight pink dress at the party.¡± ¡°So, fuck me then!¡± I begin to sit up, but Leo darts over me, pressing me back into the covers. He grabs hold of my hands and pins my arms above my head with one hand, while he moves his other back to my clit. Shaking his head, he growls, ¡°You don¡¯t get to make demands in bed. Here, I¡¯m the one making the rules.¡± Oh God. That¡¯s freaking hot. With hisshes half-mast and hunger tightening his features, he looks downright predatory. He keeps brushing his finger lightly over my bundle of nerves, watching as my breath speeds up. I decide to try begging again. ¡°Harder, please.¡± Leo shakes his head, the corner of his mouth lifting into that stupidly hot smirk. It only makes me feel even more turned on. Suddenly, he rubs his entire palm hard over me, and my body bows off the bed. ¡°God, yes,¡± I gasp, my eyes almost rolling back into my head. Just as I think I¡¯m going to get what I want, he reverts to torturing me with soft brushes of his finger. ¡°I hate you,¡± I mutter. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± He lets out a dark-sounding chuckle. ¡°At least you feel something for me.¡± Giving me a look of warning, he orders, ¡°Link your fingers together and keep your arms above your head. If you move, I stop, and we start the whole process over.¡± I do as I¡¯m told while mumbling, ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± His pupils dte, and letting go of my wrists, he crawls down my body,vishing my skin with hungry kisses. I swear I¡¯m going toe the second he sucks my clit. Leo blows hot air over the valley between my legs while I open my legs to amodate his shoulders. With my ex, there wasn¡¯t much forey, and when he tried, it didn¡¯t make any difference. Most times, I faked my orgasms so I wouldn¡¯t hurt his pride. As I lie naked, stretched out like a Sunday lunch spread, I¡¯m close to losing my mind from all the torturous forey. I love it. When his tongue sweeps from my opening to my clit, my butt lifts and my head tilts back, a deep moan drifting over my lips. ¡°Yes.¡± Leo circles the needy bundle of nerves with his thumb, and just when I¡¯m a second away from begging, he sucks me so hard I see stars. Right as my orgasm threatens to strike, Leo eases his touch. He keeps the torturous pace up until I cry, ¡°Please. Okay, you want me to beg?¡± My breaths rush from me, my chest heaving, and my body coated in a fineyer of sweat. ¡°I¡¯ll beg. Please, for the love of all that¡¯s holy, make mee. Please, Leo. Please.¡± He thrusts a finger into my soaked entrance, and the wet sounds should make me die of embarrassment, but I¡¯m too far gone to care. ¡°Please,¡± I whimper, every muscle in my body wound tight. Leotches onto my clit with one hell of a force, wringing the most intense pleasure from my body I¡¯ve ever experienced. A scream tears from me, my body tenses to the point where I feel like I might snap, then I¡¯m free-falling, getting swept up in unadulterated ecstasy. His other hand begins to massage my breasts as he fucks my clit with his tongue and teeth, and the orgasm just keeps going with no end in sight. Tears spill from my eyes, and I sob from the overwhelming intensity. Leo begins to alternate betweenpping at me and sucking my clit into oblivion, and I realize he¡¯s going to town on me every time my inner muscles begin to rx around his finger. Jesus, he¡¯s ying me like a freaking fiddle. The pleasure lessens once again, then suddenly, I grow sensitive. When my body jerks, Leo instantly lifts his head and kneels between my thighs. ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± He grips the outside of my legs and hauls my ass right against his pelvis. With me spread open as wide as I¡¯ll go and Leo kneeling, I have one hell of a hot view as he pushes his cock over my clit. It feels like he¡¯s massaging me, and I manage to catch my breath a little before a whole different kind of need grips my core. ¡°Fuck me,¡± I say, my eyes locking on his cock that¡¯s slick with my arousal. ¡°Soon,¡± he grumbles, his eyes roving over every inch of my body before settling between my legs. ¡°Once you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± Gripping his cock, he positions the swollen head at my entrance, which has me frowning because he¡¯s doing the opposite of what he just said. I notice his hand is shaking as he takes hold of my hip, then he pushes against my opening but doesn¡¯t enter me. I let out a frustrated whine, which has Leo leaning over me and sealing his mouth to mine. His tongue plunges into my mouth, and I taste myself while he keeps pushing against my entrance with short thrusts. When I¡¯m thoroughly kissed and breathless, Leo lifts his head and locks eyes with me. ¡°Now you¡¯re ready.¡± The next second, he thrusts hard, his cock stretching the hell out of me. It feels like there¡¯s no more space for him inside me, but he pulls a little out and ms into me again, hitting me so deep, I can¡¯t keep a cry from bursting over my lips. There¡¯s a sharp pain that has me pulling my arms down. Leo doesn¡¯t still but pulls out again before slowly pushing back inside me. He does it twice more, and the sting quickly fades, leaving me feeling impossibly full and stretched to the limits. ¡°Almost ready,¡± Leo says, his voice hoarse, and his eyes still locked with mine. Ready for what? This is what I wanted. He¡¯s fucking me. His body trembles as he thrusts slowly into me a few more times, then he shifts his position, his thigh pressing against the side of my butt, and I have to hook my leg over his. Leo grips my side with one hand while he keeps himself braced on his other forearm. Suddenly, he ms freaking hard into me, making my body jerk and a gasp spill over my lips. ¡°Hold onto me,¡± he orders. I grab his arm beside me just as he rams into me again, and then he takes me incredibly rough and fast. Oh Jesus. Now I understand what he meant. I grip hold of his neck with my other hand as my body keeps jerking from his powerful thrusts. It feels like he¡¯s setting me on fire from the inside out, and I can barely manage gasping, never mind taking a full breath. His body rolls over me like a destructive wave, and the pleasure he¡¯s creating deep inside me makes me feel delirious. ¡°Leo.¡± His name spills over my lips like a prayer. ¡°That¡¯s right, principessa,¡± he groans. ¡°Keep saying my name.¡± Every time he ms into me, I chant his name until he hits a spot inside me that turns the chant into a scream as my orgasm seizes me. Leo doesn¡¯t ease up on me, and he keeps hammering against that spot that has me losing my mind. I let out a broken cry because the pleasure is bing too intense, and just as I sob and tears escape my eyes, ecstasy washes through me like a soothing balm, turning mepletely boneless. I¡¯m only half aware of Leo¡¯s body jerking against mine as he finds his release deep inside me. He presses his forehead to mine, our harsh breaths warming the air we¡¯re desperately trying to inhale. I was always too d when sex was over, but when Leo buries himself in me and stills, I¡¯m ovee with emotion because it was the most intense and hottest experience of my life. Another sob bursts from me, and I¡¯m mortified when I start crying. ¡°Shh¡­¡± Leo murmurs, and he presses tender kisses to my mouth, jaw, and cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± I wrap my arms around his neck and cling to him until the emotions finally lessen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He gives me another tender kiss. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry for.¡± His expression is soft with love as he asks, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I suck in a shaky breath. ¡°It was just overwhelming.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been told I have that effect on people,¡± he jokes, the corner of his mouth lifting. A smile forms on my face, but it¡¯s quickly wiped off when he slowly pulls out before pushing even more slowly back inside me. ¡°How are you still hard?¡± ¡°What do you expect? I¡¯m inside you for the first time, so it¡¯s a given.¡± His hips move again, sending residual tremors of pleasure through me. I give him an incredulous look. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it take an hour or so to recharge?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re a grower and not inside the most beautiful woman in the world.¡± He smirks at me. ¡°Hard or not, I remain the same size. With your pussy finally wrapped tightly around me, I¡¯ll probably fuck you for the next twenty-four hours.¡± His lips nip mine as he slowly thrusts into me again. ¡°I¡¯m just giving you time to recover, then I n on taking you from behind and every other fucking position known to mankind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of stamina.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do all the work.¡± I let out a chuckle, which makes Leo¡¯s body jerks against mine. ¡°Cazzo, squeeze my cock like that again and I won¡¯t be able to wait for you to recover.¡± I lift an eyebrow at him. ¡°Yeah?¡± I clench my inner muscles to see what will happen. Leo rips his body away from mine, then I¡¯m grabbed and flipped onto my hands and knees. When his cock surges back inside me, I facent into the bed and grip the covers for dear life. The Empress: Chapter 26 When I¡¯m done drying our bodies, I pick Haven up and carry her into my walk-in closet, where I set her down on the plush, round seat in the middle of the floor. ¡°Stay.¡± Her eyes follow my movements as I pull a pair of boxers out of a drawer, and when I step into them, she says, ¡°I wonder what the time is.¡± I walk to a counter holding all my wristwatches. ¡°Almost four.¡± ¡°Wow. It¡¯s almost time for breakfast.¡± I grab one of my T-shirts and walk back to her. She lifts her arms and lets me pull the fabric down over her head. I wrap my arm around her back and haul her to her feet so I can adjust the shirt around her thighs, then I hook my other arm under her knees and carry her bridal style out of the closet. ¡°I¡¯m not even going to argue because my legs are still numb.¡± The corner of my mouth lifts. ¡°The second you¡¯re able to walk again, I¡¯m going to fuck you so I can keep carrying you everywhere.¡± Laughter bubbles over her lips as I take the stairs down to the first floor. The lights go on, and I cross the foyer to where the kitchen is. ¡®Finally! Food,¡± she sighs when I set her down on the ind. ¡°Yes. You need to build up your energy.¡± I collect the sandwiches she was preparingst night and throw them in the trash before I take chicken breasts and vegetables from the fridge. ¡°Where did you learn to cook?¡± Haven asks, swinging her legs and looking happy. I pause to take in the moment, then smile at her. ¡°I like seeing you happy.¡± Setting the food on the counter, I grab a pan and put some olive oil in it. ¡°Your mother was an amazing cook. I loved watching her, and she started teaching me the basics. After her death, I kept practicing.¡± I nce at my wife again. ¡°It was my way of honoring her memory.¡± Haven¡¯s eyebrows draw together, and sadness shes over her features. ¡°You were very upset earlier, so I didn¡¯t want to ask, but will you please tell me more about my family?¡± Cazzo, I¡¯m an asshole. I made it all about me instead of thinking about Haven. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, stellina mia. I should¡¯ve taken you into consideration.¡± I set the pan down on the stove. ¡°Wait! I have photos.¡± I dart out of the kitchen and jog to my bedroom. Walking into my closet, I pull a box from the top shelf and carry it back to where the love of my life is waiting. I ce the box beside her and take off the lid. She peeks curiously inside and pulls a small pink nket out. ¡°I remember this!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good sign,¡± I say, hope creeping into my chest. Maybe Haven¡¯s memory will return if she sees more things from her past. I dig in the box until I find the photos, which I should¡¯ve put in an album, but I could never bring myself to look at them. My eyes lock on the first one that¡¯s of Mrs. Messina smiling at the camera. I pull myself up on the ind, and sitting beside Haven, I show her the photo. ¡°This is your mother. Vi Messina.¡± Her hand trembles when she takes the photo, and when her chin quivers, I wrap my arm around her and pull her tight against my side. ¡°She¡¯s so pretty,¡± Haven whispers. ¡°Your name was thest word she said.¡± Haven leans her head against the side of my chest and sniffles. ¡°Carina Messina. It feels weird.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable,¡± I murmur. She takes the photos from me and looks at the next one, which is of her on Diego¡¯s back. He has an empty toilet roll strapped to his forehead, the expression on his face not impressed at all. There¡¯s also one of me and her in the same pose. ¡°Oh my gosh, these are so cute.¡± ¡°You made us crawl around pretending we were unicorns.¡± I rub my hand up and down her arm while chuckling. ¡°Your father wasughing so much he struggled to take the photos, which only pissed off Diego more.¡± Haven moves on to the next photo, which is of Mr. and Mrs. Messina sitting outside onwn chairs. ¡°My parents.¡± When she wipes at her face, I realize she¡¯s crying, and I press a kiss to her temple. ¡°Your father¡¯s name was Corrado Messina,¡± I tell her while she continues to look through the pictures. When she looks at one of her father holding her and her mother pressing a kiss to her cheek, her breath catches in her throat. ¡°Leo, I remember this! I think it was my birthday. There was a pink unicorn cake.¡± My eyes dart to her face, and I¡¯m hit with a burst of relief and happiness that she hasn¡¯t forgotten her familypletely. ¡°It was your sixth birthday, a month before the attack.¡± ¡°I remember my parents,¡± she sobs, and as she presses the photo to her chest and begins to cry, I hold her tightly and drop kisses in her hair. Her voice breaks over the words as she says, ¡°I want to remember everything.¡± ¡°I wish I could give you all my memories,¡± I whisper. ¡°Tell me more. I want to know everything.¡± ¡°One day after school, when Diego and I got home, your mother was sitting on the floor crying. We thought she had fallen and hurt herself, but she was upset because you¡¯d just taken your first step, and by the time she grabbed the camera, you sat down and she missed her chance to take a photo.¡± While Haven continues looking through all the pictures, I slip off the ind and start preparing the food. I let out a chuckle when a memory pops into my mind. ¡°There was a morning when you walked in on your parents having sex. Diego was so grossed out. It was up to me to drag you out of their bedroom while they were shouting for you to get out.¡± I start tough. ¡°You were so worried because you thought your dad was stuck inside your mom, and you wanted to help pull them apart.¡± I nce at Haven. ¡°Your parents couldn¡¯t look me in the eye for a whole month and kept apologizing.¡± ¡°Did you see them butt naked?¡± I nod while another chuckle escapes me. ¡°I canugh about it now, but back then it was the most embarrassing moment of my life.¡± Haven¡¯s smiling as she listens to me, so I continue telling her story after story while I prepare the food. When I set the tes down on the marble counter, she jumps off and takes a seat on the stool beside me. We eat for a little while, and after I take a sip of water, I say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I terrified you those first two days I brought you here.¡± Her eyes meet mine. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to grovel for the rest of our lives.¡± I nod, prepared to do anything she wants. Haven tilts her head and stares at me for a few seconds before she says, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m an idiot, but I forgive you.¡± My eyebrow lifts. ¡°Really?¡± She rolls her eyes and gives me a yful smile. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s probably the great sex and multiple orgasms that twisted my arm.¡± ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s the kind of groveling you want from me, I¡¯d better get to work.¡± I stand up and pick her up off the stool. Haven lets out a burst ofughter. ¡°We just ate. Should we wait half an hour like you do before swimming?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a myth,¡± I tell her as I carry her back to my bedroom.
After spending two amazing days with Haven, I hate being away from her. Even though I trust Edoardo to protect her, I feel unsettled as we step off my private jet, which justnded at a private airfield in Croatia. Find Nicolo and kill him so you can get back to your wife. Dante instructs my men on what to do as Massimo and I walk toward the row of SUVs. We¡¯re all already geared up with armored vests and machine guns, so we don¡¯t have to waste any more time at the airfield. ¡°You look so much better,¡± Massimoments for the umpteenth time when I open the passenger door. ¡°Say it again, and we¡¯re going to have a problem,¡± I grumble, not really meaning it. I get into the cab, and when Massimo slides in behind the steering wheel, he ces his machine gun on myp and chuckles, ¡°You look so much better.¡± I shove at his shoulder, giving him a yful re. ¡°Let¡¯s get going so we can kill those fuckers. I¡¯m impatient to go home to my wife.¡± ¡°Now you know how I feel every time we take a trip,¡± he replies. When he starts the engine and follows behind Dante, who¡¯s in the SUV in front of us, I pull my phone out of my pocket and type out a text to Haven. Leo: We¡¯vended in Croatia. I hope you¡¯re enjoying your time with your mother. I love you, stellina mia. I put the device away, and my thoughts turn to Nicolo. I haven¡¯t decided how I¡¯m going to kill the fucker once I¡¯m done getting all my answers. I keep thinking of different ways. Everything from beating him to death to letting rats eat their way through his gut. Cazzo, rats are out of the question because I don¡¯t have any. After a while of driving, Massimo says, ¡°We¡¯re five minutes away.¡± I roll my shoulders and say a silent prayer that I won¡¯t lose any men today. My gaze focuses on our surroundings. The coastal area is luxurious, and the mansions are spaced far apart from each other. Dante speeds up, and when he turns and drives through a set of ck gates, all the SUVs follow, and a few secondster, wee to a screeching halt. I shove Massimo¡¯s machine gun onto hisp, and throwing my door open, I jump out of the vehicle. Gunfire erupts as soon as my men pour from their SUVs. As they storm the mansion, taking out Vito¡¯s guards, Massimo and I bring up the rear. Dante¡¯s the first to breach the front door, and I nce at Massimo, ¡°He¡¯s like a bulldozer.¡± ¡°Just very passionate about his job,¡± my right-hand man replies with a chuckle. We enter the mansion where bodies lie scattered on the tiles, then I hear Dante¡¯s voice through the earpiece I¡¯m wearing. ¡°We¡¯re by the pool.¡± ¡°Which way do we go?¡± I ask no one in particr. ¡°Through that door, boss,¡± Mattia answers, pointing at a doorway to our left. The mansion is decorated in bright blue and yellow, with weird statues of balloon animals. ¡°Cazzo, Vito¡¯s taste sucks ass,¡± I mutter. ¡°You can say that again,¡± Massimo agrees right before we step through French doors and out onto a patio. Four young women, dressed in bikinis, are holding each other while my men have guns on them. ¡°Take the women inside. They don¡¯t leave before we do, but make sure they see nothing,¡± Massimo orders. My eyesnd on Nicolo and Vito, where they¡¯re sitting on lounge chairs with drinks in their hands. My rage spikes dangerously as I look at the two men who¡¯ve been living the good life the past two weeks. Dante and Ro have their guns trained on the two fuckers¡¯ heads. ¡°I¡¯m offended that I wasn¡¯t invited to the party,¡± I say, my voice tense as I hand my machine gun to Massimo. I pull my Glock from behind my back and take a seat on a chair near them. ncing around at the weirdly shaped bushes, I shake my head before I lift my arm and pull the trigger. Vito¡¯s head snaps back as the bullet hits him between the eyes, and his drink goes flying onto the paving. Now it¡¯s me and the man who ruined my fucking life and took the Messinas from me. The man who kidnapped Carina and hid her from me. Looking at Nicolo, I mutter, ¡°Button up your shirt.¡± I gesture with my gun at his belly and gray chest hair. ¡°No one wants to see that.¡± He sets his drink down beside him and buttons his shirt before asking, ¡°How did you find me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that saying about a scorned woman?¡± I try to remember, but then shake my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I stand up again and walk closer to him, then pointing my weapon at his left leg, I shoot him in the knee. Nicolo lets out a roar while he grabs his leg, pain etched deep into his features, and it soothes my anger a little. ¡°Imagine my surprise when I found out Haven is Carina,¡± I growl. Hatred tightens Nicolo¡¯s features even more. ¡°I should¡¯ve killed her. I fucking knew this would bite me in the ass.¡± ¡°Grow a pair of balls and admit why you did it,¡± I demand. Nicolo res up at me. ¡°Why, you¡¯re going to kill me anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, but you can either die quick or I can torture you.¡± I nce at the view of the ocean. ¡°I made a friend in South America who has the most creative ways of making people suffer. I¡¯ve heard he recently cut off a man¡¯s cock. Imagine that.¡± I shake my head and look at Nicolo again. ¡°It had to have hurt a lot.¡± ¡°Your father was a loose cannon!¡± Nicolo shouts. ¡°Everyone wanted him dead. I just had the guts to do it. It¡¯s a pity you survived, though,¡± he taunts me. ¡°How did it feel when you realized you forced the girl you were searching for all this time to marry you?¡± He¡¯s baiting me so I¡¯ll give him a quick death out of anger, and it almost works as rage explodes through me. Before I can think things through, I shoot him in his other knee. His howl of pain eases my thirst for vengeance a little, and I walk to the other garden chair and take a seat again. Out of fear that I¡¯ll lose my temper, I hold my gun out to Massimo. ¡°Take it before I end him too quickly.¡± My right-hand manes to take the weapon and remains standing beside me. Tilting my head, I ask, ¡°Why kill the Messinas?¡± ¡°Dead people can¡¯t talk,¡± he groans, blood streaming down his legs and forming pools on the paving. ¡°Get towels or something to wrap around his knees,¡± I order. ¡°I don¡¯t want him bleeding out too fast.¡± ¡°Give me your belt,¡± Dante orders Ro while he removes his own. I wait while he fastens them around Nicolo¡¯s thighs to slow the bleeding. Ro grabs towels from the other side of the pool, where the women were probably sunbathing before we interrupted the private party, and jogs back to us. When they¡¯re done patching up Nicolo as best they can, I lift my eyebrow at the fucker. ¡°Tell me what happened that night.¡± ¡°You know what happened. I sanctioned the attacks to eliminate your family. Anyone who got in the way was coteral damage.¡± ¡°And Carina?¡± ¡°When the men came back with the girl, I sent her to my brother and helped him with the paperwork. You should thank me. She lived a good life instead of dying like the rest of her family.¡± I stare long and hard at Nicolo. ¡°Crawl to me.¡± He lets out a bark ofughter. ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°Someone find a knife so we can cut off his dick,¡± I call out. Fear fills Nicolo¡¯s eyes, and he shakes his head wildly as Ro runs into the mansion. ¡°If you can crawl to me before Ro returns, and beg me for mercy, I¡¯ll shoot you in the head. If Ro beats you to it, then you¡¯ll find out how much it hurts to have your dick cut off.¡± I lean forward and rest my forearms on my thighs. ¡°Your choice.¡± Nicolo slides off the chair, crying out when his knees touch the pavement. Unable to stay up, he face-nts hard. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re not even trying,¡¯ I taunt him, my eyes feasting on the excruciating pain etched all over his pale face. Nicolo pushes up, but unable to use his knees, he begins to drag himself toward me. Roes out of the mansion, and with one hard push and an agonizing roar, Nicolo dives forward,nding at my feet. When he rolls onto his back and looks up at me, I growl, ¡°Whatever you¡¯re feeling right now is nothingpared to what I felt when you killed the Messinas and took Carina from me.¡± ¡°Mercy,¡± he gasps. ¡°Beg!¡± I roar, my body shaking with rage as I hold my hand out. Ro ces the knife in my palm, and it has Nicolo sobbing, ¡°Please, Leo. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No.¡± I shake my head. ¡°You¡¯re just sorry I found out the truth.¡± ¡°Leo.¡± His voice is filled with terror as I lift my arm into the air, then he begs, ¡°Have mercy on me!¡± Standing up, I keep eye contact with him, my entire body shaking with every ounce of pain this man has caused me and Haven. ¡°Leo!¡± he cries desperately when I crouch beside him. My voice rumbles like thunder as I say, ¡°Slithering like a snake wasn¡¯t the deal, Nicolo. You didn¡¯t crawl.¡± He tries to reach for me, but I p his hand away before I use all my strength to plunge the knife into his chest. I hear a bone crack and air bursts from Nicolo¡¯s mouth. Our eyes remain locked as my thirst for vengeance wins out. I begin to stab him repeatedly until he¡¯s nothing but a bloody mess, and his gaze turns lifeless. It¡¯s still not enough, and I toss the knife to the side so I can beat him with my fists, a shout tearing from my chest. ¡°Everyone, clear out!¡± Massimo orders, then he pulls at my shoulders and drags me away from Nicolo¡¯s mangled body. His arms lock around me from behind. ¡°It¡¯s over. You¡¯ve killed him.¡± I grip Massimo¡¯s arm, gasping for air as the realization sinks into the depths of my soul. I¡¯ve finally killed Nicolo Romano. I¡¯ve avenged the Messinas. The Empress: Chapter 27 Leo¡¯s only been gone to look for Nicolo a day, and I already miss him. I was supposed to visit Mom, but I ended up cancelling because I need time to process everything I learned about my past. When we found out who I am, Leo lost his shit, and I had to focus on calming him down to keep him from going on a killing spree. Sitting on the couch, I stare through the windows at the view of the ocean, my Kindle forgotten on myp. Sofia, the housekeeper, left two hours ago, and since then I¡¯ve been sitting here trying to remember my family. There are only little bits and pieces, but no real memories. I Googled it, and they say it¡¯s normal for memories before the age of six to be vague and fragmented. Still, it doesn¡¯t keep me from trying. All the therapy I received over the years helped me deal with my parents being murdered in a robbery gone wrong. But¡­ I also lost an older brother. And it wasn¡¯t a robbery. My family was murdered because Nicolo wanted to kill Leo. I was kidnapped. I lean forward and pick up the stack of photos again. I keep looking through them because seeing my family and how happy we were makes me feel closer to them. Slowly, I stare at one photo after another, memorizing every little detail of Diego and our parents¡¯ faces. My phone beeps, pulling me out of my thoughts. I set the photos down before picking up the device and checking the message. Kristen: What the hell is going on in Italy? It¡¯s been a month! I¡¯m worried sick. We¡¯ve shared everything, Haven. I know when you¡¯re keeping something from me. Before I can reply, she sends another text. Kristen: I got all your stuff out of the house. Half is in my parents¡¯ garage, and the rest I ced in storage. A pang of sadness hits because I miss my best friend so much. Instead of typing a message, I press dial and wait for the call to connect. The second it rings, Kristen epts, and then she cries, ¡°Oh my God!!! Haven? Are you okay? Is your mom okay? What the hell is going on over there?¡± ¡°Hi. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I lower my head and draw random patterns on the couch with my finger. ¡°A lot has happened.¡± ¡°Tell me everything,¡± Kristen demands. ¡°Wait. It¡¯s so good to hear your voice. I miss you.¡± I let out a chuckle. ¡°I miss you too.¡± My teeth tug at my bottom lip, then I say, ¡°So you know those mafia romances we always read?¡± ¡°Random topic change, but yeah?¡± ¡°Remember I told you about the hot guy I saw at that party?¡± Her voice sounds wary as she replies, ¡°Yeah?¡± I squeeze my eyes shut and blurt out, ¡°When all the shit went down and we couldn¡¯te home, it¡¯s because he basically took me and forced me to marry him.¡± ¡°Say what now?¡± Kristen gasps. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. I¡¯m safe and my mom¡¯s safe, but there¡¯s so much to tell you.¡± ¡°Wait¡­what?¡± Her tone is filled with confusion. ¡°You were forced to marry some random guy? Why?! What the fuck! And you¡¯re only telling me this now? Do I need to call the FBI, or CIA, or Interpol? Isn¡¯t Harlow¡¯s brother a Navy Seal? I can check. If he is, he me be able to help.¡± ¡°No!¡± I shriek. ¡°Don¡¯t getw enforcement involved at all. Promise me you won¡¯t tell anyone!¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not making that promise,¡± she mutters. ¡°Let me exin everything,¡± I say, before taking a deep breath. ¡°Yes, Leo forced me to marry him, but it¡¯s not¡­bad.¡± ¡°Are you asking me or telling me?¡± Kristen snaps, and I can hear she¡¯s a second away from losing her cool. Hopefully, this doesn¡¯t blow up in my face. ¡°Leo is the head of the Italian mafia, so I¡¯m basically living our book-world dream. He¡¯s amazing, Kristen. Intense as hell, but he loves me. It turns out, I knew Leo from before my parents adopted me. My family was killed, Leo was shot, and I was kidnapped,¡± I ramble to get all the information out as quickly as possible. ¡°Leo¡¯s been searching for me all this time, but that¡¯s not why he married me. We only found out about our past connection after the wedding. He¡¯s shown me photos of them and told me so many things. I had a whole family I forgot about.¡± A sob bursts from me, and before I know it, I¡¯m ugly crying. ¡°Oh, Haven,¡± Kristen says, her tone stunned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call sooner, so I could¡¯ve helped you through all of that shit?¡± I sob uncontrobly because Kristen is the one person who¡¯s not involved in all of this. She¡¯s my person who¡¯s one hundred percent there for me. ¡°I¡¯m here. Jesus, Haven. I wish I could hold you,¡± she says, her tone supportive and loving. ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯m so sorry you¡¯re going through this.¡± I begin to calm down. ¡°I just hate that I can¡¯t remember more of my family. They looked so happy in the photos. I can see how much they loved me.¡± ¡°Oh, honey.¡± I take a deep breath and gather my thoughts. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get back to Leo. I want you to know I¡¯m safe with him. He¡¯s groveled, and he¡¯s still groveling. It¡¯s actually sweet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to need a few bottles of wine to help me process all of this,¡± she mutters. ¡°So you¡¯re married to a mafia boss?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re not nning your escape because you say he¡¯s groveling and you think it¡¯s sweet?¡± Her tone is cynical, and she clearly thinks I¡¯ve lost my mind. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to exin. The moment I saw Leo, there was an instant connection. Yes, he screwed up, but he¡¯s been amazing since. I¡¯m falling in love with him.¡± ¡°Right.¡± She¡¯s quiet for a few seconds. ¡°I¡¯ming to Italy.¡± I sit up straighter. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. If I have to, I¡¯ll sell a kidney on the ck market to pay for the ticket.¡± I let out a chuckle. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I¡¯ll buy you a ticket. My husband is stinking rich, and I have no problem spending his money.¡± She lets out a bark ofughter. ¡°I trained you well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Leo once he¡¯s home so we can make travel arrangements for you.¡± ¡°Your mafia husband won¡¯t kill me or arrange a marriage for some kind of business deal?¡± she teases me. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. He might,¡± I joke. I see Edoardoing around the side of the mansion to check the veranda, and I wave. He gives a smile before continuing with his inspection. ¡°Oooh. If you¡¯re into bodyguards, I have one you might like. That¡¯s if he¡¯s single.¡± Kristenughs again before her tone grows serious. ¡°Are you safe? You won¡¯t get hurt being married to a mafia boss? What did your Mom say? Is she okay?¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s okay. She¡¯s living with my mother-inw right now, but Leo¡¯s bought her a house. We¡¯re just waiting for all the paperwork to be finalized.¡± I take a breath before I continue, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m safe. Whenever I leave the house, I have four guards with me.¡± ¡°Great, but are you safe with Leo?¡± I don¡¯t hesitate to answer, ¡°Yes. Leo loves me so much, Kristen. You¡¯ll see it when youe to visit. He makes me feel like the most important person in the world.¡± ¡°Aww¡­I want to see this for myself, though.¡± ¡°Besides finding out about my family, I¡¯m happy. Leo makes me happy.¡± Her voice is soft as she asks, ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°He¡¯s unlike anyone I¡¯ve ever met, and the attraction is out of this world.¡± ¡°Have you slept with him?¡± she gasps. ¡°He¡¯s my husband,¡± I mutter before chuckling. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean shit. Did you sleep with him?¡± My cheeks grow warm, and I fall back onto the couch, kicking my legs before I say, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You better tell me everything!¡± ¡°It was freaking hot, Kristen.¡± I take a deep breath before shrieking. ¡°He¡¯s a beast in bed.¡± ¡°Well, now it makes sense why you¡¯ve forgiven him for the whole forced marriage thing,¡± she teases me. ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± I joke. ¡°But besides the sex, he¡¯s¡­he¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re so freaking in love you¡¯re speechless,¡± she gasps. ¡°Wow, you have it bad for Leo.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so difficult to exin things. There are so many sides to him. One minute he¡¯s all sweet and loving, and the next, he¡¯s temptation on two legs.¡± ¡°I should be more worried about you, but you sound so happy,¡± my best friend says. I sit up again. ¡°Pack your bags. As soon as Leo¡¯s back, I¡¯m booking you the first avable flight to Italy.¡± Kristen lets out an excited shriek. ¡°I¡¯m going to hug you so hard! I can¡¯t wait.¡± We talk for another hour before we end the call, and I lie back down on the couch again. I feel so much better after getting to unload on Kristen. I should¡¯ve called her sooner, but with everything that was happening, it was thest thing on my mind. It¡¯s going to take some time to process everything I¡¯ve learned about my past, and I¡¯ll just have to take it one day at a time. As for Leo? Yeah, I¡¯m falling fast and hard for him. My thoughts turn to the past two days, and I recall all the memories he shared with me about my family. His love for them was evident in every word. I close my eyes as my thoughts turn to our marriage. It started rocky as hell, and it¡¯s still brand new, but I¡¯m filled with excitement when I think of the future. Turning onto my side, I pick up my Kindle and go to my collection of mafia books. Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d step right into a book and live the dream?
LEO After parking the Porsche in the garage, I walk through the kitchen, the mansion too quiet. When I walk through therge open space of the foyer, I hear a sigh, and my eyes snap to the living room where I see Haven lying on the couch. As I head toward her, I notice she¡¯s reading, and remembering she mentioned she gets angry if interrupted, I softly creep up behind the couch. My eyes drift over her, loving the tight shorts and cami she¡¯s wearing. The clothes make her look like a fucking porn star, and I instantly grow hard for my wife. She makes a little squeaking sound before giggling, and a smile spreads over my face. Curious to see what she¡¯s reading, I lean a little closer, and as I focus on the words, my eyebrows lift. I grab the device out of her hand and start to read the scene out loud. ¡°Nics kicks my legs wide apart with one of his, while his hand slips over my ming buttcheek and between my legs. ¡®Fuck, mor¨®.¡¯ Hearing him call me babe in Greek has a needy whimper slipping over my lips. ¡®So wet for me,¡¯ he groans.¡± ¡°Noooo!¡± Haven shrieks while jumping up and leaning over the back of the couch to try to get the Kindle out of my hand. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s getting interesting,¡± I say with a chuckle while holding her back with my left arm. I drop my voice lower as I continue to read, ¡°Clinging to the remnants of my pride while his fingers stroke around my entrance, causing more desire to flood my body, I whisper, ¡®I still hate you.¡¯¡± I let out a burst ofughter, then growl, ¡°¡®You can hate me all you want, mor¨®.¡¯ I hear his belt unbuckle, and my abdomen clenches with anticipation. ¡®It won¡¯t save you from being fucked raw.¡¯¡± I nce at Haven with a raised eyebrow. With her face flushed and her lips parted, she looks turned on.¡± Wrapping my arm around her, I lift her over the back of the couch and pin her to my chest. My voice grows seductive as I continue to read, ¡°I hardly get to relish the feel of his hardness pressing against my opening when he roughly surges inside me. He stretches me until it¡¯s painful. Then, with a desperate grunt, he pulls out, and entering me harder and even deeper than before, I realize he¡¯s too big for me.¡± I move my hand down to Haven¡¯s ass and grip her tightly while leaning down to brush my lips over her jaw. ¡°Do you want me to fuck you raw, principessa? Should I take you roughly and stretch your pussy until it hurts?¡± ¡°God, yes.¡± She lookspletely dazed as her hand rubs up and down my chest, then her arms quickly circle my neck, and her mouth ms into mine. My tongue sweeps into her mouth with possessive strokes, and I kiss the fuck out of my wife. I drop the device on the couch, then grabbing hold of her ass, I lift her up against my body. When Haven locks her legs around me, I break the kiss so I can see where I¡¯m walking. Her hot mouthtches onto the side of my neck, and she sucks and licks as I try to focus on taking the stairs to the second floor. I don¡¯t even make it to the guest bedroom before I¡¯m pressing her against the wall and ripping at her shirt to pull it over her head. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you,¡± she gasps when I take one of her hard nipples between my teeth while I shove her shorts and panties down. Haven kicks the clothes away, then her fingers work fast to unbutton my shirt while I undo my belt and pull down my zipper. My gun falls somewhere behind me as she presses kisses all over my chest and neck, her palms rubbing desperately over my abs and hips before she shoves my boxers down. When Haven fists my cock, I groan and pull her hand away so I can lift her, pinning her between my body and the wall. Her legs hook around my ass as I align myself with her soaked entrance, and not giving a shit about forey, I thrust fucking hard, forcing my way through her tight heat. ¡°God!¡± she cries, her arms wrapping around my neck and almost strangling me. ¡°Cazzo!¡± I pull out before mming savagely inside her again. ¡°So soaked. So hot.¡± My body moves like I¡¯m possessed, my breaths exploding over my lips. ¡°Jesus, Leo,¡± Haven cries as she starts to w at my shoulders and neck. Her pussy grips my cock so tight, my vision goes ck for a few seconds. The instant her body mps around mine and she clings to me as her orgasm hits, intense pleasure shoots through me. My legs shake from the ecstasy as I keep thrusting, insanely desperate to give her every drop of my release. After the first time we had sex, Haven said she has an IUD. I want it removed. I want my wife pregnant with my child. Ges¨´ Cristo, the image of Haven carrying my child makes another wave of pleasure crash through me. I grip her so fucking tight to me as I hiss from the intense orgasm, then my legs go numb, and I sink to the floor with her still wrapped around me. Haven gasps against my neck, our bodies covered in a fineyer of sweat. ¡°Sweet Jesus,¡± she pants. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re reading spicy scenes to me for forey.¡± I let out a breathless chuckle. With me in a kneeling position and Haven clinging to me like a monkey, I¡¯m still buried inside her. I pull my head back to look at her face. ¡°You said something about missing me?¡± She nods and leans in to press kisses over my jaw. ¡°Yes. Did everything go well?¡± Incredible satisfaction fills my chest as I say, ¡°Everything went well. I killed Nicolo and avenged your family¡¯s deaths.¡± When a sad expression ghosts over her features, I hold her tightly while climbing to my feet. I carry her to my bathroom and pull out of her as I set her down. I switch on the faucets, and while I wait for the water to warm, I frame Haven¡¯s face and press a tender kiss to her mouth. ¡°All the shit is finally over. Now I can focus only on you and our life together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you got closure,¡± she says before pulling away to step into the shower. I join her under the spray, tilting my head to catch her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just been a tough day. I¡¯ve been trying to process everything I learned about my childhood.¡± ¡°Do you want to see a professional to help you?¡± Haven shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m so over therapy.¡± She steps closer to me and ces her hand on my tattoo. ¡°But, I would like to bring Kristen to Italy.¡± ¡°Your best friend?¡± I ask, to double-check. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s very special to me, so I¡¯m going to need you to behave when shees to visit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be a saint,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll send the private jet for her. Just give me the date and time.¡± Haven¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Oh my God. You have a private jet? Kristen had to move our belongings out of our house in Whitefish. Can she bring some of our stuff on the ne?¡± I should¡¯ve thought about their belongings in America. ¡°Of course, principessa.¡± I press a kiss to her forehead before pulling her into my arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not thinking about it sooner. I¡¯ll send men to help Kristen so she doesn¡¯t have to struggle getting everything to the airport.¡± Haven pulls back and gives me a curious look. ¡°Is Edoardo single?¡± A dark frown forms on my forehead. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If he is, can you send him to get Kristen?¡± It feels like she¡¯s up to something, and it has me asking, ¡°What¡¯s going on in that beautiful mind of yours?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just want the best protection for Kristen.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­are you sure that¡¯s the only reason?¡± She lets out a huff. ¡°Fine. I think Kristen will like Edoardo. I just want to give her some time alone with him on the flight because he¡¯s all work while he¡¯s here.¡± I bring my hand up to grip her jaw. ¡°Yes, Edoardo is single, and I¡¯ll send him, but that¡¯s enough talk about them.¡± I crush my mouth to Haven¡¯s and kiss her until I¡¯m sure all her attention belongs to me. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!