《The Maid: Mafia Romance (Series)》


 #1 Chapter 1

    14 Years Ago


    ¡°Hello? Are you hurt?¡±


    The teenaged boy raised his eyes upon hearing a little girl¡¯s voice. He immediately scowled when he saw her gawking at him with curiosity, with half a licorice hanging from her lips. She was a wee thing, no more than five, he estimated, with light-brown hair-a dull, boring color for sure-tied into pigtails.


    ¡°Hurt?¡± He found himself asking.


    ¡°Mm.¡± She nodded furiously. ¡°Are you in pain? You want me to ring the doctor for you or something?¡±


    Pain?


    A foreign word for sure. A word that had never been directed at him in his fourteen years of life.


    Oh, right. Of course she would ask such a question. He was hunched over, after all, resting himself against the tall American beech tree in this secluded part of the national park, hands clenching his stomach. Not to mention his lips were split and bleeding and his face was cut and bruised from a fight. Any idiot could tell he was in pain and suffering severely.


    Oddly enough, the thought of him truly in so much pain that it seared his soul amused him. Amused him enough, in fact, that it made himugh. Heughed so hard that he started to cry, truly cried in a mixture of anger, frustration, and sorrow. He knew he looked like shit, but what the heck!


    ¡°Why are youughing like that?¡± the little girl queried in confusion. ¡°Is it so painful that youugh just to forget about it? The pain? I do that, too, when I¡¯m in pain.¡± She even nodded, to prove her point.


    Oh God! Shit! A mere child who didn¡¯t know him cared about him, whereas his own family hadn¡¯t given a fuck.


    When he managed to calm down, he looked at her straight in the eye and said coldly, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk to a person like me.¡± There was sarcasm in his voice that the girl didn¡¯t understand.


    She cocked her head to one side, assessing him. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t talk to a stranger, but you¡¯re in pain and must be very sick. I¡¯m being a good sama-¡± She paused, trying to get her word right. ¡°A good samari-¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Samaritan?¡± He finished for her.


    She nodded furiously. ¡°That¡¯s it. And you look like a good person. You wouldn¡¯t hurt me, would you?¡±


    Hurt her? He¡¯d definitely hurt her if she didn¡¯t get the hell out of his way. It was in his blood after all, to hurt people. To make money that way. That was his family¡¯s ultimate goal, wasn¡¯t it? That¡¯s what his family did. So why not him?


    ¡°Look here, little girl,¡± he began. ¡°I¡¯m a bad guy. You got that? I¡¯m not a good person. So, get out of here!¡± he growled, hoping to scare her so she would run off and leave him be.


    He closed his eyes, fighting hard to breathe. Fuck, one of his ribs must be broken. Even breathing was taking its toll. He felt pain all over, from his split lips to the bruise on his knuckles. It was a fight that was gruesome yet so satisfying. He knew he was slowly turning into the very facade of his family, and bile rose up his throat.


    No. No. He didn¡¯t want anything to do with them. He hated that he was born in this fucked-up family. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. No mincing words; just fight and kill. That was his family motto. The Bianchi mafia n.


    Fuck. Wasn¡¯t he trying to run away from his own heritage? So, why did he behave like them when a little provocation from his ssmate caused him to unleash his inner demon?


    God, he needed to flog that nightmare from his mind. He needed to be alone, wanted to be alone, so he could wallow in this misery. He didn¡¯t need some little girl to console him. But no matter how hard he tried to shove back those memories, it still yed bright in his head like that insistent lonely pain in his heart.


    They were in this park just hours prior. Four against one. Him against them. The son of a mafia boss against four policemen¡¯s sons. The uwful verses thewful. Fuck, what a tip of the scales. He¡¯d used his fists to punch them. But they held him back, restraining him and punching him until what remained was a bloody pulp.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± He could hear them taunt him. ¡°Just ¡¯cause you¡¯re the son of a thug, you think you can hurt me? My old man¡¯s in the police force. He¡¯s not going to let a thug like you run America.¡±


    That was thest straw. He was spurred into action and punched the living daylights out of those four. Yeah, four against one. But this one won. This one made four of them unconscious. Fuck. What had he be? A monster. Just like his family.


    I control my own destiny. I control my own destiny, he chanted to himself, trying to erase that image from his head.


    He flinched suddenly when he felt small fingers tracing his hair, patting his head like he needed it. He looked up and met mossy green eyes. Fuck. She still didn¡¯t leave him. And her next words almost made tears leak from his eyes.


    ¡°Is it sore? Does it hurt a lot?¡±


    What was she referring to? His cut lips, his blue-ck eyes, or the pain in his chest?


    What a pathetic kid. What did she know about pain? From the look of her pink dress, she looked to be from a normal family, one he¡¯d never experienced. But his heart burned with that insistent threading of her fingers through his hair. And now he felt something else. Warmth, like he wanted her to caress his hair for real, with the love and care that one bestowed on someone you loved.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t look so sad.¡± She consoled him, crouching down to sit in front of him. And then she looked up at him with a beaming smile on her face. ¡°Ah. I got it. Wait here. Hold my licorice. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    She shoved the half-eaten ck licorice into his palm and raced across the field. He saw her disappear into one of the caf¨¦s lining the streets opposite the national park.


    Alone, he closed his eyes again. Good. She was gone. Finally. Which should make him happy, but he wasn¡¯t. He opened his eyes and looked at the licorice in his hands. He should really throw it away. She was gone, after all. She wasn¡¯t going toe back. But she¡¯d said she would, and something humane within him still grasped onto that licorice like it was his lifeline.


    He gazed up into the sky, feeling the heat on his face. The midafternoon sun really was soothing. Such warmth. Such freedom. When would he feel this free again?


    He really should head back home, though. And then tell his family what? That he¡¯d had a fight. Trying to defend what he despised all along, only for his mother to taunt him again.


    ¡°A leaf never falls far from its branch. You¡¯d better ept your position and embrace your fate.¡±


    A strong coffee scent woke him from those painful memories. He lifted his head and saw the little girl was back. And she was holding a foamy drink in her hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked, looking at the cup thrust in his face.


    ¡°Coffee. For you.¡± She beamed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± He shifted his gaze to the sky again. Not a secondter, the cup was in his face again. ¡°I said I don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t drink coffee.¡±


    ¡°But I made it for you.¡± Her little voice sounded slightly hurt.


    Fuck. He hurt her feelings. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t drink coffee. Okay. I don¡¯t like coffee.¡±


    ¡°How do you know if you¡¯ve never drunk it?¡± she asked.


    Because my whole fucking family drinks coffee like water. But he didn¡¯t tell her that. And clearly, she was starting to irritate him. ¡°Look. I just don¡¯t like it, all right. Now leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just try it? It¡¯ll make you happy. Try it. You¡¯ll love it. Ma¡¯s caf¨¦ is just across the road from here. I get to make coffee all I want. It¡¯s really nice. She tells me I make good coffee, and when I grow up, she bets I¡¯ll win a barista award. So, you can be the judge. I just know you¡¯ll like it because I put all my love in this cup. I want to see a smile on your face. Please smile for me?¡±


    She wanted to see him smile? What the fuck for? Why?


    ¡°Go on. Drink it,¡± she urged. ¡°I didn¡¯t put any poison in it, like that queen from Snow White with that apple thingy. Once you taste it, you¡¯ll be addicted to it like cocaine. That¡¯s what Ma always tells me. But I don¡¯t know what cocaine is. I think she shouldpare it to chocte. Do you like chocte? I like chocte. Taste it and see if my coffee tastes like chocte.¡±


    She held that ck cup of coffee in her small fingers, not pushing him to ept it, but in turn making him feel guilty if he didn¡¯t. He felt miserable, a thousand times worse than when he got into that fight.


    ¡°I can¡¯t push you to like it, but you can choose to like it once you¡¯ve tasted it. It¡¯s your choice.¡±


    He reached out his hand and took the coffee cup from her grasp. And he drank it. He¡¯d never tasted anything so bitter, so foul and disgusting. But for that one moment in his life, he felt happy, his heart singing loudly in his chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked, taking another sip, finding he did like the taste after all.


    ¡°Jennifer.¡± She smiled back, sitting next to him, shuffling her body until she was right beside him. Then she took out a series of bandages from her dress pocket and began to ster it on his face where the cuts and bruises resided.


    He blinked, staring at herrge green eyes in front of his face as she proceeded with her work. There were two bandages on his left cheek, three on his forehead, one on his right cheek, and now she was trying to cover the side of his cracked lip as he tried to take another sip of that coffee. He wondered where the heck she got all those bandages from. They were rather bright and colorful, too. His face probably looked like a walking neon light.


    ¡°Wow, you have nice ck eyes,¡± she said with delight. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone with ck eyes before. It¡¯s like looking into the night sky. Have you been outside at night and looked at the sky? It¡¯s very hard to see in the city, but my ma takes us to the country all the time, and there you can see the stars. They¡¯re so bright against the ck sky, like your eyes. I like your eyes. I like you.¡±


    He blinked again and shook his head. Jennifer was talking a mile a minute. He couldn¡¯tprehend what she was saying.


    ¡°I like you,¡± she repeated, like he didn¡¯t hear her deration the first time. ¡°Can I be your friend?¡±


    Friend. Another foreign word. No one wanted to be your friend when you¡¯re part of that family.


    ¡°Well, can I be your friend? Or do you like to be alone? But I mean, who wants to be alone, anyway? Not me. I want to have friends. Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you want to be my friend, though,¡± he managed to say atst. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not a good person.¡±


    ¡°What did you do? Did you hurt an animal? Ma says if you hurt an animal, you¡¯re a bad person. Humans should never hurt animals. They have feelings, too, you know. They feel the pain. So, did you hurt any animals?¡±


    ¡°No. No, I didn¡¯t hurt any animals.¡± He wanted to tell her he hurt humans, not animals, but couldn¡¯t get the words out. What happened to those four? Were they still lying there on the ground, unconscious?


    ¡°Well, then you¡¯re not a bad person,¡± she dered. ¡°You¡¯re cool. And I like you. So, let¡¯s be friends. I gotta go now. Ma is waiting for me in the caf¨¦. Will youe back tomorrow? Meet me here tomorrow, and I¡¯ll share some of my favorite licorice. Did you get to eat some when I gave it to you? They¡¯re so nice. Pa always buys them for me. We¡¯ll meet tomorrow, then. Bye for now.¡±


    And she leaned in to kiss his full stered cheek. He was so surprised he jumped back and hit his head on a tree branch.


    She giggled. ¡°You¡¯re so funny. I want to marry you when I grow up. Do you want to marry me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    She shoved her face right in front of him and all he could make out were those sparkling green pupils, sucking him into that whirlpool, captivating even his cold heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t answer me just yet. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Wait for me, okay? I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± She raced off the field then. But not a minute went by before he saw her midget body galloping toward him again. ¡°I forgot to ask you for your name. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Gio. Call me Gio.¡± His lips stretched into a smile, again, a foreign expression on his face.


    ¡°Okay, Gio. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Another peck on his check and then she was gone again.


    Gio¡¯s heart smiled for the first time in his fourteen years. Tomorrow, he¡¯de. To see his new friend Jennifer.

 #1 Chapter 2

    Present Day


    My Sweet Jenny,


    Be a dear and deliver this letter for Pa. It¡¯s very important that you should deliver this by hand to Mr. Dente. I promise I¡¯ll give you more of your favorite licorice when you return. And I won¡¯t tell your sister.


    Pa will see you soon.


    I stared at the white envelope on the table, my heart about to drum out of my chest.


    Pa! I wanted to yell at him. I missed my important ounting lecture because of this?


    Pa had left a message for me toe home as soon as possible. It was an emergency. That was what the message had said. I¡¯d thought he had an ident or something, so, I was rushing to get here. I didn¡¯t know which was my left or right foot as I stumbled and fell, trying to reach home in time. But what did I find when I got here? A note on the table, beside the white envelope that contained that letter.


    What was he thinking? At the rate I was going, I wouldn¡¯t even pass the first year of university if Pa kept calling me out to do errands for him like this.


    Use the post office for once, Pa. Surely he could just drop this letter off at the post office and be done with it. Why use me?


    Then again, why did I bother to ask this silly question? It was because I wasn¡¯t good at anything else except for errands like this. I wasn¡¯t beautiful, so no one really took a second look at me, unlike my sister Amelia, who was the star of herw school. In fact, I could blend in with the furniture very well. Sometimes, Pa and Amelia couldn¡¯t even tell the difference between me and the couch.


    Despite all these negativements about my appearance, though, I¡¯d never been bothered by this. Brown hair with a dusting of freckles on my nose and green catlike eyes, I considered myself to be quite cute.


    But back to Pa, though. I wondered where he was right then. I¡¯d definitely give him an earful when I saw him.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    I went to search the house. It was empty, no one inside, not Pa or Amelia.


    Where had they gone? At this hour, Pa should have been in his office, and Amelia should have been home doing the cooking. She didn¡¯t have ss in the afternoon, unlike first years, whose schedules were chock full of lectures.


    I picked the letter up in my hand, dismissing Pa¡¯s absence for now. I examined the address. Upper East Side, Manhattan. It didn¡¯t look familiar to me.


    Maybe I should put a few stamps on it and slot it in the postbox. That¡¯d save me time. I recalled some stamps stashed away in my backpack somewhere. But Pa did say to deliver this letter by hand. And there was also the case of the licorice. It was tempting me next to the envelope.


    ¡°Humph!¡± I huffed to myself. Who does he think he is, bribing me with candy? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m five years old anymore. I can live without candy. Especially licorice.


    I was now walking along the streets of Islington Hill, chewing the licorice. How could I resist a bribe such as this licorice Pa bought for me? He knew it was my one weakness and he used it to his full advantage. I was surprised my teeth weren¡¯t covered with holes yet, what with the amounts of sweets I ate. But then again, my oral hygiene skills were spectacr.


    After the initial shock, I took the bus and walked to deliver this letter. I was sure whatever contents were in the envelope, they must be something important. Maybe Pa doesn¡¯t trust the post because it might go missing. A sense of pride filled my chest.


    ¡°All right, Jenny. Let¡¯s deliver this letter for Pa and make him proud.¡±


    Cory Mansion, as stated on the address, was part of a well-established suburb in Upper East Side, Manhattan. If it weren¡¯t for the naked Adonis statue sitting in front of the huge fountain, with only a loincloth covering his private part, I was sure I¡¯d have missed it altogether.


    Adonis really is beautiful, even though he¡¯s made out of white marble. But imagine seeing a real live man that looks like Adonis. He¡¯d be the god of all passion, a person that would totally captivate my heart.


    ¡°Ahh,¡± I sighed. ¡°So beautiful.¡±


    ¡°What business do you have here?¡±


    What? Who? Where? Did someone just speak?


    I looked up and saw a camera pointed in my direction.


    Oh, the speaker. I stared at the speaker and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just admiring the statue.¡±


    ¡°Any other business?¡±


    Swallowing another piece of licorice, I replied, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Cory Mansion. Could you please tell me where it is?¡±


    ¡°This is Cory Mansion.¡±


    ¡°Cor¡­ Cory Mansion!¡± I almost choked on the licorice. I stared at the immacte garden with lines of green trees on either side, the fountain housing Adonis.


    Wow! This mansion must belong to a millionaire.


    And then a fleeting thought rushed through my head. What business does Pa have with the resident of this multimillion-dor mansion?


    ¡°What business do you have with us?¡±


    I swallowed thest remaining licorice andposed myself. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver a letter on behalf of my Pa, Mr. Stone. It¡¯s to be handed to a Mr. Dente. May I see him?¡±


    A few minutes passed before the voice spoke again. ¡°Come in. The gate will open in three seconds. Then walk along the white brick footpath and knock on the door three times. The front door will open.¡±


    What¡¯s this? White brick road and knock on the front door three times? What am I, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz? I have a great sense of direction, thank you very much. I never get lost. But I did what the gate keeper told me to do. I knocked on the door three times. Then I stood back while the door took its time to reveal the inside of the property.


    ¡°Wow, what a waste of space,¡± I muttered when I stepped inside.


    The mansion itself was a huge block of ancient buildings that stood right at the center of the property. From outside, it looked beautiful, but on the inside, it was majestic. The whole foyer was the size of our house alone. Except there was hardly any furniture around, unlike our house.


    I was a hoarder, so I always managed to get some secondhand books or some sort of junk to decorate our home. But this ce was just adorned with a few couches and an armchair. A beautiful chandelier dropped down from the ceiling, and a skylight provided light in the foyer.


    I walked toward the lone armchair, almost not noticing a couple of buff-looking men who stood to the side, staring at me through ck sunsses. They almost gave me a fright, standing there like statues. They had their arms behind their backs, looking quite intimidating.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I managed.


    The men didn¡¯t respond, but just red back at me. I sat in the chair ufortably, wondering what to do. Then something caught my eyes. I advanced toward them and saw they were guns. They looked like the real ones from OO7, the James Bond movie. I wonder if I can touch it. Toote. Before anyone saw me, I held one in my hand. They¡¯re heavy and¡­ cold.


    I turned the gun around and put my finger near the trigger. They did feel nice to the touch. Maybe I should have be a policewoman and caught all the bad guys instead of working my butt off for an ounting degree. Using this gun, I could have the ultimate power to tame anyone into submission. My evil side lurked, and I felt like Austin Powers, the bad one of course.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t real, are they?¡± I asked one of the men in ck, out of curiosity.


    ¡°They¡¯re real,¡± Came his clipped reply.


    A shiver ran down my spine. Okay. I swallowed and felt my heart racing a bit. I put the gun back in its resting ce and went back to sit in my seat like an obedient child.


    Where have Inded? Surely this was even weirder than Oz. I only hoped those beautiful guns were used for decoration instead of actually killing people.


    I knew I should have listened to my instincts and posted the letter instead. But I couldn¡¯t help being tempted by that licorice. Now my only hope was to have Mr. Dente appear fast so I could give him the letter and scram.


    Suddenly, two more men walked past me. One came to stand right in front of me and stared down.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one with the letter?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied promptly.


    ¡°Come this way. Boss is ready to see you.¡±


    ¡°Boss? Is he Mr. Dente?¡±


    Me and my big mouth. It just wouldn¡¯t stop yapping when I was nervous. Then again, I was actually quite excited. I was eager to find out who the millionaire owner of this estate was. Maybe some old man in his sixties.


    I was led to another stylish room with more guns out on disy.


    Is this a gun museum?


    One of the men in the ck suits walked in first. Then some momentster, I was urged to enter the room.


    I walked in bravely; proud that I¡¯d almostpleted my task for Pa. As soon as I stepped inside, a man sitting behind the desk caught my attention. And almost knocked the air out of my lungs. The man was almost an exact replica of the Adonis statue outside. My heart pounded and I smiled. But he didn¡¯t smile back. It didn¡¯t matter, though. I was here to see Mr. Dente anyway, not this young man who barely passed for twenty-five.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Mr. Dente,¡± I said, before he could say anything.


    He still didn¡¯t respond, but continued to gaze at me with his midnight eyes. His facial expression twisted as if he¡¯d sucked on a lemon.


    ¡°Give me that letter,¡± Adonis finally spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can only give this to Mr. Dente,¡± I said.


    ¡°Give me that letter,¡± he repeated, this time more threatening.


    I held the letter against my chest as if it were my lifeline. ¡°But Pa said-¡±


    ¡°Give boss the letter.¡± One of the men in ck trudged forward and snapped at me.


    ¡°No!¡± I snapped back. ¡°Pa said to hand this letter only to Mr. Dente.¡± I stubbornly stood my ground.


    I¡¯ve no idea why I did that. It wasn¡¯t like I was going to win a battle with these men anyway, but still, I wanted to make Pa proud.


    ¡°I am Giovanni Dente,¡± Adonis bit back from behind his desk.


    I almost swallowed my own tongue. Giovanni Dente was this young man whom I had admired. What does Pa have to do with this young man? I gave Giovanni the letter and smiled up at him again. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so in the first ce? We could have avoided this whole confusion.¡±


    He gave me a spiteful look and read the letter.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself. He was busy reading. It wasn¡¯t like I could talk to him when his eyes were skimming across the page, his lips pulled tight. I busied myself with the disy of more guns on the wall cab.


    Gee, I seriously think this ce is a gun museum.


    p!


    The sound of a fist meeting a table alerted me, and I shifted my attention to Adonis. His eyes were burning fire.


    What¡¯s gotten him all fired up? Could it be-


    ¡°You¡¯re very brave.¡± Giovanni still held my gaze, and then he started rubbing his lips.


    ¡°Well, I am brave,¡± I told him, eyes transfixed on those lips.


    I was the one who had to carry a beehive filled with bees when I was only twelve years old. No one in my ss could do that. They were scared they would get stung. I got stung too, but I was named the bravest girl in my ss. Plus, I could ride a unicycle. Even though it was only for two minutes, I still considered that brave.


    ¡°Tsk!¡± He snarled at me and removed his fingers from those lips. That kind of woke me up, too. ¡°Are you brave or stupid?¡±


    Now wait a minute here. Was he trying to hit my sensitive spot? No amount of godlike beauty could get me to look at him in the same gentle way as that Adonis statue, if he was going to start tossing negativements like this.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I stated, chest thrust forward to show I wasn¡¯t intimidated by him. ¡°I am brave, and I¡¯m clearly not stupid.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me.¡±


    His voice suddenly sent a shocking tremble to my heart. What¡¯s this? Why is my heart beating so madly? Why does it seem I¡¯ve heard that voice somewhere before?


    ¡°If you¡¯re not stupid, then why have you entered a mafia den all alone?¡±


    Upon hearing that, all I could do was stupidly stammer back in disbelief, ¡°Ma-ma-mafia den?¡±

 #1 Chapter 3

    Brains before Beauty


    ¡°Mafia den¡­¡± I was still muttering to myself. I really was in the mafia¡¯s den. I couldn¡¯t believe this. I was going to die for sure. Worse yet, what did Pa have to do with all this? I looked at the man named Giovanni Dente, my Adonis in real life. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not jesting with me?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Giovanni gave me a re that could even kill a corpse.


    ¡°Do you think boss is joking?¡± one of the men said. ¡°What do you think this ce is? Disney Land?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Giovanni asked, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back to him.


    I felt proud of myself suddenly, forgetting all about my circumstances. I was only eighteen, turning neen in three months and one day, but I¡¯d achieved so much in life.


    ¡°My name is Jenny. I¡¯m a first-year student at Brooklyn College. I study ounting. I¡¯m very good at-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ugly.¡± Giovanni dropped his line, making my jaw drop to the floor.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± I huffed. ¡°I may be in, but I¡¯m not ugly.¡±


    Giovanni dismissed me with a wave. ¡°Take the girl away. I can¡¯t even bed her with my eyes closed. She talks too much.¡±


    ¡°You galoot,¡± I snapped.


    Sure, I looked like I¡¯d gone through a twister just to get here, not to mention running home after getting that fake message. My appearance right now was no match to a princess. In fact, I was no different from a beggar, what with my wild tted hair in a jumbled mess. But I was so not ugly. I did have some beautiful points too, like my freckles, for example. They were beautiful and I was proud of them. So, how dare that Adonis mafia boss degrade my appearance like this? I¡¯d give him a piece of my mind.


    ¡°Give me a million dors, and I still wouldn¡¯t bed you. In fact, even if you were thest man on this earth, I still wouldn¡¯t bed you. And hear this. Even if you were thest remaining man on this earth, and the fate of all humanity depended on us, I still wouldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± he barked. ¡°Say one more word and I¡¯ll cut out your tongue and feed it to Beasty.¡±


    I wanted to st another earful at him, but I was scared he might really cut out my tongue. I didn¡¯t know about these mafia people. They looked scary, acted scary, and behaved in a scary way, especially that big boss. I didn¡¯t want to have to find out if they were going to act on their threats or not. It was best if I kept quiet. But then my curiosity to know what was in that letter got the better of me.


    ¡°Can I ask what my pa wrote in the letter?¡± I tweeted out.


    He red at me again and then threw me the letter. I felt so mad. I really wanted to bash his handsome face. But what stopped me was that one single phrase in the letter that caught my attention when itnded on the floor.


    ¡­ my daughter as coteral, in exchange for my debt¡­


    ¡°Debt! Coteral! Pa, you¡­¡± I went into full outrage mode. I screamed. I yelled. I cursed.


    What was Pa thinking? Using me as coteral in exchange for his debt? So, that¡¯s what it was all about. He wanted to trade me for his debt, his in daughter.


    I continued to yell and berate him. Even if he wasn¡¯t here to hear it, at least I felt better. I was about to release another throng of words when Giovanni stopped my outrage.


    ¡°GOD, you¡¯re so bloody annoying,¡± he shouted. He massaged his temple, then fired a demand at the man beside him. ¡°Bobby, take her away. Her screeching is hurting my ears.¡±


    The man named Bobby cowered in fear. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± And then he scratched his head. ¡°Where to, boss?¡±


    Giovanni almost lost his temper. He red at his underling. ¡°Do I have to spell out every single instruction? Use your brain for once. Go shoot her or throw her over a bridge or something. Just get her out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°Come this way.¡± Bobby dragged me until I almost lost my footing.


    ¡°Hey, take it slow, pal,¡± I yelled, pain shooting up my leg. Then I turned to the big boss. ¡°Look! How much does my dad owe you? Maybe we could work something out.¡±


    ¡°What are you suggesting? If you want to trade your body, then I prefer to sleep with a pig.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trading my body, you galoot,¡± I yelled, firing back at him forparing me to swine. ¡°I¡¯m proposing I pay for you via my excellent service.¡±


    Giovanni, that hot mafia man, assessed me for a second longer, and then he signaled his underling again. ¡°Take her away.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I shrieked. No sooner had that word left my mouth, I was dragged out the door again.


    I dug my foot on the floor to stop Bobby from dragging me forward. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I pushed back and escaped his hold.


    ¡°To the bridge,¡± Bobby said.


    ¡°No! You can¡¯t throw me over the bridge,¡± I shrieked again. My voice echoed around therge foyer as I fought with Bobby to let me go. But he was as tough as a nail, sticking to my skin like a barnacle to a rock.


    ¡°Okay, then, I¡¯ll shoot you right here.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Both Giovanni and I chorused out at the same time.


    I turned to stare at Giovanni in surprise. Did I have the wrong impression of this man? Had he decided to change his mind about killing me? Maybe he did have a kind bone in his body.


    I smiled at him. He ignored me and said to Bobby, ¡°If you want to kill her, take it outside. I just got the carpet reced. It¡¯s such a hassle to organize for a new one.¡±


    What?


    I was so freaked out of my bones. Did he really mean to kill me? That answered my question from before. Those guns on disy out in the hallway, they weren¡¯t merely for decoration.


    ¡°You can¡¯t shoot me either. Not here nor outside,¡± I hurriedly objected. And then I revealed myst ying card. I yelled with my eyes closed, ¡°I¡¯m an asset to you.¡±


    Giovanni smirked. ¡°How are you an asset to me?¡±


    Time to y the technical brain game. I squared my shoulders and looked up into his eyes. If I can¡¯t lie through my teeth then I¡¯m a monkey¡¯s uncle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s think about this for a minute,¡± I said, like I was a major philosophy professor and he the student.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time,¡± he retorted, his face darkening a shade.


    ¡°Okay, for a second, then,¡± I said in a rush. God, I was a puddle of gooey mess. My feet were about to give way. ¡°Just give me a second to exin myself.¡±


    ¡°Your second¡¯s up. Bobby, take her outside.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± I halted him, putting up my hands. ¡°Stop being so impatient and let me exin. If you kill me now, how are you going to know my pa¡¯s location?¡±


    He paused.


    I smirked.


    I finally had him in the palm of my hand. I knew I was the smart one. There was no doubt about it now. Only a smart girl like me could get out of this situation alive.


    ¡°I know he¡¯ll contact me sooner orter.¡± I continued, gaining confidence when the big boss still stood listening. ¡°So, don¡¯t you think you should keep me alive, just so Pa can contact me?¡±


    He stared at me for a minute too long. I only prayed to God he would relent.


    ¡°Bobby, take her outside. And finish her quick.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± I asked in panic. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say Pa¡¯s going to contact me? If you finish me off now, how are you supposed-¡±


    ¡°If I want to know where your old man¡¯s gone to, I have my own methods. I don¡¯t need to keep your annoying mouth here. So annoying. Bobby. Take her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    Crap, I¡¯m in deep shit. No, wait. This is worse than shit. I¡¯m in deep pooh.


    ¡°You can¡¯t. You just can¡¯t. I said I¡¯m willing to do anything. I¡¯ll be your maid, clean your room, cook you food. I¡¯m good at cooking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of maids. I don¡¯t need another one. Go, get out.¡± He tossed me to the side like I was piece of garbage, but I clung to his leg for dear life. I wasn¡¯t going to die yet. I hadn¡¯t even been kissed yet, let alone had a boyfriend. Even if it was just for a minute or two minutes or two hours, I was willing to grasp his pants so I could stay alive.


    I didn¡¯t want to die. I knew I didn¡¯t want to, but Giovanni was stronger as he lifted me and pushed me off him. But one thing he didn¡¯t know about me was I was resilient. No amount of struggling and tugging could peel me off his pants. I stuck to him like glue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything,¡± I cried and begged; just to extend my life. ¡°Cooking, cleaning, even making coffee. I¡¯m the best at making coffee.¡±


    There was a pause and his body went still. Have I got his attention?


    ¡°Good coffee?¡± It was Bobby who spoke. He must have had enough of my wailing and strangling his boss¡¯ pants. ¡°If boss wants coffee, he would¡¯ve-¡±


    ¡°Hush!¡±


    That came from Giovanni. Bobby stopped his bbering. I let Giovanni¡¯s pants go and looked up at his towering figure.


    ¡°You sure you make really good coffee?¡± Giovanni asked.


    I nodded and stood. ¡°Of course.¡± I boosted myself. ¡°I won the barista award for two years in a row. I worked in a caf¨¦ my whole life. Of course I know how to make coffee. And once you¡¯ve tasted it, you¡¯ll be addicted to it like cocaine. Not that I ever tried cocaine of course. That¡¯s just forparison.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Giovanni said, staring at me while tracing his lips. ¡°The coffee sounds tempting.¡± Then he turned to Bobby. ¡°Test her. If her coffee tastes good, then keep her and let her be in charge of the coffee making.¡±

 #1 Chapter 4

    The Contract


    I was sweating like a pig. God, I hoped I didn¡¯t smell. Girls who smell didn¡¯t attract guys. That much I knew. Not that I wanted to attract any of the men here. But I really couldn¡¯t help myself with all this sweating. I¡¯d never been so nervous in my entire life. Standing there with their murderous watchful eyes as I prepped the coffee machine and ground the coffee beans were Bobby and Heath, the two men in ck I saw earlier, and Jonny and Finnie, the other two who appeared just now.


    What¡¯s with their names? They don¡¯t sound mafia-ish at all.


    Although I wasn¡¯t intimidated by them in the least, I was actually talking about that big boss Giovanni. Him and his stares, they were freaking me out.


    Big stature, big name, and big ego. And did I mention big ass too, figuratively speaking, of course. But seriously, what a waste of a handsome face. Such nice eyes and lips, yet with the face he was making now, I bet none of the girls would want to look at him. That included me. I wondered if he had a girlfriend, though.


    Crap! Why am I thinking these thoughts now?


    I hurriedly tamped the coffee and inserted it into the slot, then let the machine do its magic. Not knowing where to turn my eyes, I idently nced in Giovanni¡¯s direction and saw him tracing his lower lip.


    Damn! What¡¯s with him and his fingers always running along his lips? Does he know that action causes my heart to palpitate?


    Flicking back to the coffee machine, I watched as the color changed from a golden dark brown to light gold. I took the purified coffee and poured milk into it. I couldn¡¯t help but impress him with my coffee art. It was a swan, my favorite bird.


    I squeezed my lips into a megawatt smile and was about to present the whole cup to him when-


    Oh hell, how did my coffee end up on Giovanni¡¯s pants? And why was there a dark stain on his groin area? What on earth did I do?


    There was a growl from Giovanni like a beast had been unleashed from his chest, followed by the rushing of feet. I was in a flustered state, too. Apparently, in my nervous state, my knees had buckled and I¡¯d thrown the entire cup of coffee at Giovanni.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Believe me. Although all that ring really freaked me out, I didn¡¯t have any intention of burning his groin area with my scalding hot coffee. I hoped his little sperm still worked. Poor thing if he couldn¡¯t reproduce. No cute, captivating babies.


    I grabbed a towel Bobby got from somewhere and threw it onto Giovanni¡¯s private area, then smacked my hand on it, grinding it, rubbing it to remove all that excess liquid, but he only jumped up off the couch like he¡¯d caught on fire.


    What¡¯s his problem? I was just trying to help.


    So, I did help. I followed him, knees on the floor, hands busy rubbing that area clean, until he pushed me off.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing, you stupid girl? Get off me,¡± he growled and shook his legs free of my grasp.


    Only then did I realize what I¡¯d done. I was vigorously cleaning his private area. I shyly retracted my hands and gave him pleading puppy eyes.


    I¡¯m dead. I am so dead right now.


    He stormed out the door.


    Oh, shit! Did I piss him off that much?


    I trembled, awaiting the verdict. The whole room was cloaked in silence. I didn¡¯t dare move. It was Finnie who broke the silent.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here and don¡¯t have much time left to live, make us some coffee.¡±


    What? I didn¡¯t expect that. But no, I was a smart girl. I wasn¡¯t going to question them. I had a n up my sleeve.


    One after another, I made what they ordered. By the time they were sipping their drinks, I felt ecstatic. Perhaps if I were to continue to distract them, they¡¯d forget what I¡¯d done to that big boss and let me live.


    I smiled at my possible future. But that smile died a sudden death when Giovanni reappeared with a new set of clothing, and oh my lord, did it made me drool. Hotness overload.


    Which gym does he use? Let me sign up, too.


    Giovanni was wearing cks, afortable grey, and a ck turtleneck with a light suit jacket. This guy sure knows how to dress himself. I didn¡¯t dare look him in the eyes, though.


    ¡°Let¡¯s taste that coffee, then,¡± he said coldly.


    Again, that was pretty unexpected. Maybe these mafia people were kind after all.


    I nodded like a shaggy dog and proceeded to give him a second cup. This time I made sure to walk slowly. And I mean really slow just so I wouldn¡¯t spill a single drop.


    ¡°Do you want me to wait until the next century to drink that?¡±


    I nced up and walked a bit faster. Squeezing my lips into a tight smile, I presented him with my best work, again, another swan.


    He blew the beverage gently.


    I was hypnotized. Those lips, they¡¯re really something.


    He took a sip. I held my breath. Then he put it down.


    That¡¯s it. He¡¯s not going to drink anymore. Am I going to die now?


    ¡°You can all go now.¡±


    Is Giovanni talking to me?


    Apparently not. He was addressing his underlings.


    ¡°I said you can all go now.¡±


    They weren¡¯t listening. They were blissfully sipping their coffee.


    ¡°The fuck is wrong with you all? Get out. Go do your jobs.¡± He mmed his fist on the wooden desk.


    The guys immediately returned to earth and scurried off. One minute I was surrounded by four hunky dudes, and now I was left all alone with the beast, fending for myself.


    It¡¯s all right, Jenny. You¡¯re smart. You can handle this.


    ¡°Sit.¡± He gestured when we were all alone.


    I gracefully sat on the nearest couch, like a gentle-breddy. Except my bottom didn¡¯t even get to touch the soft cushion before he barked at me again.


    ¡°Not on the couch. On the floor.¡±


    Sadistic, bossy brute, I cursed inside my head. But not wanting to die, I obeyed.


    ¡°This is your contract-¡±


    ¡°Contract?¡± I shot up, interrupting him. ¡°Does that mean I don¡¯t die?¡±


    ¡°If you interrupt me again, you will. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°I said do I make myself clear?¡± Giovanni¡¯s eye twitched. He red at me, and a secondter my eyes were filled with his face. He was exactly one inch from my eyes.


    ¡°I said do I make myself clear?¡± he repeated once more, each sybleing out loud and clear; echoing around the room and into my ears, resonating into my heart.


    ¡°Clear as the sun on a cloudless day.¡± I swallowed, nodding.


    ¡°Now be a good servant and sit back down.¡±


    I mumbled another curse under my breath and sat on the floor again.


    Giovanni went to sit on the nearest couch and folded his legs like the big boss he was. He tossed a re at me and proceeded to outline my role.


    ¡°You are my servant, Jay. And most importantly, you will be my coffee machine. Whenever I want one, you will make one for me. You must be avable twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± I shot up from the floor again and stood my ground.


    Giovanni was a little startled at my sudden movement. He blinked a few times, but then heposed himself again. That Adonis statue. That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to nickname him from now on.


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that be going against employee rights? You can¡¯t demand me to make you coffee twenty-four hours a day. I need to go to school. I need to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Unless you want me to cut your body up into little pieces and grind it in the coffee machine, then I require my coffee twenty-four-seven. Which do you choose? Being the coffee bean or making the coffee?¡±


    I swallowed again. That was an easy choice. I didn¡¯t need to think. I grinned and shed him my best smile. ¡°I¡¯m happy to be your servant and your coffee machine. Just call me anytime. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± He was about to turn away when I intercepted him, jumping right in his path.


    ¡°Can I ask how much Pa owes you? So I know how long I¡¯m supposed to be in service to you.¡±


    ¡°Three million.¡±


    Upon hearing his answer, my eyes rolled back and I crumpled into a dead lump on the couch.

 #1 Chapter 5

    ¡°You¡¯re useless. Utterly useless. Why are you still sleeping? Get up.¡±


    I was already wide awake from his yelling, but I didn¡¯t listen to him. I was still mulling over the notion of why Pa had abandoned me.


    Three million dors. What in the eggshell did he do with all that money? And why must I be the coteral? I have to go to school, too. Doesn¡¯t he know that? And where has Amelia gone to? Ahh. I can¡¯t wait to find him. When I do, I¡¯ll give him an earful for sure.


    ¡°I said get up. Don¡¯t pretend to faint,¡± he growled, and in the next second, a cushion smacked me right in the face.


    Bastard!Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I got up slowly and followed Giovanni as he took me around the mansion, exining what kind of jobs I¡¯d have to do during my stay as a maid here. Although, most of the time, I just stood admiring his tall, lean form.


    Hotness overload. Totally captivating. This guy really was the epitome of perfection. From where I stood, he looked to be about six feet one. Such a tall man. I was so jealous. I looked like a midget standing next to him with my five-foot-two status.


    Finally, after touring the whole house, or should I say mansion, he decided to take me to see his bedroom, since it would be my duty to clean his room. And his bedroom was huge. It was the size of our whole house. And when I saw his bed, I gaped.


    Is this how rich people live? With a king-size bed fit for a¡­ well, king?


    I paced around the bed, mesmerized, feeling the soft fabric between my fingers. Oh, it¡¯s pure silk. What a rich bastard. I want to sleep on this bed, too.


    ¡°Oh, boss, your bed feels so nice.¡± I rubbed my palm on his pillowcase. In all my life, I¡¯d never touched material this rich before.


    I hadn¡¯t a clue how Giovanni saw me at that moment. I was enjoying my fantasy of sleeping on that bed too much, and I didn¡¯t realize I messed up his bed sheets until a soft cough startled me.


    ¡°Ah, boss, I¡¯m so sorry. I mussed up your bed. I¡¯ll tidy it.¡± I flipped out.


    But Giovanni still didn¡¯t say a word. He just observed me as if I were an object on disy. He looked as if he were lost in another world altogether.


    ¡°Ah, boss.¡± I waved my hand in front of his face to check his response.


    ¡°What?¡± he shouted, freaking the soul out of me.


    ¡°You¡¯re staring at me,¡± I muttered.


    Giovanni blinked, then shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your bedroom.¡±


    My bedroom. Finally. My legs are about to cave in already. The first thing I¡¯m going to do is jump on the bed and rest my feet.


    ¡°This is your room.¡± Giovanni led me to a-


    What the hell is this? Why is he opening the door to the hallway closet?


    ¡°We¡¯re in a closet,¡± I said stupidly, looking around the tiny room with a small cot on the far wall. ¡°Why are we in a closet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your bedroom.¡±


    I was gob smacked.


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯m an award-winning barista. I deserve better than to live in a closet,¡± I argued.


    ¡°You¡¯re a coffee machine and my maid. You¡¯re staying in the closet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can get used to this. Can¡¯t I live in a normal room?¡± I bargained, tilting my head back to give him my puppy dog pleading eyes.


    ¡°No. Get used to it.¡± He blinked, then shook his head again. ¡°You¡¯ll be living here until everyst cent is paid.¡± And then he strode across the room like a male model on a catwalk, mming the door so it rattled on its hinges.


    Why must he always be so dramatic when he enters and exits the room? Tsk. That Adonis with few words. Just wait. I¡¯d make him such delicious coffee that he wouldn¡¯t be able to drink another coffee again. And then when he was so sucked in, I¡¯d bargain for my freedom.


    Ha-ha. I grinned an evil smile. I couldn¡¯t wait for that day.

 #1 Chapter 6

    Chessboard and Hotness-Overload


    Giovanni felt his heart go into palpitations. It was weird. His heart never palpitated for anyone or anything. Not since that time twelve years ago when his heart had smiled that once at the taste of that bitter coffee. He smiled at that pleasant thought. A sudden image of Jenny with pleading green puppy dog eyes just moments before robbed his senses, and he could see her in his mind¡¯s eye.


    Fuck. His heart flip-flopped again. It must be that instant coffee. Too much wasn¡¯t good. He needed the real stuff. Where was that midget girl when he needed her?


    ¡°Bobby,¡± he barked, his expression growing darker when his right-hand man didn¡¯t appear in that instant. ¡°The fuck¡¯re you hiding, Bobby? Get here right now or I¡¯ll chop your balls off.¡±


    ¡°Ah, boss. Coming.¡± Bobby came scurrying into the room with hands shielding his private parts. ¡°You need me, boss?¡±


    ¡°Where the fuck were you when I called?¡± he growled at his underling.


    ¡°I was working, boss. You know that collection report you were telling me about. We missed one, a man from downtown. We need to collect money from him today if we want to meet our quota.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking coffee, haven¡¯t you?¡± He snarled, not listening to a single word his underling was saying.


    Bobby blinked at him. ¡°How do you-¡±


    Thwack!


    ¡°Ow, boss! Why¡¯d you hit me on the head?¡± Bobby yelped, rubbing his already throbbing skull.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m an idiot. I can smell it across the room. How many cups did Jay make for you?¡±


    ¡°Two, boss.¡±


    ¡°She only made me one,¡± he muttered under his breath, suppressing the desire to show his jealousy. ¡°And I didn¡¯t even get to finish it before it turned cold. Where is she? Tell her I demand a t white on my desk now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, boss, that might be a bit difficult,¡± Bobby pointed out timidly.


    ¡°Why?¡± he roared.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s cleaning the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Which bathroom?¡±


    ¡°Our bathroom.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Giovanni swore. If that girl was cleaning that bathroom, there was no way he¡¯d allow her anywhere near him. His underlings¡¯ bathroom was even worse than dog shit. It was the one ce he never dared venture to. And for good reason, since he considered himself a clean freak. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll wait. But when she¡¯s done and all cleaned up, tell her I want my t white.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    ¡°And make sure to tell her to wash her hands thoroughly. I don¡¯t want any germs from you all,¡± he added, just in case Bobby forgot. His right-hand man tended to forget the small details, which really peeved him big time.


    ¡°On it, boss. I¡¯ll tell her right now.¡±


    Giovanni sank into the cushy chair as his underling disappeared out the door. He let that small disappointment sag out of his shoulders and turned to more pressing matters, like the money Jay¡¯s father owed him.


    Three million dors.


    Stupid old man. He never should¡¯ve loaned him that money. Now look where it got him. A in midget girl he couldn¡¯t even bed in exchange for the measly three million.


    How long would his daughter stay under his charge to pay his debt? Three million wasn¡¯t a lot to him, but to someone like the Stones, who hadn¡¯t a couple of dors to rub together, it was a big deal.


    Giovanni admitted he didn¡¯t like the old man¡¯s daughter. On first sight, she¡¯d disturbed his peace of mind like no other. The way she spoke, loud and rude, not even caring he was a mafia boss, really pissed him off. If it weren¡¯t for her coffee skills, she would have been gone by now. Yet he couldn¡¯t stop staring at her then or thinking about her now. There was something about her that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. She looked so familiar somehow, like¡­


    Fuck! He needed to stop this before his head exploded.


    Giovanni strode to his bedroom on the second floor and stripped off his clothes, a snake shedding its skin, taking off one article of clothing at a time and scattering them all over the floor. He did say he was a clean freak, but that didn¡¯t mean he had to pick up after himself. He had many servants around, especially that new one he couldn¡¯t get out of his mind.


    Ah, fuck. There he went again. Thinking about her. He needed to stop this. It must be the fucking weather. Too fucking hot for spring. It was frying his brains. He needed to cool down. And fast. First a shower. Then coffee. In that order.


    Oncepletely naked, he walked to the ensuite bathroom and opened the door¡­

 #1 Chapter 7

    The clock on the wall read 3:00 p. m. That meant I¡¯d been here for more than four hours. And in that time, I¡¯d been doing the following: serving coffee, cleaning, and doing a mountain ofundry umted by five grown men. And the list just went on.


    And here Adonis said he didn¡¯t need a maid. p my ass. What a liar. My hands were already numb from mopping the floor. Thankfully, thest job on the list was to clean the bathroom.


    I cringed. How many bathrooms are in this mansion? Two? I doubted it. More like twenty. But no matter, I went in with renewed strength. This was myst job, after all, before I got to rest my feet.


    ¡°Man up, Jenny. You can do this. Don¡¯t give up.¡± I pumped myself up for the full task ahead.


    It was only cleaning the bathroom. No big deal. I cleaned the bathroom all the time at home anyway. A quick spray here, a simple wipe there, then voil¨¤, all done. I was even faster than Amelia painting her nails.


    That was my initial thought anyway. Until I opened the door and a whiff of what smelled like rotten eggs and a three month-old fart bomb sted me right in the face.


    ¡°Ooeew. What a stink bomb!¡± I was so not prepared for that.


    I stood surveying the site, pinching my nose. From the look of the tub, a herd of elephants had taken a dump in it.


    ¡°Just you wait, Adonis,¡± I muttered under my breath, scrubbing the tub until it shone and sparkled. ¡°I¡¯ll clean this tub until you can see your face in it. And then you¡¯ll reduce my life sentence.¡±


    I worked hard and fast cleaning that bathroom. Sweat and grime poured off my body in buckets. And if only one droplet of sweat equated to one dor, I was sure I¡¯d be a millionaire just like Adonis. Then I¡¯d have enough money to pay back Pa¡¯s debt. Right?


    In your dreams, Jenny. I rolled my eyes. From the look of things, I¡¯d have to spend at least two more lifetimes working as a mafia¡¯s maid in order to pay off his debt. For a poor college student like me, I guessed I¡¯d been condemned to this hellhole of a stink bomb for a lot longer.


    Well, at least another ten minutes anyway. I chuckled. I was almost finished. I did a jiggly dance at this thought.


    Ah. Sometimes I amazed myself at how quick and adaptable I was to new living environments. Is that why Pa left me behind with the sharks instead of taking me with him? This thought suddenly depressed me.


    What the hell, Jenny? Get your head together. This is no time to mull over this problem. Right now, let¡¯s clean this bathroom so it¡¯s all spic and span, then have a shower and get into clean clothes.


    God, I stunk. Just like a skunk. No, wait, not like any normal skunk. I was the queen of all skunks.


    Oh, how pathetic. I was losing my mind. I seriously needed a shower. Or a bath. And fast. And then food. In that order.


    I inched my way upstairs, back to my adorable, oh-so-cozy closet bedroom. Not!


    Stripping myself of my soiled clothes, I donned a towel that I found in the back of my bedroom and made a mad race across the long hallway, eager to find a bathroom fit for the skunk queen from Brooklyn.


    And then I stopped.


    Oh crap! I didn¡¯t recall sighting any bathroom along the Giovanni tour. Now what was I going to do? I needed to find a shower. Fast. I was literally naked beneath this towel. I couldn¡¯t go parading around in my skimpy towel to search for a bath. What happened if that mafia guy saw me? No, that wouldn¡¯t do at all.


    Well, I could always go back down to the guys¡¯ bathroom. I know where that was. But the probability of seeing more people would be higher if I showered there.


    Oh, what to do? From the sheer size of this mansion- no, I should say museum-it¡¯d take me more than half a day just to find one.


    Just then, a proverbial lightbulb lit above my head. Adonis¡¯s bathroom. Brilliant, Jenny. I remembered where that was. Next to my closet bedroom. I didn¡¯t have to walk far at all. We were literally next-door neighbors.


    I grinned like the Cheshire cat. Ah. It¡¯s only going to be for a minute. I¡¯ll just hop in the shower. Five minutes, max. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind.


    I clutched my towel more securely around myself, then inched closer to Giovanni¡¯s bedroom door. I opened it gently and quietly, slowly peeking between that small gap to check whether Adonis was in.


    Good. He wasn¡¯t in there. That being said, though, I hadn¡¯t seen him since this morning.


    Humph. I shrugged. Probably out and about doing whatever mafia stuff he did. Threatening people and criminal activities, I bet. Not my problem and none of my concern if he got caught by thew. All the better for me for getting out of this debt earlier. But I hadn¡¯t time to think about him right now. I had more important issues to deal with. Like getting myself clean.


    Dashing to the bathroom through Adonis¡¯s bedroom, I once again found myself in awe of the sheer size of his bed. I couldn¡¯t help but jump on it for a good bounce.


    Oh golly, it felt so damned good on my bottom. But before anyone caught me, I jumped back up, giving the sheets an extra tight tug before making my way to the bathroom.


    If the guys¡¯ bathroom downstairs was a dump for the zoo animals, then Adonis¡¯s bathroom must be a dump for-


    Oh my Lord, I take back that thought. Is this guy a clean freak or what? All the shampoo, deodorant, cologne, basically all the necessary items that make a guy¡¯s charm ooze with pheromones wereid out like artwork on the shelf.


    Clean. Too clean. This bathroom was literally plucked from the top housing magazine. I could literally see my face on every reflective surface, including the huge wall mirror attached to one side of the room.


    I looked at myself. Hmm. I really didn¡¯t look half bad at all. My light-brown hair still stuck out on all ends. But nothing a little hairbrush couldn¡¯t fix. Sun-kissed freckles still scattered my nose, highlighting them even further against my ivory-pale skin. My eyes were still green. No, green is such a boring color. Emerald or jade would be more suited to describe my irises. My lips were red, full, and plump. I didn¡¯t need to waste money on Botox. I had natural beauty. And although I stood at five feet two, I considered myself model material. I was slim, with the right amount of curves in all the right ces.


    ¡°Oh, Jenny. You¡¯re so hot. Definitely model material.¡± I contorted myself this way and that against the stylish shower stall, giggling andughing at myself while viewing my own reflection in the tall mirror.


    Why was that mafia boss saying he couldn¡¯t sleep with me? Comparing me to a pig. Gosh, he was just too blind to see my real beauty.


    Well, just my luck, then. I was going to use his bathroom as revenge.


    Not waiting another second, I dropped my towel in eager anticipation. Turning on the hot shower, I slipped in, forgetting about my towel on the floor.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Oh my, this is pure heaven. Happiness right there in the shower. The water back home would run and stop, like there was a clot in the showerhead. Here, the spray came at just the right pressure, making my skin tingle in delight.


    I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of grime and stress draining off me.


    And saw Adonis in the mirror.


    Holy cow. Too much of his pheromones in the air, and now I was reacting to him by daydreaming of him in the shower?


    I blinked my eyes open, yet he was still there, his perfectly formed body on full disy for me. I sshed water on my face and even scrubbed my eyes until I was all sore, but¡­


    Oh, crap. I was definitely not dreaming. Adonis was really there in his bedroom, stripping off his clothes slowly. I stered my face against the ss, watching as he unbuttoned his shirt, like he was slowly unwrapping a Christmas present. Each article he took off made my eyes bulge even farther out of their sockets. Perfect chest, perfect abs, and perfect¡­


    Ah? What¡¯s that on his chest? A dragon tattoo? That dragon looked familiar. Now where had I seen it before?


    Who cares. Right now, what I wanted to see was¡­


    Holy cow. He¡¯s taking off his pants.


    Turn around. Turn around. I want to see your-


    Giovanni did turn around, resulting in my heart going into arrhythmic mode. I had to remind myself to calm down and breathe.


    I felt something dripping down my chin. Oh, my gosh! I was drooling. I wiped my saliva and continued to stare at him, mesmerized and entranced at his beauty. He was seriously Adonis. Even down there.


    So hot. So captivating. Hotness overload!


    And then he had to walk into the bathroom, putting me into panic attack mode. I seized and shook in the shower.


    Oh golly, golly. I¡¯m naked. I¡¯m naked.


    I managed to shut off the shower nozzle in time, fluffing around the stall like a featherless chicken about to take flight, now only realizing I¡¯d left my towel outside. I couldn¡¯t possibly open the shower door now. And I could already hear his footsteps approaching the bathroom.


    Luckily, this shower was very high-tech. It had one of those technology thingybobs, whereby I could just push a button and the ss wall frosted up. And that was what I did. My once translucent ss wall was now opaque. I couldn¡¯t see a damned thing. Now I had to rely on my hearing alone.


    I pressed my ear to the wall, not hearing anything. Had he gone back to his bedroom again? I opened the shower door slowly to check and-


    Noo! Giovanni wasing back into the bathroom. My arms reacted faster than my brain, jerking the door shut quickly enough that it mmed into my nose. Now my nose was like Rudolph the reindeer, except this was no happy reindeer; this was pure misery times ten. I had to mp my mouth shut to stop my banshee scream from escaping my lips.


    Giovanni must have heard my wee tweet, because his footsteps approached the shower stall faster than lightning and he started rattling the door. I freaked out and jumped to tug at the door handle myself, closing it in time-before he could pull it open. Now both of us were ying a game of tug-of-war, with Giovanni trying to pull open the door while I was trying my best to keep it closed.


    He was strong, but I was adamant. He might have the strength of a full-grown man with testosterone, which whipped at my senses and made me drool, but no way was I letting him open that door. I was naked. Who knew? He might even want to sleep with me after seeing my sexy body. I was a virgin, thank you very much. And I was very happy to stay that way. Until I found the guy I loved. And this mafia boss-nope, not the one for me.


    Giovanni rattled the door again. I still didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Fuck. Bobby, did you idently lock my shower stall again,¡± he yelled to his underling. ¡°I told you not to use my bathroom, you ass.¡±


    I shivered under my naked skin. Not because I was cold. Oh no. Because I was so freaked out. I could feel his anger radiating off him in just his voice alone. I knew he¡¯d kill me if he knew I was showering in his bathroom. No amount of coffee skill could save me now. So, I hung tight with my n. Hold on to that door handle for dear life.


    I heard receding footsteps. I knew he must have gone to bark at Bobby.


    I didn¡¯t think further. I quickly yanked myself out of the shower stall, grabbed my towel off the floor, thanking the Lord on the way for giving me this golden opportunity to escape, and then ran for my life, almost reaching the sanctuary of my closet bedroom when-


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    Holy crap! Giovanni called my name. I clutched the flimsy material against myself, making sure my beautiful twin assets wouldn¡¯t peek out from beneath the towel, and then turned around to face the mafia boss.


    I cringed when I saw him. He was a pure devil from hell, out to carve out my thumping heart. ck hair, ck pupils, and hot tanned skin. He was also wearing a ck bathrobe just toplete the whole dark, devil-may-care look, which suited me just fine, since I didn¡¯t want to experience another episode of being a drooling idiot. Now, if he were to appear in the nude, I was sure I wouldn¡¯t just dribble saliva; I would dribble blood from my nose, too.


    I smiled at him timidly, staring up at his tall stature. ¡°Hi, boss. Fancy seeing you in the hallway. What are you-¡±


    ¡°Where were you?¡± He cut me off frostily, eyes ring down at me with ck mes.


    ¡°Down the hallway, boss. Just had a shower. As you can see right here.¡± I indicated my oh-so-wet body, drenched like a drowned mouse, with only a measly towel covering me.


    But why, oh why, did I mention I had a shower? Giovanni stared me up and down, his eyes eating up every inch of my skin, making my whole body heat in a foreign way. I felt something warm and hot constricting at the pit of my belly.


    ¡°Boss, stop staring at me like that. You¡¯re making me nervous.¡±


    ¡°Nervous? What reason do you have to be nervous? You¡¯re as t as a chessboard.¡± He indicated my breasts with his eyes.


    I held the towel to cover up my beautiful assets. ¡°Stop making fun of my breasts.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯mughing?¡± His eyes roamed my body up and down again. ¡°You really have no breasts, chessboard. How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Eighteen, when you dered me your coffee machine,¡± I snapped, face going red with anger, humiliation, and something else. Crap, my heart is going into palpitation mode again.


    ¡°Undeveloped child. Get dressed ande downstairs. I want my t white after my shower. And make that quick, chessboard.¡± He shook his head and then walked off.


    Chessboard. Undeveloped child. I wanted to bonk him on the head, but luckily, he¡¯d already gone. And thankfully, I was able to escape to my closet with no further disruption. But by the time I got there, I was struggling for breath.


    Holy Lord, help me. That encounter with Adonis almost caused me to have a heart attack. Never again would I share the same bathroom as that Greek god.

 #1 Chapter 8

    First Dirty Job


    As soon as I got downstairs, I was hit with a bunch of requests from all four corners.


    ¡°Jenny, tall ck!¡± Jonny. Very demanding.


    ¡°Jenny, hot chocte! And make that swan on it too. I like it.¡± Bobby. Very whiny.


    ¡°Jenny, a short ck.¡± Heath. I didn¡¯t know much about him.


    ¡°Jenny, long ck please.¡± Finnie. Very polite.


    I was about to deliver their orders when Gio¡¯s husky voice travelled to my ears, alerting me to full active mode.


    I turned toward him by instinct and almost drooled again. What was up with this mafia boss? Was he trying to show off his full spring collection in his wardrobe? This dude was really ying with a maiden¡¯s heart here. And didn¡¯t he just have a shower this morning when I idently dumped my scalding coffee on him?


    ¡°What the fuck are all of you doing?¡± Giovanni yelled at his underlings. ¡°Get your bloody asses on the street and start collecting money.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± They all scurried off their chairs, flipping over backward trying to reach the door.


    I stood there staring at the chaos. What just happened?


    Giovanni red at me when I didn¡¯t move. ¡°Jay, you go, too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted.


    Did I hear that right? Giovanni wanted me to go with those guys to do mafia jobs. Was he kidding me? This was only my first day as his maid. Surely threatening and hurting people were jobs only reserved for the male species. A soft delicate creature like me couldn¡¯t even hurt a fly, let alone a human being.


    So, I put forth my good reasoning. ¡°But I¡¯m a woman.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an apparatus, equipment in this household, like this chair or table here,¡± he barked, shutting me up. ¡°Now get moving and make me some money.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to be doing?¡±


    ¡°Follow them and you¡¯ll find out,¡± he hissed in my face.


    Was he still mad at me from this afternoon? Heck! Did he find out I¡¯d used his bathroom? I had to be careful next time.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Get going. Or do you want me to whack your butt?¡±


    Whacking? Would I be punished if I defied his orders? Gee, this guy was a sadistic brute. There was no way I was staying around to find out. My gluteus maximus was very sensitive tissue. So I raced outside like the devil-aka Giovanni Dente-was chasing my tail.


    As soon as I caught up to the guys outside, they were already sliding into the ck van. I hauled myself into the van before it took off, only toe face to face with a crying man.


    ¡°Why are you crying? You know boss doesn¡¯t like us showing our feminine side,¡± Finnie said, consoling the crying Bobby who was sobbing like a child.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Why¡­ why do I have to be called Bobby? It¡¯s so¡­ so not manly,¡± Bobby exined between hups.


    I didn¡¯t know what themotion was about, but I cleared my throat anyway, alerting them to my presence. They all red at me. I wasn¡¯t the least bit intimated. If I were to stay in Cory Mansion as maid, then at least I should get on their good side. Who knew? My time here might be more enjoyable if I were to be their friend. Always look on the positive side of everything, I say.


    ¡°Bobby. It¡¯s Bobby, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, using my soothing voice. But I still couldn¡¯t believe I was about to console the very man who¡¯d tried to throw me off the bridge just this morning, though. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Bobby. I think you have a cute name. We can call you Bob for short, if you like. What do you think, guys?¡±


    ¡°Nooo,¡± Bobby wailed, shaking his head like a little baby.


    ¡°Okay, how about Bobby Baby, then,¡± I suggested again.


    Oh crap! I think I touched a sensitive spot. Bobby wailed even louder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be called Bobby Baby,¡± he sobbed.


    I hushed him up. ¡°The big boss might reprimand us again if you don¡¯t stop crying, you know?¡±


    And what do you know? Just when I mentioned him, the devil arrived.


    ¡°What the fuck are you sorry asses crying about?¡± he yelled through the car window. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say to get your asses on the street and collect the money?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, boss. We¡¯ll be on our way now,¡± they all said in unison, seat belts sliding into ce.


    ¡°Crazy bastard,¡± I muttered under my breath, putting my seat belt on properly as well.


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    Crap. Did he hear me?


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± I immediately twirled around in my seat to face him.


    ¡°You stay behind. I just remembered you didn¡¯t make me my t white.¡±


    ¡°You can drink the guys¡¯ coffees. They didn¡¯t get to drink theirs yet. On the kitchen ind.¡±


    ¡°I already did. But I still want my t white.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry boss, but I have to help Bobby and the guys collect the money first.¡± I made my excuse.


    I didn¡¯t want to stay in this huge mansion all by myself with Giovanni. The episode of the naked Adonis flinging his thingaling in the bathroom was still fresh in my mind. Not to mention he might smack my butt as he threatened just minutes ago. Whacking and smacking, that just wasn¡¯t my thing.


    ¡°Will be back to cook you dinner by six, so I won¡¯t be too long.¡±


    ¡°Jay, wait. You have-¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for him to finish. I mmed the door shut in his face, and Finnie mmed his foot on the elerator, driving me away from the Greek god.


    My first dirty job and I was stuck between two macho men in a ck van. I couldn¡¯t believe my life had degraded to this level. Not that I was rich before, but this was just beyond my imagination. If I told my friends I was actually living with a mafia n, would they believe me? I shook the thought out of my head and concentrated on the task at hand.


    We were now parked in one of the secluded, highly prized neighborhoods, sitting in the van, observing the building, we-Bobby, Heath, Finnie, Jonny and myself-were supposed to collect the money from. Heath, who¡¯d hardly spit a word out since this morning, finally said his first word to me. ¡°That¡¯s some courage you showed when you said that to big boss right there.¡±


    I cracked my neck, staring at him. Heath was even taller than Giovanni. I estimated him to be about six feet six. Maybe I should rename him Bigfoot.


    ¡°You really think I¡¯m all that courageous.¡± I eyed him with questionable doubt.


    ¡°No, Jay. I think you¡¯re just some stupid girl who¡¯s about to get her butt kicked for real if you behave with that attitude again. Boss doesn¡¯t take it too kindly when someone shuts the door in his face when he¡¯s talking to you. That¡¯s disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°Well, I say he¡¯s being disrespectful for always shouting and swearing at us like some mad person. Lunatic. That¡¯s what he is. Always using that F-word. F this. F that. Don¡¯t you guys hate it when he swears at you all the time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the boss¡¯ way of saying he cares for us,¡± Bobby exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s some weird way to show his love,¡± I muttered. Although I didn¡¯t want to say this out loud, I thought this whole mafia n belonged in a mental institution, the boss and his underlings. Even his hot body and face wouldn¡¯t help save his life. ¡°I say if he ever swears at me again, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± Heath asked, challenging me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ Hey, look, there¡¯s a hot woman over there.¡±


    Heath and Bobby were like any normal men. With the mention of a hot woman, their eyes swirled around like a camera lens.


    ¡°Where? I don¡¯t see a hot woman.¡± Bobby pouted when none appeared.


    ¡°Oh, you missed her.¡± I lied. At least I didn¡¯t have to answer Heath¡¯s question after distracting them like that.


    Back to the subject of Giovanni, I asked them some more. ¡°Hey, at least I¡¯m bound to him because of my Pa¡¯s debt. If I leave, he¡¯ll¡­¡± I made a zipping sound and a cutting gesture across my neck. ¡°You know what I mean. But you guys. What are you in it for?¡±


    ¡°He saved my life. I¡¯m bound to serve him forever. It¡¯s my promise to him,¡± Bobby said, expressing his sparkling sincerity in his eyes.


    Is Bobby gay? Does he have a crush on that mafia boss? Ooh, I ship gay couples. They do look hot together.


    ¡°All right, enough of this sappy talk. Let¡¯s get to work.¡± Heath shut us all up, including my fantasizing thoughts.


    Heath and Bobby broke in the door like cops on the raid and burst into the room. A man near the corner who was sitting ying cards rushed out the back way, but Heath was really fast. He grabbed the guy by the cor and stopped him.


    The man struggled, but Heath was stronger. He pinned the guy to the wall.


    Heath didn¡¯t say anything. It was Bobby who spoke. ¡°Where¡¯s the money?¡±


    ¡°What money? I ain¡¯t got any.¡±


    Heath strangled the guy tighter, and Bobby punched the wall. I thought he must have bad aim, but no, that must have been his way of intimidating the guy. Although, I bet the only one in pain would be him and his knuckles.


    But I was wrong. The guy did cower in fear. ¡°I say I ain¡¯t got any money. Just look around ya. I ain¡¯t got no money.¡±


    I looked around the apartment. This guy was obviously lying. He was living in such a high-maintenance building. Someone had to pay for it.


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t have any money,¡± Bobby voiced my thoughts. ¡°Then what¡¯s with the iPad and t screen?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re rented.¡± The man shook like he was about to pee in his pants.


    ¡°Rented?¡± Bobby¡¯s harsh words made the man¡¯s legs crumble even farther.


    ¡°Aye. Rented. I just want to show off to me friends that I live in the fastne.¡±


    ¡°Well, now it¡¯s time to live in the slowne. Give us the money.¡± Bobby threatened by punching his fist into the wall again.


    ¡°But I ain¡¯t got none.¡±


    ¡°You give us the money, Grandpa, or I¡¯ll cut you into thin slices of bacon and fry you up. Add a poached egg, too, and you¡¯re all ready for breakfast. Have you ever heard of it, eggs benedict?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m vegan.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an English breakfast. Now, do you want to be that eggs benedict?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then give us the money.¡±


    Gee, was this the same guy that just cried on my shoulder a moment ago. He was threatening to turn this guy into breakfast.


    Although, that did do the trick. The guy was shaking in his boots. He crumbled like the Berlin wall and instantly went to retrieve the cash from under his mattress.


    It was a quick exchange. Once the guys collected the money, they all retreated to the ck van. My feet wouldn¡¯t move as I stood rooted to the floor. I stared at the copsed form of the vegan man.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Try to make the repayment next time instead of spending money impressing your friends.¡± I tried to console him before Bobby called me back to the car. And then off we went again, collecting more badass money.


    I was starting to think this mafia n was actually a debt collectionpany. But then again, what did I know of mafias and their activities? It had only been my first day as maid for the mafia boss.


    Suddenly, my nose twitched. This usually indicated something interesting would happen in the near future. Although, I had absolutely no idea what that could be. But I didn¡¯t have to wait long to find out. It came faster than I could say the word whack.

 #1 Chapter 9

    Serving the God at Ungodly Hours


    This was still my first day on the job, and I was still working. Apparently, that mafia boss really was true to his word. He nned to use me to the bones. Straight from collecting money, I was immediately ordered to cook them dinner. I couldn¡¯t even get a ss of water to quench my parched throat. I was tossed into the kitchen and expected to cook a five-course meal fit for the king of the mafia.


    He thinks I can¡¯t live up to his expectations. Well, he¡¯s wrong. I was the master chef in our household. Forcing me to cook something like a roast, that was my specialty.


    At exactly 6:00 p. m. sharp, as promised, I served them dinner. Roast pork with crackling that could break your teeth and an abundance of roasted vegetables. The smell of my food was so sulent even I was salivating.


    One thing I found out while working here, even though it had only been one day, was this n, boss and underlings, ate together like a family, which I thought was a bit strange. Where¡¯s Giovanni¡¯s family? Is he an only child?


    What the heck? This issue didn¡¯t concern me one bit. I was all too eager tounch forward with my fork and fill my belly with delicious food.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    We were all dishing up my sulent homemade meal when I looked up at the boss and muttered, ¡°Gio, could you pass me the bowl of peas?¡±


    Everyone at the dining table dropped their cutlery. Giovanni red at me in a cutthroat manner.


    Did I say something wrong? Am I not supposed to ask him? But the bowl of peas is right in front of him.


    ¡°You¡¯re my servant, Jay. Never ever use my name,¡± Giovanni said coldly, his tone giving off anotheryer of ice.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I answered, nodding, not really taking the whole ¡°ice re¡± seriously. ¡°But what happens on the off chance I forget?¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s simple.¡± Heid his knife and fork on the table and looked directly at me, his hot lips in a thin, straight line. ¡°I¡¯ll just cut out your tongue.¡±


    I gaped and stuttered, ¡°But¡­ but¡­ if you cut out my tongue, how do wemunicate? What happens if you want a t white and I make you a short ck instead?¡±


    Giovanni clenched his jaws and his eye ticked, which meant he was pissed off. I smirked. I loved riling him up. Especially with what happened in the bathroom before. This could be my form of revenge on him. Hee-hee.


    ¡°Sorry, boss, you can go back to eating your dinner.¡± I dismissed him. I was about to dish up my second course since the first one didn¡¯t do an ounce to fill my ravenous belly, when I was yanked out of my chair and somehow found myself on hisp, my head facing the floor and my bottom facing up.


    Oh no, what¡¯s he doing? And then¡­


    Whack!


    There was a collective gasp from everyone. I forced back my tears.


    Giovanni smacked my bottom. This mafia boss smacked my bottom. So, he didn¡¯t lie after all. He was capable of smacking me.


    Was this why my nose had been twitching nonstop? Was this it?


    Tears welled from my eyes. I forced them back and red at him. No way would I give him the luxury of seeing me cry.


    ¡°Never, ever talk back to me, Jay. You have no right to use my name. I¡¯m your master and you¡¯re my servant. Remember, you¡¯re a coffee machine.¡±


    ¡°But you call me Jay.¡± I got off hisp and yelled at him. Oh my, was I angry. Like really mad. I gave him my own interpretation of his stupid notion. ¡°My name is Jenny, not Jay. So, shouldn¡¯t I have the right to call you Gio instead of boss all the time?¡±


    Giovanni stood to his full height, dwarfing me. He started poking his finger on my forehead as he made his deration. ¡°I¡¯m your owner, Jay.¡± Poke. ¡°I can call you whatever I like.¡± Poke. ¡°You, on the other hand, must call me boss at all times.¡±


    ¡°Agh,¡± I squealed, pping his finger off my forehead. I stood up higher, almost on tiptoe, and squared my shoulders, determined to give him my own version of the death re, except it didn¡¯t do me an ounce of good. Giovanni wasn¡¯t even intimidated. Plus, I had to look up at him, which made me the one at a disadvantage since I was shorter than he is, by so many inches.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, boss.¡± I emphasized the word boss just to let him know I was pissed with him. ¡°I¡¯m a coffee machine. And you know what? You¡¯re not getting any coffee tonight until you apologize, and that¡¯s the end of our conversation. If you feel the need to apologize, I¡¯ll be in my closet.¡± I then stormed to my assigned room.


    ¡°I think you made the coffee machine angry,¡± I heard Bobby say just before I got out of earshot.


    Once I got to my room, I yelled a thousand curses at him, enough to sting even his dead ancestors¡¯ ears.


    I couldn¡¯t believe this. Getting spanked for calling him by his name? What¡¯s so special about the name Gio anyway? Did he have a lover who called him by that name and now she was gone, so he was wounded?


    Agh. Stupid idiot. You nipoop.


    I rubbed at my butt. My poor gluteus maximus. Now it stings. I¡¯ll have to sleep on my stomach.


    I slumped on my cot and thought about my dire situation. When would I ever get out of this hellhole? And how would I survive if he kept using me like this? I had college to attend, plus midterm examsing up. I needed to study. If I worked twenty-four hours, around the clock like this, would I pass?


    The thought really depressed me. I wished Pa would have thought about me for a bit before he took off like a thief and left me behind.


    But then again, I actually had a roof over my head. I tried to smile and look on the bright side. At least I wouldn¡¯t have to go homeless. Maybe Pa and Amelia were lying in the gutter somewhere right now. This thought didn¡¯t sit well with me either.


    A good two hours had passed. It was well past midnight. My eyes started drooping. Guess there wouldn¡¯t be any apologying from that mafia boss tonight. Then again, I was his servant. He did have a point. And at least he was kind enough not to kill me. I had a full day of sses nned tomorrow. I knew I¡¯d better get some sleep. Wouldn¡¯t want to appear in ss with panda eyes.


    I closed my eyes and fell asleep. Only for a second, though, before a disturbing knock jolted me awake. I jerked my eyes open, in turn flipping on my cellphone to check the time. 3:00 a. m. Who on earth is waking me at three in the morning? And didn¡¯t I just fall asleep, like a second ago?


    I pressed the pillows to my ears, trying hard to ignore that insistent knocking. Only for a good second. Suddenly, the door to my closet room burst open, revealing the silhouette of that Adonis in his human form.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I burrowed my head into the pillow farther, knowing immediately it was the devil out to disturb my peaceful sleep.


    It was only two small words from him, but I knew by morning, I¡¯d have panda eyes for sure.


    ¡°My coffee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it in three hours. Go back to sleep.¡± I waved him off.


    ¡°Make my coffee. Now!¡± he growled, threw a pillow, whichnded nicely and correctly on my forehead, and then mmed the door to my room, so hard even my soul was now shaking.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I moaned, and drummed my head against the pillow three times. ¡°I¡¯ll poison you, Gio. I¡¯ll definitely poison you with my coffee so you can¡¯t think of anyone but me. Then you¡¯ll give me some sleep.¡±


    I whimpered as I padded out of my bed, half yawning, and made my way to the kitchen, prepping the machine and making Giovanni his ultimate t white. Once done, I staggered in a zigzag to his office, once again half-yawning and talking to myself just to keep from dropping off.


    ¡°Morning, boss. You¡¯re an early riser,¡± Imented, walking into his office and delivering his coffee to his desk.


    I couldn¡¯t help admiring Giovanni¡¯s appearance at this time of night, or should I say morning? He looked so fresh, with his sleek ck hair and suit and tie, sitting there behind his desk, conquering the world;pared to me, who was like a dead fish, gasping with no oxygen, what with my persistent yawning.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been to sleep yet,¡± he answered, making my head swing in his direction so fast I almost strained a neck muscle.


    ¡°What? Really, but it¡¯s three in the morning. Aren¡¯t you tired? I¡¯m so tired right now.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re yapping nonstop.¡± He red at me from under his hooded ckshes, probably annoyed at my talkative behavior again.


    ¡°That¡¯s me sleep talking,¡± I exined cheerfully, finding myself somewherefortable to sit. When I found the only avable chair was the one positioned in front of his desk, I sat there and watched as he took a sip of his coffee.


    I couldn¡¯t divert my eyes from his lips. I wonder what they taste like. Not knowing what I was doing and through some unexined phenomenal force, my face inched forward until I was literally staring at him right in front of his face.


    ¡°Your eyes are really ck, like the night sky outside. I¡¯ve never seen eyes like that before,¡± Imented, gazing at his jet-ck pupils, somehow feeling a familiar ache in my heart.


    Giovanni froze. He flicked his eyes to me and brought his face even closer to mine. From this distance, I had a clear view of his irises, which were now almost like a deep blue, swirling and mucky. I swallowed, struck by something odd and feeling somewhat hazy. Then he did something really peculiar. He grabbed my chin and tilted it from left to right, as if assessing my face for something. I blinked, cutting off the tense atmosphere.


    Yikes! Did I drool in my sleep? That¡¯s awful.


    I wiped at my mouth, dislodging his fingers from my chin. I checked for any signs of wetness, but there were none. I heaved a sigh of relief. Thank God I didn¡¯t drool.


    Giovanni shook his head in confusion, the once intense raven irises now clear once more. ¡°Did you think you drooled?¡± he had to ask, embarrassing me even further.


    ¡°What? Of course not.¡± Two peachy blossoms were already branded on my cheeks. ¡°I just don¡¯t like anyone touching my chin. That¡¯s all. A soft and delicate girl like me doesn¡¯t drool when she sleeps.¡±


    ¡°I thought people who sleep talk have their eyes closed. Your eyes are open.¡± He dismissed me and took another sip of his t white.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of people sleep talking while their eyes are open? I¡¯m one of them.¡±


    The atmosphere was once again lightened. When I saw him sipping the coffee like he had all the time in the world, I ended up making small talk.


    ¡°So, are you going to stay up all night and write threatening letters to people who don¡¯t pay you¡­ like that vegan man? I tell you. He has tons of cash stashed under his mattress. Good thing Bobby threatened to make him into breakfast. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten your money at all. So, is this what mafias do? You go and collect money from people. So, you¡¯re like some sort of money lendingpany, except with higher interest rates, right? Right?¡±


    Giovanni glowered at me, shutting my nonsense right up. ¡°Who gave you permission to talk? Your job is done. Go back to sleep.¡±


    What? How could he wake me up in the middle of the night for a cup of coffee and demand I go back to sleep when I was fully awake. My eyes were asrge as cans of sauce already.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go,¡± I said, grumpily standing up.


    ¡°Jay, wait.¡± He caught my wrist, stopping me. A slight zap shot up my arm at his touch.


    I looked at him. His eyes locked with mine. Something like an electric current passed between us again. I quickly jerked my hand away.


    ¡°What is it, bo-boss?¡± I stuttered, suddenly bing aware of his body too close to mine. We were literally breathing the same air, his body wedged against mine.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t look at me. He just said the following, with his eyes fixed intently on my face. ¡°Stay. Keep mepany. Until I finish my coffee.¡±


    I buckled back on the seat; my legs could no longer hold my weight. This time I didn¡¯t talk. My heart was already doing all the talking, thumping like crazy in my chest. We just sat together in silence. I sat watching him sipping that steaming cup of t white. After a while, my heart calmed and I couldn¡¯t suppress the yawn from escaping my lips.


    Giovanni quietly looked up at me and announced, ¡°Go to sleep, Jay. You¡¯re making my office unattractive.¡±


    I stood from my spot, sending him a scolding look.


    Seriously, this mafia boss. He has pissed me right off. First he wants me to stay. Now he wants me to go. I just want to¡­ I want to¡­

 #1 Chapter 10

    Giovanni caught Jenny in time before she toppled over backward in her sleep.


    Am I demanding too much from her on her first day of work? He questioned himself as he carried the delicate girl in his arms to her bedroom. He pushed open the door with his foot and walked slowly to the little cot on the far side of the small room. Heid her gently, folding the nkets back to cover her up. Then he straightened himself and asked what the fuck he¡¯d just done.


    He¡¯d just carried a servant girl and deposited her into her bedroom like a bride on her wedding night. This girl did something to him he didn¡¯t like. It must be that constant yapping of hers.


    Giovanni took a deep breath and let out a sigh. He couldn¡¯t help but move his face closer, examining her features, like he had moments before, touching her chin before she jerked from his fingers. She definitely looked like someone he knew, this distant memory of his, which had beenpartmentalized at the back of his skull somewhere.


    Giovanni growled at himself and ran his fingers through his hair, a habit that tended to show up when he was frustrated with himself. He admitted she was beautiful in a way he couldn¡¯t exin. It was like her beauty was too natural, yet, like a nt that continued to grow, she glowed with each passing second he stood in her presence.


    She didn¡¯t need powder or makeup to make her beautiful. She was different, unlike his other women. And what he was itching to do at that moment really pissed him off. His fingers were already reaching out and touching her scattered freckles and those soft, smooth cheeks that always seemed to glow peachy whenever he looked at her; especially when he came to see her with the skimpy towel wrapped around her thin body.


    He admitted he had a hard-on right in that instant, a fact he tried so hard to conceal and tone down with a long, cold shower. He was even denying that feeling right now, as he stared at that skinny girl lying in bed like a half-dead goldfish.


    Giovanni jerked his hand back and cursed himself again. Have I gone out of my fucking mind?


    But there was no denying that something inside him moved when he touched her. He wasn¡¯t sure what. And he wasn¡¯t looking forward to finding it out either. But he knew he¡¯d have to, and soon, too, since he¡¯d be stuck living with this particr maid of his for a long, long time.


    Curse of the Coffee Machine


    ¡°Jenny, a short ck.¡±


    ¡°Jenny, long ck please.¡±


    ¡°Jenny, I want hot chocte.¡±


    ¡°Jenny, hot water.¡±


    Another day, same old routine. I should¡¯ve been used to it by now, since it¡¯d almost been a week since I came to live in this mansion, upied by the Adonis mafia boss and his underlings, but there were still some days I was surprised out of my wits. Luckily, today wasn¡¯t one of them.


    Before going to ss, I had to make sure all their drinks were made; otherwise there would be boo-hoo-hoo for the rest of the day, mainly from Bobby and Giovanni,ining they couldn¡¯t work until they had my magic potion, aka, my coffee.


    But anyway, I felt so refreshed today. I¡¯d finished all my chores and now was sitting contentedly in the lecture hall, writing down notes on Professor Henry¡¯s lesson.


    His voice boomed and boomed; I was sure half the student poption must have gone deaf already. But I didn¡¯t care about this. I was in my own world. I hardly had days when I could rx easily. So, I was taking it all in, enjoying the time I had left before that devil mafia boss interrupted me again.


    Last week, when he called me at three in the morning just to make him one small cup of t white, I¡¯d ended up with panda eyes the size of golf balls. I had to wear sunsses the whole day. Thankfully, my friend Crispin didn¡¯t see me in that attire.


    Speaking of Crispin, he was pleasantly sitting beside me, jotting down notes, too. I wasn¡¯t even sure when he¡¯d arrived. He seemed to just appear in my peripheral, sometimes.


    ¡°Jenny,¡± he called.


    I swirled around to face him, giving him myzy smile.


    Crispin had brown hair, hazel eyes, and wore sses. His face was full of freckles, unlike mine, with only small amounts on my nose and cheeks. Crispin was tall, though. Standing at my full height, I only reached his shoulders. He was handsome in a cool, conservative way. I always teased him about not having a girlfriend hanging around his neck. He always teased me about not having a boyfriend, too.


    ¡°Mmm, what is it?¡± I asked, seeing that frown again. Thesest few weeks, Crispin seemed to always appear before me with a frown. ¡°You¡¯re frowning again. Stop. It makes you look old. And you know girls in college don¡¯t like guys who¡¯re wrinkled.¡± I pressed my thumb on this forehead to smooth it.


    ¡°Why are you so happy today, Jenny?¡± he asked instead, ignoring my advice and removing my thumb from his forehead, only to grasp it between his fingers. ¡°And where were you Friday? I called over at your house, but it was locked up. I tried calling your phone, but you didn¡¯t pick up, either.¡±


    I cringed and thought back on my sad, sorry life. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him my house had been put into foreclosure. Giovanni had taken possession of it and wouldn¡¯t let me live there. I had to stay at his mansion in my closet room until the three million had been paid off.


    ¡°I moved,¡± I told him cheerfully, extracting my thumb from his grasp. ¡°Somewhere closer to the university. Sorry for not telling you. It was hectic with the move.¡±


    ¡°You should have called me. I could havee over to help.¡± Crispin held an expression that clearly showed he was hurt.


    ¡°Ah, so sorry. Don¡¯t be upset.¡± I hurriedly pacified him. ¡°It was a very quick decision. I didn¡¯t mean to let it slide. I just forgot, that¡¯s all. I was going to, seriously.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look all flustered.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I was only teasing. Haven¡¯t we been friends since high school? You should know how I feel about you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course I do,¡± I said, somehow agreeing anyway when I hadn¡¯t a clue what he was on about. Was there a double meaning to his statement? I didn¡¯t get him at all sometimes.


    ¡°So, give me your new address.¡± Crispin touched my arm, smiling now, sliding his iPhone across the bench to me. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you sometime.¡±


    What? No. No. I couldn¡¯t give him that mafia boss¡¯ address. He¡¯d kill me. Also, I couldn¡¯t let Crispin know I was up and over my eyeballs in Pa¡¯s debt. So, I lied.


    ¡°What? No. No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Is it your dad? I know he doesn¡¯t like you hanging out with me.¡±


    ¡°No, of course not.¡±


    ¡°Then your sister, Amelia.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. Not Pa. Not Amelia. They don¡¯t live with me.¡±


    ¡°Where are they now? You mean to tell me you live alone?¡± A startled look crossed his face.


    ¡°Oh, no. I don¡¯t live alone.¡± I tried to pacify him. ¡°You see, I¡¯m boarding. Pa and Amelia¡­¡± I¡¯m so sorry, Crispin, but I have to lie to you. ¡°They moved, too. But since they live so far from the university, I thought I¡¯d board somewhere closer, since I have longer to studypared to Amelia.¡±


    ¡°So, give me your address, then. I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s myndlord, you see. I live with him. He won¡¯t be too happy if I give his address to some stranger,¡± I whispered, turning back just in time to see Professor Henry pointing to the bnce sheet again.


    ¡°I¡¯m your friend, Jenny, not some stranger.¡± He turned me around to face him again. ¡°I¡¯m sure the old geezer won¡¯t mind.¡±


    I almostughed when Crispin called Giovanni an old geezer. Even I¡¯d thought he was an old man in the beginning. If only Crispin could see Giovanni now, I was sure he would choke on his words.


    ¡°Not to me, Crispin, but to him you are.¡± I pointed out, trying to keep a straight face.


    ¡°Look. I just want to know if you¡¯re living in a safe neighborhood. You don¡¯t know, Jenny. There are thugs around everywhere. You have to be careful where you live. And who you live with.¡± Crispinid his big palm on top of mine, grasping mine gently.


    ¡°I know, Crispin.¡± I smiled at him, patting his hand gently like a good friend would. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m safe. How about if you want to see me, just text me? I¡¯ll meet you in town.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯ll be cool.¡± He smiled stiffly.


    ¡°Yeah. Cool.¡± I smiled, moving my hand away.


    I turned back to Prof. Henry¡¯s lecture, but I noticed Crispin was still staring at my face. ¡°What is it? Something on my face. Coffee?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Coffee again. Just a bit here.¡± He removed the grounds off my cheek. His fingers seemed to linger a bit too long on my temple.


    ¡°Are there heaps?¡± I asked, wondering what was taking him so long.


    ¡°Yeah. You like to make coffee, don¡¯t you?¡± He gave me his dazzling smile, his thumb and fingers busy brushing my cheek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find Professor Henry boring.¡± I leaned into him, whispering into his ear, while he was busy with his task.


    Crispin chuckled and moved his face closer, until we were literally staring into each other¡¯s eyes and I could count the number of freckles on his face. ¡°No. I like it. I get to sit next to you. We hardly get to sit next to each other these days.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He pulled back reluctantly.


    I repositioned myself as well. Resting my elbow on the bench and head in my palm, I gazed up at him and exined my reasoning. ¡°Well, I find him boring. But I need the credit.¡±


    ¡°If you want to, I could tutor you.¡± Crispin¡¯s eyes popped with enthusiasm.


    I giggled and shook my head. ¡°No need. I¡¯m sure with a bit of time to study, I¡¯ll breeze through the exams. Say¡­¡± I turned our conversation to more interesting matter. ¡°Want to have lunch at this new Korean restaurant that just opened up across the street? I have another ss to attend, but we could meet-¡±


    Buzz. Buzz.


    Crap! My phone vibrated in my jeans pocket. I gestured for Crispin to give me a second and flipped my phone on. My eyeballs almost popped out.


    Boss: Jay, I want my coffee. Get here in 10 minutes or else¡­


    Giovanni, you ass! How dare you interrupt my tranquil time when I¡¯m busy studying? Oh, I was so tempted to tell him off. So I did.


    Jenny: Get here in 10 min or else what?


    ¡°Jenny, who texted you?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± I looked up to see Crispin¡¯s face in my personal space again. And just when I was about to respond, I identally brushed my nose across his cheek. His face blushed raspberry.


    ¡°Oh, gosh. I¡¯m so sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to bash my nose into you like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± he managed with a croaky voice. ¡°But who texted you?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± I turned back to check the text again, just in case that devil mafia boss was only ying a joke on me. But this was no joke. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s myndlord.¡±


    ¡°What does he want?¡±


    My attention flipped to Crispin again, and already I saw the wrinkles on his forehead. Crispin must be going through some stressful episode in his life, I thought. ¡°Said he needs to talk to me about my boarding at his-¡±


    Just then, another text message came through.


    Boss: Or else you¡¯ll live to regret the day you didn¡¯t serve me coffee. Get here now. 10 minutes!


    Sheesh! How did he find the time to even type in the exmation mark? I was already struggling to write proper sentences in text form.


    ¡°Can¡¯t he wait?¡± Crispin interrupted my train of thought. ¡°You¡¯re in ss. Tell him to wait until you finish for the day.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I shifted in my seat ufortably. ¡°I can¡¯t. I have to go now. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. ¡®Kay?¡±


    With that said, I slipped out the back door of the lecture hall and raced to my bike, parked a good five-minute walk from the building.


    That sprint to my bike cost me two minutes. Eight minutes to go. Through some calctions, I deduced the quickest route to get to Cory Mansion was through Central Park. And my God, I cycled like I was apetitor in the Tour de France.


    This is my curse. Pure and simple. I¡¯m cursed to be the maid and coffee machine for that mafia boss.


    By the time I got to Cory Mansion, I was already huffing, puffing, and, dare I say, on the verge of copsing. But I raced to Giovanni¡¯s office and mmed the door open, only to find him lying on his couch.


    I staggered toward him. ¡°Boss¡­¡± I puffed, my tongue wagging out like a dog after a good sprint. ¡°I¡¯m here. I made it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. I walked closer to see why he was so damned rude. When I got near him, I almost beat his head with my fist.


    He called me to rush over within ten minutes, and when I arrived, he was sleeping! I couldn¡¯t believe this. I marched forward and was about to take my revenge on him when I was struck by his beauty.


    Wow. He¡¯s really handsome up close. So, I ended up squatting and observing his face instead.


    Long ckshes, beautiful bow-shaped lips, strong jawbones, and well-defined eyebrows-this man was just too perfect. Seriously, such perfection should only exist in paintings.


    I couldn¡¯t help trying to push his buttons. What happened if I aggravated him like that time during dinner?


    Oh, once I got an idea in my head, I couldn¡¯t get it out until I put it to action.


    So, I did. My finger inched forward until it was almost at his forehead, and then I applied pressure, poking him. And suddenly¡­ he opened his eyes.

 #1 Chapter 11

    Dreaming of You


    ¡°Gio, you came.¡± Jennifer¡¯s face brightened as soon as she saw him.


    ¡°Yeah. I came.¡± Giovanni smiled, shifting to sit beside her against that tall beech tree.


    He didn¡¯t know why he came, though. He should have stayed home, but it was so bothersome. There was too muchmotion, too many headaches to deal with. Right here, underneath this beech tree, was where he felt most at ease. And also being with his new little friend, Jennifer.


    He sometimes questioned why he preferred herpany over other people his own age. Jennifer was eight years his junior, but the age difference was of no importance. He found when he hung out with her, he could be himself.


    ¡°Licorice?¡± she asked, handing him some ck ones.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± He took it from her and started chewing. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Coffee?¡± she asked again, handing him a small foamy cup.


    ¡°What have you got for me this time?¡± He shifted toward her, fingers peeling under the lid for a little sniff.


    She pped him on the hand and scolded, ¡°No peeking. It¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    Giovanniughed. ¡°Come on. I don¡¯t like surprises. Tell me.¡±


    ¡°t white.¡± She grinned, handing him the foamy beverage again.


    ¡°How do you know all these coffee names?¡± he queried, stretching his long legs. For a kid who was still in primary school, she sure knew a lot about coffee making.


    ¡°My ma owns a shop,¡± she answered enthusiastically. ¡°She said I can¡¯t drink coffee just yet, but I can practice making them, since I¡¯ll own it when I grow older. Do you like it?¡±


    Jennifer was a robust child. She was also very considerate, always bringing him gifts. Namely coffee. But Giovanni sometimes thought he was just a test subject for her coffee-making skills.


    Giovanni took a sip and nodded, giving his honest opinion. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re improving.¡±


    ¡°You really think so?¡± She was literally beaming.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ will you marry me, then?¡±


    Giovanni almost choked on his t white. So, she was still at it. Here he¡¯d almost forgotten about that weirdment from her. He¡¯d thought it was just a childish thing.


    ¡°I¡­¡± How could he respond to that? Her eyes were liquid green, begging for the answer. And to his surprise, he did answer her. ¡°How about I make you my lover instead¡­ when you grow up, of course?¡±


    His face went bright red as soon as he spouted that sentence. Although, Jennifer didn¡¯t look the least fazed by that outburst. In fact, she was looking up at him in awe, not thinking for one second he might be some pedo out to seduce a little girl like her.


    But that wasn¡¯t his intention. Not one bit. In all the time he¡¯de to know Jennifer, she was the most honest girl he¡¯d ever met. Yeah sure, she was a kid, but she wouldn¡¯t stay a kid forever. If he were to have a lifelong partner, it would have to be her; someone he wasfortable with, someone who¡¯d make him smile. And Jennifer made him smile on countless asions.


    Giovanni knew all along that a person like him would never sumb to the idea of marriage. His blood was too soiled, too ck, like his hair and eyes, a curse for generations, a child of the mafia. Taking a lover would be ideal for him.


    ¡°Lover. Really?¡± Jennifer¡¯s voice dragged him out of his thoughts. ¡°You think I¡¯m beautiful? My pa says I¡¯m not a beautiful child, so no one wants to marry me like they want my sister, but you¡¯re the first one who says I¡¯m beautiful.¡±


    Suddenly, she jumped onto hisp and clenched his shirt cor, gazing up at hisrge form with a worried look on her face.


    ¡°He says boys only want to marry girls who are beautiful. I¡¯m not beautiful, though. Are you really sure you want to make me your wife? I won¡¯t be upset at you if you refuse.¡±


    He wanted to tell her there was a difference between a lover and a wife, but he didn¡¯t have the heart. At that moment, she was chewing her bottom lip, and it kind of hurt him a bit.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re beautiful, Jennifer. Very beautiful. Don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡± He patted her head like a big brother would a little sister.


    ¡°Even with the freckles on my nose?¡± She shoved her face right in his again.


    Giovanni blinked, flicking his eyes about and looking at those freckles scattered on her nose and cheeks. She was a small kid, but she was so cute with her big green goggle eyes staring back at him. He found himself thinking what she might look like when she grew up. ¡°Yeah. Even with the freckles.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be your lover. We¡¯ll marry and live happily ever after, like Cindere and her prince.¡± She nodded, as if it were an easy decision.


    Did she not understand the enormity of his suggestion? Was he really willing to wait for a little girl like her? He had a choice to make regarding his future. He epted his fate, with Jennifer and his family. But one thing his family didn¡¯t know was he¡¯de out on top. He¡¯d change history and define his own rules. They wanted him to be the next heir. Then so be it. He¡¯d ept it with both hands.


    Giovanni took another sip of the t white and found himself smiling, anticipating his future with the little girl beside him. ¡°So¡­¡± He turned to Jennifer. ¡°For now, let¡¯s be friends. Then, when you turn neen, I¡¯ll make you my lover.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, eyes round as marbles.


    ¡°Yeah. But only if you agree when I ask you. You may change your mind when you grow older.¡±


    ¡°No. No, I won¡¯t. I like you, Gio. A lot.¡± She sounded so sure of herself, as if she¡¯d already had her future nned out, with him in the picture. What would she do if she found out he was the son of a mafia boss?


    Giovanni didn¡¯t want to think about this notion. Not yet anyway. When the time came for her to understand they came from different worlds, he¡¯d tackle the issue. For now, though, he¡¯d enjoy herpany until she decided she¡¯d had enough.


    Giovanni smiled, taking her little hand within his. ¡°Then let¡¯s be friends, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s be friends, then.¡± She nodded, and then beamed up at him again, showing her small white teeth. ¡°But I can¡¯t wait to grow up so I can be your wife.¡±


    Giovanni chuckled. Yeah, he couldn¡¯t wait until then either. Then he wouldn¡¯t have to bother with his family again.


    With the warm spring sun shining on them, hands still entwined, and the wind singing a lovely melody in the leaves, Giovanni slowly closed his eyes and gently drifted off to sleep-


    Poke.


    Fuck! Someone was jabbing his forehead.


    Giovanni blinked, opening his eyes. Suddenly, right in front of him was the image of Jennifer, the grown-up version.


    Giovanni¡¯s heart raced. Adrenaline fueled his actions. He swung his arm forward on autopilot and grasped her neck until he could see her clear emerald pupils dte, just like his little friend Jennifer.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he growled into her ear.


    When the young woman didn¡¯t answer, he tugged her forward until his face was just a breath from hers. He hissed, ¡°I said, what¡¯s your name? Answer me.¡±


    The young woman looked flustered and blinked in confusion. ¡°My name¡­ my name is Jenny. Jenny Stone.¡±


    ¡°Where do you live?¡± he growled, frustration ripping his gut.


    ¡°Brooklyn, beforeing here to live with you.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever been to Central Park?¡± he fired.


    ¡°Yes, just a minute ago. I was cycling through there.¡±


    Giovanni gritted his teeth. ¡°No. When you were younger.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°No. Never been there. As I said, only a minute ago. Hey, you¡¯re scaring me. Are you okay? Concussion? Bad dream? What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re hurting my neck.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Giovanni let Jenny go and ruffled his hair in frustration. This was Jenny, his maid, not his little friend Jennifer. And he was in his office, not outside in Central Park.


    What was wrong with him? A mere memory from ages ago had made him lose his mind.


    ¡°Boss, what is it? Want me to get you a cold towel?¡± Jenny asked, face literally in his personal space, palm resting on his forehead, gently checking his temperature.


    Giovanni shoved her hand away and tossed a deadly re at his maid, backing up against his couch.


    Bad dream, huh? He wouldn¡¯t say bad, more like a memory. The only bright memory in his dull and dark past.


    Giovanni shook his head to rid himself of his gloomy past, then flicked his eyes at the grandfather clock standing by the wall¡­ and glowered at Jenny.


    ¡°You¡¯rete, Jay,¡± he immediately growled, venting his turmoil toward his maid. ¡°Late. I can¡¯t forgive you for that.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± She gasped suddenly, sping at her chest as if she were about to die. Giovanni knew she was yacting again. That girl was as sly as a fox. ¡°I cycled here. I ran and cycled here. My knees. My legs. I¡¯m still puffing as we speak. I¡¯m about to die here. I swear. And I did arrive. But you were sleeping.¡± She clung to his arm for support, acting as if she were about to lose her bnce for real.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t like her touch at all. Not one bit. He felt a shiver akin to lust spreading right through his groin. And my God, that pissed him off. Like hell.


    Giovannished out at her, or more himself, since he couldn¡¯t control the lust coursing down to his manhood. ¡°That¡¯s because I said to arrive here in ten minutes. You took more than an hour. What were you using for transport? The snail rail?¡±


    ¡°I took my bike. And clearly, asking me to arrive in ten minutes was a bit too much.¡± She stood up to him, wriggling her nose in disapproval. ¡°Now, if I puff out my lungs, you won¡¯t get your three million, let alone my delicious, addictive coffee.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Jay,¡± he barked, rather annoyed with her chitchat. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I let you attend school as part of our contract. Now get me my coffee!¡±


    ¡°Right away, boss. Right away.¡± Jenny pretended to puff onest time, then ran off to the kitchen to prepare his drink.


    Giovanni trembled but somehow managed to settle in his chair. He ran his fingers through his hair in agitation and sighed, closing his eyes.


    Fuck! What the fuck was wrong with him. Why did he suddenly think Jenny was his Jennifer? Yeah, they might resemble each other, but his Jennifer would never act like that brainless twitting maid of his.


    But fucking God! What got him frustratingly mad was her touch. She got under his skin. All the areas she¡¯d touched were still sensitive, making him tingle with want.


    Want? For fuck¡¯s sake! Giovanni shivered at the thought. He really needed to getid, call up one of his mistresses. That should tame his body.


    After a small time of meditation, Giovanni mmed his fist on the desk with a big bang.


    What the fuck is taking that girl so long? He must have been waiting for a million and one years, but still he hadn¡¯t seen her head through his doorway yet.


    Giovanni began to wonder what the hell she was up to. Getting up without even realizing what he was nning to do, he stormed to the vicinity of the kitchen, determined to find out.

 #1 Chapter 12

    Oh my God! Oh my God! What the hell was that?


    My heart hadn¡¯t stopped its pounding yet. Giovanni was so hot I almost copsed in front of him. If not for his strong body as my support, I knew I would have toppled over already.


    Who knew he looked so captivating after waking from an afternoon nap? Pa always had his tongue rolled out and mucus stuck in his eyes, but Giovanni looked like a male supermodel posing for a pillowmercial.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I breathed out and sighed one more time, then went about my task, when there was a guttural sound from behind.


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    ¡°What? Who? How? Where?¡± I turned around and saw Giovanni charging at me like a bull after a red g. And I was the red g.


    ¡°Jay! Where the fuck is my coffee?¡± he hissed, his face twisted and contorted in an angry expression, but somehow he still managed to look hot.


    ¡°Boss!¡± I jumped back as he briskly charged into my personal space. And so began the disastrous event.


    When I jumped, the portafilter flew out of my hand, making the ground coffee fly high into the air, spreading its brown particles into the space. Andnding only on¡­


    Oh, my God! I cringed.


    Giovanni was covered in coffee, from his dark head all the way to the crisp white polo shirt he wore.


    I¡¯m in deep shit now.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± That was my favorite phrase ofte. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    I started dusting him off, thumbs and fingers flicking and swiping and smearing the dust more into his hair and shirt.


    I sniggered, a thought suddenly swarming in my head. This could be my revenge since he¡¯d cursed me as his coffee machine. I should just y it cool and pretend to help him.


    ¡°Get off me. For fuck¡¯s sake, Jay, get away from me.¡± Giovanni fought me like I was a contagious bug, putting me at arm¡¯s length.


    ¡°No, boss, I have to help you. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± I ignored hismand and kept on flicking at his hair, rubbing in the coffee, adding in a good p or two on his head.


    Giovanni, who was once famous for having midnight-ck hair, was now covered in brown particles. I wanted tough. The situation was too funny. But his death re stopped me.


    ¡°I said get away from me.¡± Giovanni pushed me off finally. ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯ve done. I¡¯m truly sorry, boss.¡± I batted my eyshes, ying it cool and totally ignoring hismand. My, my, I was having so much fun taunting him; I didn¡¯t want to stop just yet. ¡°I mean, look at you. You¡¯re no better than a dirty kid. Here, let me help you wipe it off.¡± Again, one more blow to his head.


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, that¡¯s enough!¡± Giovanni barked, backing until he crashed onto the couch, lying awkwardly.


    That still didn¡¯t stop me. I climbed onto him and dusted the powder off for him.


    Suddenly, all was silent. Giovanni didn¡¯t breathe. In fact, he didn¡¯t move. He stayed like a mannequin. I took this opportunity to finish off my task.


    ¡°Almost there, boss,¡± I said, unaware I was literally straddling him.


    And then I smiled, only to realize Giovanni was looking at me intently. And I mean really looking at me. Eye to eye. Nose to nose. And dare I say my lips were hovering above his?


    I blinked. He blinked. And then¡­


    ¡°The fuck, Jay? Get off me.¡±


    It was like Giovanni suddenly woke from his stupor. He barked, then shoved me off. I crashed,nding with a big thud on the floor.


    ¡°Ow!¡± I whined, rubbing my sore bottom.


    ¡°It¡¯s your own fault.¡± Giovanni became flustered and looked away. ¡°Who told you to climb me like a tree? Fuck!¡± Giovanni looked down at himself and made a disgusted face. ¡°I have to get out of these shitty clothes. Gotta have a bath. Don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    With that, he disappeared out the door.


    Damn, that Adonis. Wait until I saw him again, saying not to follow him. Oh yes, give me three million, and I still wouldn¡¯t follow him into that bathroom. Seriously, nothing would change my mind. Absolutely nothing.


    Oh, who was I kidding? Maybe if I spied on him and surprised him like he did to me before, then I¡¯d call it even.


    And when I heard Giovanni growl again, barking for Bobby or Heath toe to him, I took it as my cue, bouncing happily at this God-given opportunity, not knowing I¡¯d gotten more than I bargained for with my teasing.

 #1 Chapter 13

    Wet Bodies


    Giovanni was mad. No, he was furious. His eyes turned the color of obsidian. He couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d allowed Jenny to invade his space, again, or agitate him to this level.


    Hadn¡¯t he already noted how she got under his skin? And what was the first thing he did? Went barging in on her, scaring the fuck out of her.


    But what really got him steaming mad was his fucking dick. It now stood straight and hard like a fucking tent pole.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    But first a bath, then relieve himself. In that order.


    Giovanni stomped to his bedroom, removing the soiled shirt from his skin. It was smelly and disgusting. He despised dirt and dust with an intense passion. It reminded him of his miserable past life, a life he didn¡¯t want to even think about.


    Giovanni stripped, tossing the dirtied clothing to the side, and turned on his heel to enter the bathroom. Then looked down at his dick again.


    Nope. Still proud and tall.


    Damn his maid.


    Rotating the tap on, he watched the water filling therge bathtub, his mind backtracking to that moment when Jenny was just an inch from his face, berating herself for how stupid and clumsy she was.


    Giovanni scolded himself when he realized he was thinking about his maid yet again. Dipping the tip of his finger in the pool, he grimaced lightly and climbed in. Hey back, rxing his head against the headrest, until he could feel his dick softening again.


    Sighing with relief, Giovanni took the bar of soap in his hands. It slipped, flying out of his grasp onto the bathroom floor, a good three meters away.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± What the hell had this daye to? First he couldn¡¯t get his cup of coffee. Then his dick decided it wanted to y, and now his bar of soap wanted to escape out of his ws.


    Leaning back, fingers bracing the lip of the bathtub, Giovanni roared with all his might. ¡°Heath! Bobby! Any of you asses. Get in here now. Pick up my soap.¡±


    But no reply greeted him. Only the sound of the grandfather clock ticking.


    ¡°Agh.¡± Anger thumped through him. ¡°Heath! Bobby! Any of you numbnuts, get your asses in here! Right now!¡±


    Still no one greeted him.


    Giovanni had decided the best course of action would be to pick up that bar of soap himself. He stood and was already halfway out of the bathtub when a soft feminine voice greeted him at the door.


    ¡°Boss, you need me?¡±


    Giovanni jerked his head and saw Jenny. And right then, his dick hardened.


    ¡°Oh, fuck!¡±


    ¡°Boss, you need me?¡± I said, but I wasn¡¯t really looking at his face. No, I was looking at his male anatomy, standing so bluntly on disy.


    My mouth went dry and my heart roared like a thunderstorm.


    This wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d bargained for when I came to tease him. Nope, not at all. It was one thing to hide behind a shower door and peek at him. It was another matter entirely seeing his precious tool hanging in front of my eyes.


    I screeched. ¡°Gee, you¡¯re giving me conjunctivitis. My virgin eyes! They¡¯re ruined because of you.¡±


    I shut my eyes and pped my arms to keep him away from me.


    ¡°Shut up, Jay,¡± Giovanni stammered, just as embarrassed as I was, slipping back into the water.


    I peeked from between my fingers, seeing his face had gone red, his fingers gripping the lip of the tub until his knuckles turned white.


    ¡°What do you want? Why were you calling the guys?¡± I asked, inching a step closer.


    Now why didn¡¯t I just scram out of there? What was I doing standing like an idiot inside the bathroom with my very naked boss in his bathtub? Waiting for his order? No. More like curious. That was my middle name.


    ¡°Pick up my bar of soap,¡± he ordered, avoiding my eyes.


    ¡°Aye-aye.¡± I grinned, knowing he was at a disadvantage.


    I bravely sauntered across the bathroom, knowing he was too embarrassed to show me his anatomy again.


    ¡°What¡¯s taking so long?¡± he snapped when I didn¡¯tply in time.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting it,¡± I grumbled, slowly bending down to pick up the slippery thing. ¡°Gee. Calm down. You might burst a blood vessel.¡±


    ¡°Jay!¡± Giovanni snapped, turning his head to me. And our eyes locked.


    I smirked. And winked mischievously. ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Okay, boss.¡± I bobbed my head. And the slippery soap jumped out of my hand. ¡°And look what you made me do. Now I have to pick it up again for your majesty.¡±


    I smirked when Giovanni gave me another death re. I simply ignored it. I was about to grab the soap again when my foot idently slipped on it, and suddenly, I was skiing with my bare feet, careening to an unknown destination.


    Oh hell, I was like a bird. No, more like a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, with the wings plucked out. I slid, glided, and flew, crashing right into Giovanni, only bracing myself when both my handsnded in the bathtub to stop my fall. But I realized my hands were touching something long¡­ and hard¡­ and growing under my fingers the more I touched it.


    Giovanni gulped. I gasped and stared at him. He looked at me. And suddenly, it dawned on me. I was actually touching


    ¡°Boss¡­ your¡­ banana-¡±


    ¡°Fuck! Get your hands off me.¡± Giovanni kicked at my hand.


    I lost my bnce, toppled over, and fell right into hisp, sshing more water from the bathtub, my body now soaking wet from head to toe.


    ¡°Jay, the fuck? Get off me.¡± He wiggled, trying to push me off. But that only resulted in me bing more tangled with him. Literally.


    My cheek kissed his chest. My arms were flung around his waist. I could feel all of him. His taut muscles. His hard abs. And that made me shiver with that foreign feeling again.


    I opened my eyes, ncing up to see his angry face, when I saw the tattoo on his chest. From this distance, I could see the intricate design. Two dragons entwined. How very intimate.


    Heck, what was I thinking? In this position, Giovanni and I were also intimate. We were molded together like that dragon tattoo.


    ¡°Calm down, boss. Stay right there. I¡¯m just going to get out slowly. Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Giovanni¡¯s breath was haggard, like he was running out of oxygen. I knew he was going to snap off my head the minute he regained strength.


    ¡°Are you calm yet?¡± I meekly asked.


    ¡°I fucking am. Now get off me.¡± His voice was like a piece of taut string. And it was about to break any second.


    ¡°I am. And I will.¡± I pacified him.


    Slowly, I reached to grab hold of the tub for support. I was about to jump out when I slipped again, stepping on his banana.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± he hissed, pain shooting up his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    Giovanni tossed me, sshing an obscene amount of water in my face. I yelped. Somehow, during the time I had my eyes closed, Giovanni had me underneath him, his broad chest looming above me.


    ¡°Boss!¡± I flounced about.


    Swearing as if he were seriously pissed, Giovanni bolted out of the bath and disappeared out the door, leaving me with no air to breathe.


    By the time I got downstairs, all wet and dripping, Bobby was blinking at me, his mouth full of noodles.


    ¡°Jay, what¡¯d you do to the boss? He was dripping wet in his bathrobe.¡±


    ¡°You know where he went?¡± I asked, eyes searching around the room.


    ¡°How should I know?¡± he asked between munching his cup of noodles. ¡°But one thing I know is you¡¯ll be dead meat when he gets back.¡±


    Oh, dear. I was so not looking forward to that.

 #1 Chapter 14

    Tormented Memories


    Shortness of breath. Increased heart rate. Burning fire under his skin. The need to quench his thirst by kissing the living hell out of those chatty, pouty lips.


    Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck was wrong with him?


    Giovanni swore to himself all the way to Timbuktu-well, to his private gym actually-where he used that excess energy to beat the living hell out of the punching bag.


    But even with the massive impact of each punch, he still couldn¡¯t alleviate those symptoms or forget those lucid memories in his head. He could recount every detail. The way his naked body wedged above Jay¡¯s, the way her clothing soaked to her skin, outlining her curvy breasts. The way his skin burned with desire and lust evaporated through his pores. His feelings were so intense he could hardly breathe.


    What the fuck was wrong with him? She was his maid, for fuck¡¯s sake. Nothing more. So why was he so wrapped up with her?


    Giovanni threw a few more punches, breathing out loud and fast, until he was exhausted, body slumping onto the mat. He chuckled like a crazy fool.


    ¡°You are one crazy fucker, Gio.¡± He panted. ¡°Lusting after your own maid.¡±


    He closed his eyes, remembering her cheeky smile and the way she liked to provoke him.


    Giovanniughed. It was fun having her around. She amused him. In the beginning. But not now. He wanted her like he wanted his next breath.


    ¡°Just pretend she¡¯s one of the boys,¡± he told himself. ¡°Just pretend she¡¯s one of-¡±


    His chant was interrupted when, in his mind¡¯s eyes, he saw his little friend Jennifer, her smiling face dotted with freckles and curious green eyes shining.


    Giovanni let his mind drift down memoryne, remembering when hest saw his little friend Jennifer, before his life took a turn for the worse and everything changed forever.


    ¡°Hello, Gio, handsome boy. Coffee?¡±


    ¡°Let me guess? t white?¡± He smiled, weing his little friend, taking the brew from her hands.


    ¡°Yeppy. You got it right. So, as a reward, I¡¯ll read you a book.¡± Shey on the grass, her head resting on hisp.


    It was a usual urrence now. She would visit him at their ce under this beech tree. She would always bring the cup of coffee she¡¯d made for him, and he would sit and wait.


    Gio caressed Jennifer¡¯s damp forehead. ¡°It¡¯s hot today. You should wear a hat next time.¡±


    ¡°I know. Ma told me that, too. But I got too excited, so I ran out without the hat.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯ll you be reading for me today?¡±


    ¡°Cindere.¡±


    ¡°Why Cindere?¡± Giovanni asked.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s poor, but in the end, she meets her Prince Charming, like me meeting you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not Prince Charming.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are. You¡¯re handsome, Gio, handsome boy, like Prince Charming. That¡¯s why you¡¯re my best friend and Prince Charming.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any friends at school, Jennifer?¡±


    ¡°I talk too much. Pa says girls should keep quiet. Not speak their minds. I don¡¯t know what he means, though. Plus, he said I¡¯m not beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Jennifer-¡± He scolded.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Gio. You said I look beautiful. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t care. So, when I grow up, I¡¯ll be your wife.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re still on it.¡±


    ¡°You did promise me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t ever forget a promise, do you?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I have good memories.¡±


    ¡°Then what happens if we don¡¯t see each other until we¡¯re older.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll still remember you. You have ck eyes, like the night sky. When I see you, I¡¯ll remember you.¡±


    Gio gripped his ne, twin dragons entwined, the one his grandmother gave him before she died, before he had to go live with the man he must call father. A n formted in his head. He took the ne from his neck and ced it around Jennifer¡¯s.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asked, curious.


    ¡°It¡¯s my ne. Keep it for me. Give it back to me when you turn neen. That way you¡¯ll always remember me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, handsome boy. I¡¯ll remember you.¡± She patted his hand. ¡°But I¡¯ll keep the ne safe with me. And I¡¯ll give it back to you when I turn neen.¡± Jennifer turned back to her book, resuming reading aloud for him.


    Gio soon fell asleep wrapped in the serenity of his little friend¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Giovanni,¡± a woman purred in his ear, interrupting his reminiscence. The next minute, he felt a light body straddling his torso.


    Giovanni flicked his eyes opened. His gaze fell on a pale, porcin face decorated with blond hair, blood-red lips, and cheekbones that could cut apples. Fire burned through him again.


    ¡°Melena,¡± he uttered before swinging his arm to cradle her neck and jerk her face down, kissing the hell out of those lips. He rolled her over, his body looming above hers.


    She panted underneath him, her voice rasping out, ¡°Hello, Giovanni. Miss me?¡±


    ¡°Like yesterday.¡± His lips twisted in a cruel smile, taking those lips again.


    She writhed, her long red nails digging into his skin.


    ¡°Do you want me?¡± he rumbled into her ears.


    She nodded. The desire was too unbearable; she could no longer speak.


    Giovanni ran his fingers along her shoulder de, caressing her corbone and up her neck, until-


    ¡°Giovanni, what are you¡­?¡± Her eyes grew wide as the situation finally dawned on her. Giovanni was going to strangle her.


    ¡°Why are you here, Melena?¡± Giovanni asked coldly, the lust extinguished as quickly as it came, now reced with fury.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re my lover.¡± She struggled for breath, gripping his fingers to try and loosen them. But it was no use.


    Giovanni snarled. His eyes were obsidian, disgust radiating from them. ¡°Really, Melena? You thought all this time I was your lover? We¡¯ve fucked once.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Melena managed to gasp out, choking on her next words. ¡°Please¡­ Giovanni¡­ don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Oh, Melena.¡± He tsked, shaking his head in disapproval. ¡°What would Leo say if he knew you were this naive? What if I knew all about his n all along?¡±


    Mentioning the name Leo made Melena¡¯s eyes growrge with fear. ¡°You know?¡±


    Giovanni chuckled, letting her go. Melena made her escape by running to the door, but he decided at that moment to pounce on her like a mouse. He charged into her, backing her against the wall until she had no means of escape.


    He gripped her neck again. This time the desire to break her was so strong he almost couldn¡¯t control himself. He told himself she wasn¡¯t the problem. She was simply a toy used in a game between Leo and himself.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m a fucking idiot?¡± he hissed. ¡°I control half of New York City, Melena. Tell Leo if he wants to use you to bring me down, he should rethink his n. The reason I let you into my life wasn¡¯t because I loved you or wanted you as my lover. I was fucking bored. And you were amusing. To a certain point. But now I¡¯m bored again. So tell that nut job I¡¯m done. With you. And if he wants to really get to me, he should show his bullshit face, not act like a ninny hiding behind a woman¡¯s skirt.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni, you can¡¯t do this to me,¡± she cried, crumbling to the floor.


    ¡°Oh, yes, I can. Now, I¡¯m going to let you go easy. Unless you want to lie in the bottom of the Antic. Your choice.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too cruel,¡± she cried in anguish. ¡°You think I approached you because Leo asked me to? It¡¯s because I love you. I want to be with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your poetry, Melena.¡± He spoke over his shoulder. ¡°Go. Before I change my mind.¡±


    Melena picked herself up. ¡°Don¡¯t think this is thest you¡¯ll hear of us. We¡¯ll be back, and you¡¯ll pay for what you¡¯ve done. Leo will get you.¡±


    Giovanni twisted his mouth in a cruel smile. ¡°Then tell him I¡¯m waiting. But get his coffin ready, too, because the next time he sees me, he¡¯ll be buried under a ten-story building.¡±


    And he sauntered out, leaving the crying girl.


    Giovanni was absolutely done ying this game of cat-and-mouse with Leo. The fucker had wanted his position since Giovanni had be boss of New York City after the big honcho, Giuseppe Dente, had given him this position.


    Not only had he proven he was capable of handling petty matters, but he was also the strongest fighter. The others in the group had respected him and epted him as their leader.


    But not Leo. Leo still thought he was a useless, filthy bastard, picked up by the head honcho at age fifteen.


    Yeah, he had been a dismal-looking boy, prowling the streets of Brooklyn. Yeah, his skin was saturated with dirt, filth permeating the air wherever he went. But he was strong. He had the will to live. He didn¡¯t need to live ording to someone¡¯s will. Especially when that will belonged to the man he¡¯d called father up until age fifteen.


    God, he hated his life back then. He hated to be reminded of who he used to be.


    A bastard. That was what that man had always called him. A vermin lower than dirt. Brainless filth.


    He could remember it well, thosest few moments before he¡¯d decided to run away from home-the best decision he¡¯d ever made.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± The old man stopped him as soon as he stepped foot inside the house after his outing with Jennifer.


    Gio marveled at the grand Bianchi residence. Such a grand house filled with everything one could ask for-maids, servants, food. But why did he always feel so cold here?


    ¡°Nowhere,¡± he mumbled, ignoring the old man.


    Gio took one step toward his room when a blow to the head hit him. The impact was so strong he fell, cking out for a second. When he regained his sight, he saw red.


    That was it. Gio leaped up and charged into the old man he called father. After years of physical and mental abuse, he¡¯d had enough.


    Another blow hit him. He struck the old man back, his fist contacting with his jaw.


    ¡°Gio, my God, what did you do to your father?¡± His mother intervened, only to be pped by his father.


    ¡°Ma.¡± He caught her in time. Her face was ashen, her lips bleeding. ¡°You fucking bastard. Don¡¯t touch my ma.¡± He charged into the older man again, fisting the old man¡¯s cor in his grip.


    ¡°Gio, please, let your father go.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my fucking father,¡± he shouted at his mother, tossing the older man to the side. ¡°No father would talk to his own son like this. No father would constantly hit him and abuse him.¡±


    ¡°You ungrateful bastard. You¡¯re right. You¡¯re not my son. I took you in because your mother was so devoted to me. I¡¯m so sick of seeing your ugly mug. You want to know who you are? You¡¯re a bastard. You got that. Your mother had you before she married me.¡±


    Giovanni staggered backward, turning to his mother. ¡°Ma, is it true?¡±


    ¡°Gio, please,¡± his mother whimpered. She was unable to meet his eyes.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Is it true?¡± he shouted in rage.


    ¡°Damned right it¡¯s true, you filthy bastard.¡± The old man intercepted him. ¡°The Sicilian mafia backdates centuries. You should be honored and grateful I gave you myst name, Giovanni Bianchi.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking want yourst name,¡± heshed back. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking want to be a part of the Bianchi Family.¡±


    ¡°Why you little shit! If I didn¡¯t think your mother loved me so much, I would have tossed you out on the streets by now.¡±


    ¡°So, who told you to bring up a fucker like me, then? Why didn¡¯t you leave me on the streets? Leave me to die instead of letting me live a life filled with torment and agony?¡±


    ¡°Get out. Get out of my house. I¡¯ll not have some vermin like you feeding off my money and generosity.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t bloody want to live here anyway.¡± Giovanni turned to his mother. ¡°Come live with me, Ma. I¡¯ll work hard. I¡¯ll make sure you have a life of freedom. Not oppressed by that monster.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gio. I won¡¯t go. I¡¯ve already made the mistake of keeping you. I¡¯m sorry. It was only through Ro¡¯s generosity that you¡¯ve been able to live.¡±


    Pain and betrayal surged through him. His own mother, his own flesh and blood abandoning him. ¡°Fine. Stay here and let him suck your flesh off until you die. ¡®Cause I¡¯m not staying another minute.¡±


    ¡°Good. Get out, you filthy vermin. Go die on the streets,¡± Ro said, as his farewell gift. ¡°If I see you back here, I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡±


    Gone. His mother, his life as Giovanni Bianchi. In that split second, he was left with nothing but the clothing on his back. And Ricardo was thest person he saw, the boy he thought was his younger brother.


    Now it all made sense. Why Ricardo was so arrogant, so selfish in every game they yed in their younger days.


    Giovanni spent many days wandering along the streets of Brooklyn. By night, he¡¯d slept under bridges like a homeless orphan. By day, he¡¯d stolen, picked pockets, just to survive. That¡¯s how he¡¯de to know the head honcho Giuseppe Dente. He¡¯d picked his pocket. Although, back then he didn¡¯t know who he was.


    His mind streamed back to little Jennifer. That was also thest time he saw her.


    Jennifer had always been at the back of his mind. After getting acquainted with Giuseppe Dente, and his life improving, he always made a habit to go back, just in case she would turn up. But she was never there. He¡¯d also begun investigating her whereabouts. But no one in the area could remember who she was. It was frustrating. He¡¯d lost his only friend in the world.


    Where had she gone? He kepting back to that question. But more importantly, even if she were to appear in front of him again, would he recognize her? She was five, maybe six years old at the most. He was a boy of fourteen. No, he didn¡¯t think they would know each other if they were to meet again. It had been fourteen years since they¡¯dst met. He supposed their ridiculous promise was all for naught.


    But still, there was something inside him that wouldn¡¯t let her memory go. Like he knew he¡¯d see her again. Like she was waiting toe to him.


    Giovanni drove home, thoughts of the past dissipating as irritation mounted with each passing minute.


    Shit! What a day. He needed his coffee-now. And the only way to get that coffee was to wake up his maid. But it was almost midnight. The house was quiet as a rat¡¯s nest. When he remembered thest time he saw her, his heart rate surged and his mouth ran dry. She was in the bathtub, soaking wet, with clouds of lust and maybe confusion misting her eyes.


    ¡°What the fuck? She¡¯s one of my boys. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Giovanni reminded himself before opening Jenny¡¯s bedroom door and entering.


    Is he still mad with me? Lying on my little cot, eyes staring at the ceiling, an arm over my forehead, I asked this question. Ah, who cares?


    The clock had already ticked past midnight. I was so tired I should have just closed my eyes and gone to sleep. I had to hand in my economics report early, and if I failed to do so, I would be dead meat.


    Except I couldn¡¯t sleep. Not even a wink. All I could think of was his banana.


    I moaned, crushing a pillow over my face. Ah, I was so embarrassed just thinking about it. I still couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d actually touched it. My poor virgin hands!


    Bute to think of it, that experience wasn¡¯t so bad. It felt hot and slippery and-


    What the heck was I thinking? Wasn¡¯t so bad?


    Girl, get your head checked. That mafia boss was a devil in disguise. I shouldn¡¯t even be thinking along those lines.


    Big capital letters: MUST WORK OUT A WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS DEBT FASTER. Even better, find Pa and strangle him for putting me in this situation.


    I turned off the light, mind still pursuing that slippery scene in the bathroom. In the midst of it all, I saw Giovanni¡¯s face hovering above mine, his lips drawing closer. Except this time, we weren¡¯t in the bathtub. I was lying in bed and he was hovering above me, his raven eyes boring into mine with hunger.


    I blinked once. He was still there.


    ¡°Boss? Is that you?¡±


    His lips didn¡¯t move. But I could sense his bodying closer.


    I wanted to touch him. I wanted to feel him. An irresistible force pulled me into him, but I couldn¡¯t move. My body felt all sluggish with a mixture of hot flushes and sensitive skin.


    Soft lipsnded on mine, caressing the sensitive skin. I closed my eyes and gently fell asleep.


    Giovanni. He kissed me?


    Must have been my imagination.

 #1 Chapter 15

    Dinner or Disaster


    It was one of those days when I was up to my eyeballs in chores. Heck, my arms were about to fall off my shoulders. Not that I wasining, but seriously, would it be so hard to just pick your clothes up off the floor for once, and put them in theundry basket?


    I was talking about Giovanni here. He was like a kid. No, worse than a kid. He was like a toddler with a shaker full of sand, and he¡¯d spread that sand all over the floor, waiting for lovely me to pick up the grains one by one.


    Speaking of the god, he¡¯d disappeared after the bathroom scene yesterday. Not that I cared where he went. I was too busy trying to hand in my assignment on time. Thankfully, I did manage, avoiding a grade reduction.


    Crispin, on the other hand, was on an angry spree, vomiting foul words because he was so damned mad on my behalf. I had to console him by taking him out to that Korean Restaurant we didn¡¯t get to go to when Giovanni called me over yesterday.


    It was about five o¡¯clock when Ipleted all my chores. Time for cooking, I supposed. God almighty, Giovanni would go mental and start smacking my butt again if I didn¡¯t get the meal done on time. He was so particr about everything being perfect and prompt.


    Just as I was heading downstairs to start my meandering task of cooking, Giovanni casually strolled into the main lounge, hands in pockets, sporting a huge smirk on his face.


    Maybe I¡¯m not going to get in trouble after all.


    ¡°Ourpany made a profit. I¡¯m treating you all to dinner tonight. Where do you want to go?¡±


    Going out for dinner? Hooray! I don¡¯t have to cook.


    I was starting to get sick of doing all the cooking for these five grown men every day. They were like the five bears, eating everything and anything I put in front of them. I guessed a night out to diner would finish my day off nicely, sincest night I¡¯d barely slept a wink. Not to mention that weird dream.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hallelujah!¡± Bobby gushed, reflecting my mood. ¡°Boss is taking us out for dinner. I¡¯m so excited. Where should we go?¡±


    ¡°Wherever you want to go, boys,¡± Giovanni replied.


    I was sitting on the sidelines, palm under chin, scoffing at myself. Boys¡­ What am I? One of them, too?


    ¡°And girl,¡± I pointed out.


    Giovanni ignored me. In fact, he wasn¡¯t even looking in my direction.


    Is he still mad about yesterday? Is this his way of punishing me?


    ¡°So, where will it be?¡± he asked, looking at Heath, Bobby, Jonny, and Finnie.


    Again, I was excluded.


    Fine by me. If he wanted to ruffle my feathers, then he didn¡¯t know the real me.


    ¡°I suggest we go to a five-star restaurant.¡± I put in my suggestion. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Bobby? Finnie, what do you say?¡±


    ¡°I say-¡± Finnie began, but Bobby cut him short.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go to the burger joint down the road.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I gasped in shock. ¡°Boss said he¡¯ll treat us to dinner. We should go somewhere ssy and expensive.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to eat steak again.¡± Bobby moaned.


    ¡°Or gravy,¡± Finnie added.


    ¡°Yeah, in a five-star restaurant, everything¡¯s swimming in gravy.¡± Jonny further crushed my balloon of hope.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you always go for roast. Why don¡¯t we try something else?¡± I persuaded them. Which didn¡¯t help my predicament, as Bobby once again announced his suggestion.


    ¡°Yeah, like pizza. I crave pizza.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is taking your sissy asses so long?¡± Giovanni shouted from the doorway. ¡°Are youing or what? I¡¯m feeling generous right now. Another three minutes, I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    ¡°Put a spin on it, guys. We can discuss this in the car,¡± Heath instructed us all.


    We then ripped our butts off the seats and crushed ourselves into the limousine, driving to our unknown dinner destination.


    Finnie and Jonny sat on the sides with Bobby between them. Oh, the luxury of a limousine. Heath was our driver. At the moment, we were on fire, each of us throwing out suggestions as to which restaurant would best suit our taste buds. We grumbled and grunted. Meanwhile, Giovanni listened contently on my side of the seat, not saying a word. But his body was seriously speaking to me in a different way. A very painful way.


    Giovanni was literally wedging me against the car door. I squeaked like a mouse trapped in a cage. Actually, it was his cage of hard muscle. I was surrounded by him. His hard pectoral muscle pressing against my breast; his strong, lean arm resting on my leg. I couldn¡¯t move an inch to save my life.


    He enjoyed tormenting me. That had to be it. What with the smirk on his face and the constant pressure he applied on my arm. God, it¡¯s sore. Now my legs were riddled with pins and needles. There was so much room in the limousine, but he had to squeeze his body against mine. I wished he would move just a tiny bit so I could breathe.


    Is this his revenge for me seeing his willy banana?


    But I didn¡¯t give in to him that easily. No way was I letting him punish me. So, it was a silent battle between the two of us. I deliberately stretched my arms out in a yawning gesture, and POW! I mmed my elbow into his abs, eliciting an oof sound from his mouth.


    Hah! I won. Giovanni backed off a bit. Even if it was only an inch.


    With more room to breathe, I entered discussion mode. ¡°I say we should go to a fancy restaurant.¡±


    I had an ulterior motive. If I couldn¡¯t get him to back off entirely, then I¡¯d clean out his wallet. Let¡¯s see who was thest one standing. Make me mad, and I¡¯d make sure to not even leave a cent to his name tonight.


    To my utter surprise, we did end up in a restaurant, except it was the shittiest restaurant ever. An all-you-can-eat for twenty dors per head.


    Bobby was all hyped up, acting like a baby in a toy store. ¡°Fries, I want fries with chicken seasoning and a can of coke,¡± he raved and raved. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have an ice cream sundae for dessert.¡± He went off to make his order.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the Hawaiian pizza,¡± Finnie said and disappeared, too.


    The other two went off to look for their food, which only left me with the boss. I didn¡¯t want to be alone with Giovanni. My mind kept reying the smooch-smooch scene from my dream or the slippery-sloppy scene from the bathroom. I quickly got up, too.


    I was about to leave when a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed my arm, pulling me down again. I was so startled I jerked my arm back, already feeling that burning sensation where he¡¯d touched, so simr to that sensation fromst night.


    ¡°Ah, boss, mind where you¡¯re touching.¡± I rubbed my arm to soothe the tingle.


    ¡°What, I can¡¯t touch my product now? You¡¯re my coffee machine, remember,¡± Giovanni barked.


    ¡°Yes, I remember. You don¡¯t have to keep bringing up the subject. Sometimes you sound like a broken record,¡± I muttered, not looking him straight in the eye. Instead, I got up again, going to search for some food of my own. I was ravenous.


    If only that task were as simple as it seemed. Once again, Giovanni clung to my arm, swinging me around to face him.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what I want for dinner?¡± He spoke so close to my ear I ended up staggering backward in surprise.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were my maid and I have full use of you.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you at least give me tonight off? I want to enjoy my time with the boys.¡±


    I seriously didn¡¯t want to pout, but this whole foreign feeling was really ying havoc with my mind.


    Ah, must be that stupid dream. I have to let this feeling go. Wash it away with some holy mineral water or something. Now where do I find some?


    ¡°No. Get me some dinner,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I grumbled. Again, I was about to leave when he grabbed hold of my arm. ¡°Now what?¡±


    I flung his arm away, this time making sure to shove whatever feeling I was experiencing right down my throat so my stomach acid could destroy it into oblivion.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡¯re going to ask what I like to eat?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What kind of maid are you?¡± he scolded, a frown appearing on his forehead. And my God, my fingers wanted to caress that frown away. I had to control myself. So I put all my energy into answering his question.


    ¡°The type that is very tired because her boss refuses to give her a night off to enjoy some time with her friends.¡±


    ¡°Just get me some food and shut your mouth. You¡¯re starting to annoy me with that bbering of yours.¡±


    You! I wanted to yell at him.


    What did I see in this mafia guy anyway? Every single word that came out of his mouth was something negative about me. Damn, he irritated me to no end.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I huffed. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°Anything. Just bring it over.¡± He shooed me away.


    I was only too happy to oblige. I jabbed Bobby in the stomach to grab his attention when I reached him. He was standing in front of the buffet, too busy stacking burger upon burger on his te to notice me.


    ¡°Bobby!¡± I pped him on the shoulder. ¡°Know what the boss likes to eat?¡±


    Bobby turned around and grinned at me. ¡°Three words, Jenny. Spaghetti. Pasta. Lasagna.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all Italian.¡± I summed up his answer.


    ¡°Of course. Boss is Italian. That¡¯s why he likes it so much.¡±


    Giovanni was pure Italian? No wonder he had that dark, tall, and handsome look. But he spoke without an ent. He must be a second or third-generation Italian, then.


    That got me thinking again. All the time I¡¯d lived at Cory mansion, Giovanni had never once mentioned his family.


    Now where did that thoughte from? I hadn¡¯t the time to be sentimental.


    ¡°Okay, tell me what he doesn¡¯t like.¡± I shifted my attention back to Bobby.


    ¡°One word. Hot food. Wait, maybe that was two words.¡± Bobby started citing those two words again. I didn¡¯t give him a chance to repeat his mantra.


    ¡°You mean spicy food?¡± I rified.


    ¡°Yeah, especially chili.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Seafood.¡± Bobby went to dish up more food on his te.


    I smirked, patting his shoulder. ¡°You got it, my man. Go back to our seats. I¡¯ll just make an order for the boss. Then I¡¯ll be right back to join you.¡±


    Ten minutester, I presented Giovanni with his dinner. It was a hot and spicy dish with rice on the side. The dish was beautifully made. I was sure Giovanni would enjoy eating this delectable fare, especially since it contained fresh marine meat. On a side note, I even asked the waiter to add some extra chili.


    Giovanni just stared at the dish as if death were in front of him. ¡°What the fuck is this?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t fazed by his intimidating curse one bit.


    ¡°It¡¯s your dinner,¡± I said, smiling slyly. ¡°You said you¡¯d eat anything, right? So eat it.¡±


    Giovanni just red at me. I knew what it meant. Do you want to die?


    I red at him, too. With my own meaning of course. If I die, you¡¯reing along, too.


    With us in our staringpetition, Giovanni finally gave up first. I cheered for myself. I somehow felt I¡¯d gained the upper hand, a small victory in this intricate web I was in.


    Giovanni took one bite, his eyes still glued to mine. And then he started coughing. His eyes became watery. I panicked. What¡¯s wrong?


    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Heath came to Giovanni¡¯s side. He red at me. I shriveled back like a turtle into my shell. ¡°What did you give him to eat?¡±


    ¡°His dinner.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y. What did you give him to eat?¡±


    ¡°Food. A hot and spicy dish with seafood.¡±


    Upon hearing of the word seafood, Bobby cried, Finnie looked like he was about to throw up, Jonny appeared scared, Heath¡¯s face med red, and¡­ holy crap, Giovanni just fainted.


    I was in big trouble.

 #1 Chapter 16

    How was I to know Giovanni was allergic to seafood? I thought to y with him a bit, but I didn¡¯t want him to die.


    Don¡¯t die. Please don¡¯t die. Although, if he did die, I¡¯d be let out of our contract¡­ but I didn¡¯t want to go to jail. I didn¡¯t want to jump out of the frying pan only to leap into the fire. This intricate web Giovanni had spun around me was already binding me so tightly I could hardly breathe. I didn¡¯t want to spend the rest of my youthful years in jail, too. That was too much for my young heart to handle.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I sobbed, head bashing on his chest. I couldn¡¯t believe I was actually feeling sorry for the mafia boss. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Jay, would you stop crying already?¡± Giovanni chided, head propped on a hundred and one pillows. ¡°You look like a derailed train; with snoting pouring out of your nose.¡±


    ¡°A train doesn¡¯t have snot,¡± I mumbled, tears washing down my face.


    ¡°Well, you do. Now go wipe your nose. It¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    I wiped my nose clean on my sleeve. And cried some more.


    I didn¡¯t know why I felt this upset, but the thought of Giovanni not being able to enjoy all the lovely seafood out there in the world really saddened me. He¡¯d miss out on all those delicious dishes. Steamed lobster with lemon sauce, fried crab with lemongrass. Oh, the thought had my mouth salivating and belly rumbling. And this kind of made me more upset. Because if Giovanni couldn¡¯t eat it, then there was no way a poor maid like me would get to eat it, either. I ate whatever the god ate. I cried some more at the thought.


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, wipe your tears and use a tissue or something,¡± he barked.


    I didn¡¯t do as he said. I continued to weep.


    ¡°Jesus. I hate it when you cry. Come here.¡± He pulled my head forward and wiped my nose for me. ¡°Bobby,¡± he called.


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Bobby appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Take this away. And give me hand sanitizer.¡±


    ¡°Right away, boss.¡±


    Bobby took the dirtied tissue and came back a secondter with sanitizing gel. Giovanni proceeded to wipe his hands clean of all the germs I might have passed to him. Once done, he gave me a serious look.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done it now, Jay,¡± he said. ¡°Now how am I going to get any work done? I¡¯ll be stuck in bed for at least a day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure between all of us, we¡¯ll put you back on your feet in no time, boss.¡± I sniffled again.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m busy. Got money to collect and people to threaten. I don¡¯t have time to look after the boss,¡± Bobby said, already backing out of the deal.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Finnie had to add. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who made him eat the seafood? It¡¯s your fault. Now you have to look after him all by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Not to be rude or put the me on anyone, but I think this is a collective fault.¡± I tried to back off the deal. ¡°Think about it. Who wanted to go to that all-you-can-eat restaurant in the first ce? Bobby¡­¡± I pointed a finger at him. ¡°You wanted that burger, and Finnie¡­¡± I pointed the finger at Finnie then. ¡°You wanted to eat the pizza. So you¡¯re both in this with me.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not.¡± Giovanni cut in, silencing our argument.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± I asked, already feeling the buzz in my heart at the mere thought of staying alone with him.


    ¡°Because they have work to do.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine, but how about Jonny and Heath?¡± I argued.


    ¡°They have to go outside the country for work.¡±


    ¡°But, boss-¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Jay. The deal has already been sealed. You¡¯re to look after me for the rest of the day and tomorrow.¡±

 #1 Chapter 17

    Babysitting the Boss


    Am I his maid or his babysitter?


    Stupid Jenny. Apparently, as of today, I was both.


    Since waking up this morning, I was on all fours, making sure every inch the god descended upon was spotless. After a quick breakfast of toast and milk, I dashed upstairs, just in time for the god to rise from his heavenly bed.


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re having a shower?¡± I asked when I heard the shower running and saw piles of clothing scattered all over the floor.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± came his muffled voice from somewhere inside the bathroom suite.


    ¡°Should I get your clothing ready?¡± I picked up his shirt and discarded it in theundry basket.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What type? It¡¯s predicted to be sunny today. Polo shirt? T-shirt? Shorts?¡±


    ¡°Suit, tie, and zer.¡±


    I stood up stiffly, eyes staring at the partially closed door in disbelief. ¡°But, boss, you¡¯ll be staying at home all day. Why do you need to dress in formal wear?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to. You got a problem with that?¡±


    Umm. Must have been his way of showing off again. It wasn¡¯t enough that he was boasting in my face every day about how wealthy he was. He had to remind me every single minute that I was his coffee machine and maid.


    Oh, I hate him. Just because I¡¯m a poor student and in debt¡­


    A wet handnded on my cheek. I jerked, turning around, and-


    Giovanni. Naked.


    I blinked.


    And screamed.


    ¡°Holy hell, boss. You scared me. Get your naked body inside. You almost gave me a fright.¡±


    I shoved my palm t on his chest, but it was slippery. Giovanni ignored me, standing like Adonis the naked statue, leaning against the doorframe.


    I knew my mission of getting him inside that bathroom was close to zero percent likely, so I shut my eyes, turning around to keep from that temptation. And of course, my heart was dancing to the song of temptation, too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a prude. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve never seen me naked before.¡±


    Crap! Does he know I peeked on his bath time before?


    ¡°Some women prefer not to have that image imprinted in their mind until they meet their soul mate,¡± I said in defense of my dignity.


    Toote for me, though. I¡¯d already seen his package. And stepped on it, too. The image was too clear in my head to erase.


    No sound came from Giovanni. Thinking the coast was clear, I spun on my heel and-


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re still naked,¡± I screeched, jerking my hands in front of my eyes again.


    ¡°Did I say I was going to get dressed?¡± He strode toward me, his manly goods hanging and all.


    ¡°Have some mercy on my eyes. Please.¡± I spun around and shut my eyes again. I knew if I stood one more second looking at him, I would seriously attack him. He was just too captivating.


    Oh, the image isn¡¯t good. Me and him¡­ tumbling around in bed-


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss!¡± I answered immediately, my vivid imagination cut short.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°Are you all dressed this time?¡± I peeked between my fingers.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± I tiptoed toward the door. ¡°Leave you in peace so you can-¡±


    He caught me. And he was still naked.


    ¡°Boss¡­ boss, what are you doing?¡± I flung about, trying to loosen his grip. No such luck, though.


    ¡°I need help.¡±


    ¡°With what?¡± I stammered, voiceing out all nervous.


    ¡°Getting dressed.¡±


    Oh no. So, I put all my weight on my feet just to create some resistance. But he was strong. After all, he was Adonis. He pulled me along like I was a bag of lentils. And I collided into him, smashing my cheek onto his bared chest.


    Again.


    ¡°Boss!¡± I blinked, mind numbed in shock. I tilted up my head and looked at him. His obsidian eyes met my green ones. I swallowed.


    ¡°Get me my pants,¡± hemanded, voice perfectly in control.


    ¡°What?¡± I blinked again. Obviously, I didn¡¯t hear him. I was too busy ogling his handsome face.


    ¡°Get me my pants.¡±


    ¡°Oh, pants. Yes, pants.¡± I woke and walked blindly to his opened wardrobe, picking a pair Armani dress pants.


    ¡°Now what?¡± I passed the pants to him, reminding myself to never look below his waist.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Help me get dressed.¡±


    I almost choked. ¡°What? You want me to help you into your pants? Do you want me to touch your banana again?¡±


    I refreshed his memory of our time together in the bathtub, and believe me; it wasn¡¯t a good sight.


    His jaw ticked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a banana. It¡¯s my dick,¡± he shot out bluntly, annoyed at my term for his male anatomy.


    ¡°But, boss, I don¡¯t want to touch it,¡± I stammered, wanting to get out of this task.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to touch it. I¡¯m asking you to zip up my pants.¡±


    ¡°But, boss, you have hands.¡± I tried again. Maybe if I kept giving him excuses, he would give up.


    Or not.


    ¡°Jay, are you the boss or am I the boss?¡±


    He turned the tables, squashing me against the wall. And now I was stuck. I avoided eye contact.


    ¡°Jay, answer me.¡± He pinched my chin.


    ¡°You¡¯re the boss, boss,¡± I mumbled meekly.


    ¡°So, zip my pants.¡±


    ¡°But you have hands,¡± I mumbled again.


    ¡°Jay, zip it or you die.¡± That was his ultimatum. Zip or die.


    ¡°Do I have another choice?¡± I bleakly looked up at him.


    ¡°No.¡± A straight, blunt reply.


    I moaned, drumming my foot in frustration. ¡°Must you do this to me?¡±


    I closed my eyes, having no choice but to go through with it. I reluctantly searched for the zipper. Having found it, I concentrated on my task, slowly zipping the fly.


    He hissed in my face, since I was doing such a lousy job, ¡°Open your eyes, Jay. Take your job seriously.¡±


    ¡°I am taking it seriously,¡± I snapped, shing my eyes open.


    Gee, how can I take my job seriously when he¡¯s breathing down my neck?


    ¡°Then look at what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re tormenting me, boss. I¡¯m so notfortable doing this.¡±


    ¡°Zip your mouth and start zipping my pants.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m such a slow zipper, then why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± He pinched my chin again, this time tilting my face until our eyes locked.


    ¡°Nothing, boss,¡± I mumbled, blinking and getting back to work.


    After five seconds, I got shouted at again. ¡°You¡¯re too slow. How long do I have to wait until you finish the job? Just zip it up, for fuck¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± I shouted, jerking the fly up with full force.


    ¡°Ow, the fuck!¡± Giovanni was on his knees, hand cradling his precious manhood. He whined, his face going red. ¡°What the fuck did you do to my dick?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, boss. I didn¡¯t mean to zip your banana.¡± I rushed out the door just in case he decided to attack me. ¡°But don¡¯t do this to me again. I¡¯m not ready to part with my virginity yet.¡±


    ¡°Who said I want your virginity¡­? Ah, fuck!¡± He howled, bending over, a pained expression on his face.


    I didn¡¯t listen or look any further. I sprinted out of his bedroom like lightning.

 #1 Chapter 18

    Half an hourter, I¡¯d finished cooking. Giovanni, though, still hadn¡¯t made his appearance. I, on the other hand, had fully recovered from my abnormal bodily reaction. I bet he was still nursing his poor banana I¡¯d idently injured. And just when I was about to serve the breakfast, Bobby came sauntering in.


    ¡°Howdy, Bobby,¡± I greeted him.


    ¡°Howdy, Jenny.¡± Bobby returned my sentiment, slumping into a seat. As soon as he saw my face, he asked, ¡°Did you do something to the boss again? Why¡¯s your face all red?¡±


    ¡°Who, me? Red?¡± I chuckled nervously. I thought I¡¯d already recovered. So, why was I still red? I touched my cheek. And it was hot. ¡°You should ask what he did to me.¡±


    ¡°What did he do to you?¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡±


    ¡°Bobby. Scram.¡± A deep voice came from behind my shoulder.


    I shuddered.


    Yikes! When did Giovanni get here?


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re here.¡± I grinned nervously. Please don¡¯t kill me.


    ¡°Howdy, boss. Food?¡± Bobby suggested. Food always made angry people happy. ¡°Don¡¯t know what Jenny was making, but it looks-¡±


    ¡°Bobby! Scram!¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± And Bobby did scram with his tail between his legs, a wounded look on his face.


    Save me some food, he mouthed to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll save you some. See you tonight.¡± I waved Bobby off as he exited the door.


    Giovanni grunted to grab my attention. I took a deep breath. I¡¯d survived all kinds of situations. I wouldn¡¯t die today. So I greeted him with my best kept secret. My seductive smile.


    ¡°Boss. Please sit down. I have good food for you.¡±


    Giovanni stood with arms folded across his chest, face as sour as grape juice. My attempt to please him didn¡¯t work.


    At least I should give it another shot. I guided him to his chair. ¡°Boss, don¡¯t be mad about before. I want to apologize. I didn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get overly friendly with Bobby. He might cling to you.¡±


    ¡°At least he didn¡¯t cling to me like someone did a while ago. Just because I idently zipped into something precious of his¡­¡±


    He snapped, ¡°If you didn¡¯t pull the zipper into my dick, I wouldn¡¯t have clung to you. And don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t find you desirable. So you can take your god damned virginity and hide it in a cave somewhere.¡±


    Such crude words. Someone should shove a sock in that mouth. Maybe me.


    Giovanni extracted the chair and slumped into it himself. Then he leaned forward, eyes searching for something.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± I asked, peering at whatever he was looking at.


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of poisoning me again, are you?¡± That face was full of suspicion.


    Iughed. ¡°Boss, if I wanted to poison you, I would have done it ages ago.¡±


    ¡°No seafood, shellfish, or marine animals?¡±


    ¡°None. Zilch. Zero. All is good.¡±


    ¡°What is this, anyway?¡± He tapped at the bowl of porridge, finding interest in my food.


    ¡°Rice porridge. Otherwise known as congee,¡± I proudly announced.


    Giovanni looked at me dumbly. Guess he was pretty dense in the area of food. I tossed him my smarty-pants smile and exined to him what congee was.


    ¡°Child¡¯s y. Italians don¡¯t eat congee,¡± he stated like the almighty god he was.


    ¡°Ahem. I was brought up with lots of Asian friends, and when you¡¯re sick, you eat congee. So eat congee and you¡¯ll be better in no time.¡±


    ¡°What is this thing?¡± Giovanni turned his attention to the pickled cabbage dish next to the congee.


    ¡°Kimchi.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a Korean side dish?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with the congee?¡±


    Good point. It had nothing to do with the congee. But I liked it. And that was all I cared about. So I put my rationale forth.


    ¡°Korean plus Cambodian. Kimchi plus congee. Delicious. Fabulous.¡±


    ¡°Rice glue and chili cabbage.¡± Giovanni red at me, a disgusted look on his face. ¡°You¡¯re sick, Jay. I¡¯m not eating it.¡± He shoved the two dishes across the table, lips pouting.


    ¡°Oh, boss. Don¡¯t be fussy. It¡¯s delicious. I have it all the time when I¡¯m sick. It¡¯s delish.¡± I slid the two dishes across to him again so the smell of kimchi could suffocate his nose.


    ¡°For you, but not me. Order me pizza.¡±


    ¡°Sick people don¡¯t eat pizza. Now eat that congee.¡± I reprimanded, gaining the upper hand. ¡°Sick people should listen to healthy people. Now eat.¡±


    ¡°Jay, I don¡¯t know how to eat this thing. What do you eat it with? A fork?¡±


    ¡°Spoon, boss.¡±


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    Wow. He was seriously like a kid when he was sick. But I did help him because I was kindhearted and generous.


    I smiled gleefully and picked up the spoon, dipping it into the congee and offering it to him. He didn¡¯t take the spoon from my hand. He tipped his head forward and grabbed the spoon with his mouth, slipping the congee down his throat.


    I froze. Mouth agape. That action was a bit intimate.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well?¡± My voice trembled a bit.


    ¡°Again. I haven¡¯t got the taste right yet.¡±


    I sighed and dipped some more for him. Giovanni opened his mouth, then closed it again, his head turning to me, questions lurking in his eyes.


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t eat chili.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. This kimchi isn¡¯t hot. It¡¯s only the color. But if you don¡¯t want to eat it, then let¡¯s just stick to the congee.¡±


    Giovanni shrugged and continued to use my hand as his spoon. ¡°Still can¡¯t taste anything.¡±


    Iughed, feeding him more. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to taste anything with the congee. It¡¯s supposed to taste nd.¡±


    Giovanni didn¡¯tment further. He was too busy gulping down the porridge like he hadn¡¯t eaten in a century. For a mafia boss who in the beginning was as scary as hell, he sure tossed up a soft side when he was sick. I smiled to myself. My heart smiled, too.


    Oh dear, my symptoms are starting again.


    ¡°So, how was it?¡± I asked, when his bowl was licked clean.


    ¡°Passable,¡± he muttered, dabbing a napkin to his lips.


    ¡°Right. Just passable, boss. The bowl looks so clean I don¡¯t think I need to put it in the dishwasher.¡±


    Giovanni jerked his head, snapping at me. ¡°Clean up. I¡¯m going to get some work done.¡± He shoved himself off the chair and strode to the door.


    Ah, back to the devil mafia boss again. But hisst sentence caught my attention.


    ¡°But, boss, I thought you were sick. You¡¯re not supposed to work today. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been babysitting you all morning.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was sick? I¡¯m as tough as a boar. Get back to work. You¡¯ve got a full house to clean, andundry is piling up. I want my shirts pressed and coffee on my desk in ten minutes. Get to it, chessboard.¡±


    I watched Giovanni exit, wanting so much to strangle his neck.


    Damn. And here I was ying ¡°babysitting the boss.¡± I¡¯d been tricked!

 #1 Chapter 19

    Blood from a Stone


    ¡°I heard from Bobby you were sick?¡±


    ¡°Food allergies.¡±


    ¡°Did you go to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°No. Heath helped out before it got worse.¡±


    ¡°You should be careful what you eat.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You were also in a fight with Leo?¡±


    ¡°No. He sent a woman my way. Thought I would get totally captivated by her. I sent her packing, though. Along with a warning to Leo.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Leo. He¡¯s not right in the head.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Say that to his face when you see him, old man.¡±


    Giuseppe Dente, the head honcho of the Dente Mafia, observed the young man sitting in front of him. He passed two documents, each sealed in arge envelope, to Giovanni.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Giovanni asked, hand running along the rim of the thin envelope.


    ¡°I need you to collect his debt. He falls under your jurisdiction.¡±


    ¡°How many millions are we looking at?¡±


    ¡°A few.¡±


    ¡°Got it. My boys will sort him out. And the other one?¡± Giovanni picked up the thick envelop to examine.


    ¡°Business. I need you to negotiate with him. Set out all the terms and conditions.¡±


    ¡°Regarding?¡±


    ¡°Funding he wants from us.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± Giovanni flicked his eyes at him.


    ¡°Another mafia family.¡±


    Giovanni chuckled. ¡°Really? Someone wants to join forces with our family?¡±


    Giuseppe looked at Giovanni with adoration in his eyes, seeing the leader he¡¯d be. Giuseppe remembered the first time he saw Giovanni. Dirt rag. A tall, gangly boy out on the streets. Soot smeared all over that oval face.


    But Giovanni hade far, proving himself with self-determination. His education was top grade. His fighting skills were top notch. The boy had ovee every obstacle put in his way. If he had a son, Giuseppe would want him to be like Giovanni. That was why he¡¯d given hisst name to this boy. The boy his family neglected.


    Giuseppe didn¡¯t know much about Giovanni¡¯s family. Giovanni never talked much about his past. Although, he would deliriously dream about his family whenever he was sick. Screams of agony. Shouts of anguish. Cries of pain. There was also something about protecting his mother. But Giuseppe knew this was a topic Giovanni wasn¡¯tfortable talking about. So, he never pushed the boy.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Giovanni,¡± Giuseppe said after some time. The wheelchair squeaked as he moved closer to Giovanni. ¡°I¡¯m sure your father would be proud of you.¡±


    Giovanni scoffed. ¡°I have no father.¡±


    A wounded look appeared on Giuseppe¡¯s face. His wrinkles had be more prominent since he¡¯d hit sixty. And especially due to his declining health.


    Because of his diabetes, his legs had been amputated. Life in a wheelchair was hard. But not as hard as having no life to live. And that was what he¡¯d told this boy every day since the first day he¡¯d set foot in this house, under his care.


    ¡°Your mother, then. She¡¯d be proud of who you¡¯ve be.¡±


    ¡°Would she be proud of me if she knew I belonged to another mafia family?¡±


    ¡°Giovanni.¡± Giuseppe clutched the boy¡¯s hand. ¡°The Dente family may be a mafia family, but those days of killing people and dealing with the ck market are long gone. Our battlefield is now negotiation and business ventures. And you¡¯ve done that by helping me with my business so far. Hotels. Malls. Apartments. And lendingpanies. If anything were to happen to me, you¡¯ll be my sole heir.¡±


    ¡°Old man. What¡¯s all this talk about? You¡¯ve got a long way to go before God takes you to heaven.¡±


    ¡°Hell, Giovanni. Hell.¡± Giuseppe reclined in his chair. He was tired. He missed those happy days when he was younger, robust, and full of energy. He missed those days when he fell in love. So much in love. Especially with a girl who¡¯d ended up with another man.


    Giuseppe opened his eyes again, banishing those thoughts from his mind. It was too painful for his heart to bear. If only they¡¯d had a son from their quick liaison before they broke up. He still mourned that day.


    ¡°Heaven, Giuseppe. You saved my life. I wouldn¡¯t be here without you, old man.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good kid. Get to work, then. I¡¯ve got some things to take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to escort you somewhere? Heath brought the van.¡±


    ¡°No. Maxfield will take care of it. You take care of this business. I really want this project to work.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Giuseppe. I won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°You never let me down, Giovanni.¡± Giuseppe smiled tiredly. He called Maxfield and exited.


    Giovanni smiled, downing thest of his Pinot Noir, and exited the room, too.


    Giovanni mmed both fists on the table. I almost jumped a mile high through the roof. Now, if I weren¡¯t the recipient of his wrath, then who could it be directed at?


    I took a peek at Giovanni. He was ring at his underlings, all of them sitting like little children about to get scolded by their mother-in this case, the father-and my God, he looked mad. Not in a lunatic way, but as in red face, steaming out of his ears.


    The mood right now was even icier than the icebergs in the Arctic. I was busy polishing the many ornaments inside his office, but I couldn¡¯t help eavesdropping on their conversation when he started swearing like a madman again.


    And there was a side effect to his swearing, too. The more he swore, the more my hands seemed to scrub his precious ornaments, until-


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    Oh crap! Now all his attention was on me. I trembled where I stood. ¡°Yes, boss!¡±


    ¡°Sit down. You¡¯re annoying me with that scrubbing of yours.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± I nodded meekly and darted my eyes about to look for any spare seat for me to wedge my bottom on. Bobby seemed to have a little room left on the edge, so I went to his side. As soon as I approached the guys, I could see they were sping their hands in fear.


    Something didn¡¯t feel right. I should brace myself. I knew I¡¯d be in for an earful soon.


    I shuffled Bobby out of his seat, but he wouldn¡¯t let me in that easily. He kept pushing me back. On and on we went until-


    ¡°Jay!¡± Giovanni¡¯s shout made my body freeze up.


    ¡°Yes, boss!¡± I yelped back, too fast and too loud for my ears.


    ¡°Get your ass in a chair. Now!¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I whimpered, turning to face him. Oh My God! I¡¯d never seen Giovanni this mad before. Would he cut off all our heads?


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the fuss about?¡± he growled, his face inches from mine.


    ¡°There are only four chairs,¡± I meekly replied, blinking back at him.


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake.¡± He ruffled his hair, possibly annoyed with me again. ¡°Here, take my chair.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Everyone in the office, including me, almost flipped over in surprise.


    Giovanni giving up his cushy chair for me? But the ¡°giving¡± part wasn¡¯t the big deal here. The big deal was the chair itself, the big, ck chair that contained so much power, like the throne of a king.


    Does that make me the queen?


    I gulped, suddenly not liking where I stood. ¡°Ah, boss, it¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll stand and listen here, like a good-¡±


    ¡°Just sit your ass on that seat, Jay.¡± Giovanni came around and literally dragged me to his chair. He pushed me down, his hands resting on my shoulders, and now I was trapped. I was literally facing the guys on the other side of the desk, and they were all looking at me in disbelief.


    I saw Bobby mouthing something at me. I couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    What. Are. You. Saying? I mouthed back.


    He. Likes. You.


    Shut. Up. Not. True.


    He. Offered. You. His. Chair.


    Bobby was making me more nervous. I couldn¡¯t help it. I gave him my ultimate weapon, the bird, otherwise known as my middle finger.


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    Oh crap! Did Giovanni catch me?


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± I put on a fake smile for him.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the finger? Are you going around flipping people off now?¡±


    ¡°What? No. I was just using my middle finger to scratch my nose. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Bobby.¡±


    Giovanni immediately swung his attention to Bobby. He trembled in his seat. ¡°She was just scratching herself, boss. It¡¯s better if you stay away from her. You might get infected.¡±


    ¡°Hey, itchy skin isn¡¯t contagious.¡± I tossed my defense back.


    ¡°Would you two shut your mouths? I¡¯m in charge here.¡± Giovanni ceased our argument with hismand.


    ¡°Sorry, boss,¡± both Bobby and I chorused.


    ¡°Now, for the problem at hand.¡± Giovanni nted himself on his desk, his masculine arm just next to my breast. I tried to move away, but one of his hands was still holding the back of the chair, trapping me. I tried to keep as still as possible so as not to touch him. He carried on speaking, oblivious to my itchy reaction. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to squeeze blood from a stone, but-¡±


    ¡°Boss, are you talking about me?¡± I tweeted, catching the word stone.


    Giovanni¡¯s eyes were twitching again. He swung around and red at me. ¡°What about you, Jay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Stone here, boss. Look, if you¡¯re going to discuss my personal matters-my Pa¡¯s debt-could you please not talk in front of the guys? It¡¯s a sensitive topic. It always makes me upset.¡±


    Giovanni clicked his tongue and clenched his jaw. He then closed his eyes for a full three seconds. I could see the vein throbbing in his throat. Oh, my God. He¡¯s not going to burst his artery, is he?


    ¡°You know, Jay, you should really be more like your name,¡± he said through clenched teeth.


    ¡°What, you mean-Jenny? Smart, honest, brilliant?¡± I asked, listing all the good qualities of my name.


    ¡°No, a stone, like a rock.¡± Giovanni mmed his fist on his desk again. I almost bounced out of my seat with the vibration. He red at me and seethed through his teeth. ¡°Now shut up and stop interrupting me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, boss.¡± I zipped my mouth, and listened to what he had to say.


    ¡°As I was saying, it¡¯s hard to squeeze blood from a stone, but you asses¡­¡± Giovanni pointed his finger at his four underlings. ¡°If only you tried harder. That old hermit is just buying time with his excuses. I don¡¯t want any more excuses. Mess this job up and I¡¯ll mess with your faces. You all got that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± They all hastily nodded.


    ¡°Ah, boss?¡± I had to lift my hand to ask for his attention. I cringed. Why did I do that? But I was curious. And what did people say about curiosity? It could kill you. And I was asking for my death sentence. Right here. Right now. ¡°Umm. Who¡¯s the old hermit? And what did the guys do?¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, Jay, get out of my seat and go make us some coffee.¡± Giovanni exploded. He lifted me by the cor and shoved me off his chair. I almost fell, if not for my good reflexes.


    ¡°Easy, boss. I¡¯m a delicate creature here. You don¡¯t want to ruin these hands. They¡¯re precious. If anything happens to them, you ain¡¯t getting any coffee.¡±


    ¡°Jay, I¡¯m seriously thinking of just turning you into coffee beans.¡± Giovanni¡¯s face turned raspberry red.


    ¡°Ouch, boss. Sorry. I¡¯m off, then. I¡¯m off.¡± I backed away until my back hit the door, and then I sprinted out of the office for my dear life.

 #1 Chapter 20

    Today was another debt collection day. The five of us were now sitting in the ck van, discussing why the boss almost lost his head yesterday.


    Apparently, it was all about some old man who refused to pay his debt. Said man was a millionaire, as Finnie told me. Squeezing blood, in mafia terms, meant money.


    See, I¡¯m getting smart, learning all about the life of the mafia.


    So, it was very hard to get money from him because: A) he was a well-established man, B) he worked for the government, and C) he was a stingy bastard. So, we had toe up with a n. My brilliant mind was already swarming with ideas. And one point filtered past my lips.


    ¡°I say we stalk him.¡± I gave myself an imaginary pat on my head for my splendid suggestion. ¡°What do you guys think?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll end up being the maid in jail.¡± Jonny supplied.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t we already illegal businessmen?¡± I rified.


    ¡°Jenny, we are legit businessmen. Boss doesn¡¯t like to think of us doing illegal work,¡± Finnie responded.


    ¡°So, what we¡¯re doing here is legit stuff-threatening people with turning them into breakfast just to get some cash? Is that what you guys are telling me?¡± I looked at all four, straight in their faces.


    Bobby had the decency to flush. ¡°It¡¯s part of our job to act tough. We have to protect the boss.¡±


    ¡°Boss?¡± I frowned. ¡°What has he to do with any of this? Hey, that reminds me. How did he get into the mafia? Do you just happen to be born into it? Or did something happen to him and he became-¡±


    ¡°Shut it, Jenny!¡± Heath cut me off. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about the boss¡¯ history. He doesn¡¯t like anyone digging into his past. So, if you want to stay here peacefully, don¡¯t ask about it.¡±


    ¡°Chill. Fine. I don¡¯t care.¡± I lifted my hand in surrender.


    And that was the end of our discussion. Everyone just nodded when I mentioned the stalking method again. Bobby then pushed on the pedal and drove into the city, Queens to be exact.


    I¡¯d never been to this part of town before. I was a Brooklyn girl through and through. But the buildings in Queens looked fantastic. Until I realized we¡¯d circled that same shy building three times.


    ¡°Hey, ah, Bobby, are we lost?¡± I tapped his shoulder to grab his attention. ¡°We seem to be going around the same block.¡±


    ¡°Nope. We¡¯re not lost. The building is right over there.¡± Finnie pointed to the tall, grey tower.


    ¡°Then how many more times are we going to swirl around the ce?¡± I poked my head between the front seats, looking at Bobby making yet another round.


    ¡°Boss said to only park at a dor car park. I¡¯m trying to find one,¡± he answered with a nod. Like that would save the fuel money.


    ¡°Won¡¯t circling the ce five times cost more than finding a dor car park? Think of all the gas we¡¯re wasting. How¡¯s that going to benefit us in the long run?¡±


    ¡°Jenny has a point.¡± Jonny agreed.


    ¡°Yeah, why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Bobby scratched his head.


    He immediately found a car park. It was a two-dor space. What was the fuss before? I couldn¡¯t work out what these guys¡¯ brains were made of. Anyway, we swiftly got out of the car and entered the high-rise apartment.


    We acted like spies. We divided our group into pairs. I paired up with Bobby, Jonny with Finnie, and Heath¡­ Well, he was Bigfoot. He didn¡¯t need to pair up with anyone.


    Bobby and I were stationed at the main foyer of the shy apartment. Heath was in the ck van, scanning personal documents about Mr. Hermit. Jonny and Finnie hung out near his apartment door.


    At precisely fourteen-hundred hours, we spotted Mr. Hermit walking out of his apartment. I got this message from Finnie. And just five minutes after that, Bobby and I saw the elevator door open. Out walked Mr. Hermit, with a cane, followed by two beautiful female assistants glued to his sides, one blonde wearing a short skirt, and one redhead wearing a dress with a neckline so low I almost thought her melons were going to squeeze out the top.


    We followed Mr. Hermit at a sensible pace until he got into his limousine. Now, all four of us were sprinting to the van, shoving ourselves into it. And before butts met seats, the van drove off at a dangerous speed.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Follow that limo, Heath. Follow it,¡± I shouted, adrenaline running high, eager to get to the bottom of this ridiculous raid.


    I knew Giovanni would be upset if he didn¡¯t get his money back. I¡¯d do whatever in my power to help.


    Our vehicle followed the limo until it screeched to a stop, right in front of a highly prized establishment.


    I saw Mr. Hermit walk into that building with the two girls by his sides. I nced up at the polished signboard. ¡°Wee to the Gentleman¡¯s Club.¡±


    ¡°Now what are we going to do?¡± Bobby asked, his shoulders slumping in defeat. ¡°Boss said we need to get the money from him today. But we can¡¯t go in there. Everyone will know us.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Bobby?¡±


    ¡°Boss owns that club. We can¡¯t go in there because we look more like bodyguards and gangsters. Boss said we¡¯ll scare all the customers away.¡±


    Ping! That was the sound of an idea popping in my head. I smiled slyly at the guys. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, guys. I¡¯ve got a n. But first, how much money do you have? Are you willing to invest in me?¡±

 #1 Chapter 21

    Sweet Seduction


    Giovanni looked up at the signboard of his exclusive establishment. With a smirk upon his lips, he read what was written on it. ¡°Wee to the Gentlemen¡¯s Club.¡±


    What a perfect name for a club. Gentlemen only. No bullfighting crap.


    Giovanni tapped his walking stick twice and walked through the entrance at an elegant pace. A man of twenty took his outer coat and top hat, and then escorted him into the club.


    Giovanni knew today he was dressed to the max. A ck bowtie, crisp white shirt, and an Armani suit. His hair was done up with thick waves covering his eyes. In his briefcase was the document Giuseppe gave him. And he¡¯d read it.


    Ro Bianchi. Wow. What a small world. Who would have thought the man who cursed him to die on the streets would be the one who would be asking for a loan from him?


    Giovanni wasn¡¯t that cruel to the man who¡¯d brought him up, despite the physical abuse he¡¯d endured throughout his younger years. But he also wanted to satisfy his ego by seeing that man beg. Oh, the anticipation was unbearable. Victory was almost here after fourteen years. He could almost taste it.


    Giovanni scanned his surroundings the minute he set foot inside the private club. It was a low-lit atmosphere, but he¡¯d been here so many times before, he could recognize all his staff.


    Giovanni walked to a very secluded spot only the top VIP guests could make use of. He sat down in one of the plush chairs, resting his walking stick beside him.


    He sighed and closed his eyes, his head slumping back against therge cushion. His thoughts returned to yesterday¡¯s events.


    He shouldn¡¯t have blown up. It wasn¡¯t his minions¡¯ fault they couldn¡¯t get the money from old geezer Hermit. But after three consecutive tries, they all came back with goose eggs.


    The subject matter of how to approach Ro Bianchi was still bogging his mind. And then Jay had to add fuel to his already burning mes with her annoying scrubbing.


    Jay.


    Since she was a permanent fixture in his life, he felt different. Yes, his life had turned topsy-turvy. Yes, she¡¯d caused him to have these weird feelings and lustful thoughts, but he couldn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t just kill her off or fire her for that matter. The three million dors was a sham. He didn¡¯t care about it. He had more sharks to take care of. But he found he enjoyed herpany. Like when she was in the bathtub with him or feeding him. They were such enjoyable moments.


    But he¡¯d realized quite recently his mind had filtered out the memory of his dear friend Jennifer. He¡¯d forgotten his little friend, who¡¯d saved his life of pain and misery, that one little friend who made him feel all warm and cozy all those years ago.


    Giovanni should feel guilty. But he didn¡¯t. Even when he tried to force himself to, all his mind could conjure up was Jay¡¯s face.


    He still had his eyes closed, his long, ck waves covering a portion of his face, his mind deep in thought, when he felt a soft bottom deposited on hisp. Another woman from the gentleman¡¯s club, he suspected.


    Giovanni was about to open his eyes and tell the woman off, that he didn¡¯t want anypany tonight, when said woman whispered something in his ear, making his whole body freeze up.


    ¡°Handsome boy. Are you hurt?¡±


    Jennifer. Oh fuck, this was Jennifer. That was what she had said when she first saw him sitting underneath that beech tree in National Park.


    Giovanni was bogged with emotions, a thousand questions racing through his mind. He wanted to cry, tough. But he was also scared of finding out what his Jennifer would look like after all this time.


    But it didn¡¯t matter. It didn¡¯t matter one fucking bit what she looked like because she¡¯d always been there for him in his time of need, and that was what made her so special to him. She was there tofort him and made time fly when he was at his most depressed.


    Trepidation ripped through him. Blood roared in his ears. And he had a hard-on the instant that soft bottom hit his thighs, that silky voice whispering in his ear.


    Giovanni tried hard to subdue his manhood, clenching his teeth and breathing evenly, but he was just too excited.


    He opened his eyes slowly and saw emerald irises, almond-shaped eyes, long, thickshes painted dark with mascara, light freckles dusting that small button nose, and red juicy lips made for kissing.


    Giovanni put all those small beautiful features together until his brain couldprehend the whole face. And then he sucked in his breath, his body frozen in shock, because staring right back at him with twin red-blotched cheeks was the one woman he never imagined seeing here.


    ¡°Wow, Jenny, you look hot.¡± Finnieplimented my looks as soon as I stepped out of the changing room in a highly established boutique.


    I smirked, twirling around the four guys for added effect. ¡°I know, right? I do look hot. Even I couldn¡¯t recognize myself in the mirror.¡±


    This outfit really put my best assets forward. My beautiful breasts were thrust out, showing nice cleavage down the front. The red dressplimented my ivory skin. My hair was styled on the side, ringlets falling in wisps. And adding in red heels, too, I was the devil¡¯s daughter, out to carve out any man¡¯s heart.


    I couldn¡¯t helpughing myself silly. If Amelia or Pa were to see me now, they¡¯d no longer think I was in. And I was sure Mr. Hermit would feel the same way, giving up all his cash just for a chance to kiss my hand.


    Heath looked me up and down at that moment, rubbing his neck in agitation. His action made me a teeny bit nervous. Was I not up to his standard?


    ¡°What is it, Heath? Am I not fit enough for this character?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jenny. There¡¯ll be many people about. I hope you can pull this off.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I say she can pull this off.¡± Bobby defended me. ¡°I¡¯m going in there, Heath. I¡¯ll look after her. You guys just make sure to protect us.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    That was our n. Bobby and I would go in as mistress and butler. My job was to persuade Mr. Hermit to part with the amount of the debt he owed the boss through my sweet, seductive charm.


    Although I¡¯d never acted before to save my life, I knew I could pull this off. I had to. To gain Giovanni¡¯s trust. This way, maybe he¡¯d reduce Pa¡¯s debt.


    Bracing myself in the backseat, we all drove back to the Gentlemen¡¯s Club. And now here I stood, facing that very same building. I only hoped Mr. Hermit was still inside.


    Bobby and I proceeded in as nned. Bobby hissed in my ear as I walked into the dim room. ¡°Look for the old man with a cane. He¡¯s always with his walking stick.¡±


    I nodded and walked around, gliding gracefully like a swan, my bottom swaying left and right for added seductive effect. It was pretty quiet. I couldn¡¯t make out people¡¯s faces at all. But then again, I didn¡¯t need to look for faces. I needed to look for a single walking cane. And I found it.


    I smiled slyly and expertly slid my bottom onto thatp. Mr. Hermit¡¯s body went rigid. He looked totally different under the low light. His hair was messy, covering his face.


    I wound my arms around his neck and whispered into his ear, ¡°Handsome boy, are you hurt?¡±


    Gee, where did I learn that line? It sure came to me easily.


    Mr. Hermit flicked his head up, meeting my eyes.


    I gasped when those deep raven eyes locked with mine, with hunger, and-


    ¡°Giovanni!¡± Recognition mmed into me.


    I leaped out of hisp, but Giovanni caught my wrist, swinging me back to him.


    ¡°Jay, what are you doing here?¡± he growled, arms wound tightly around my waist.


    ¡°Boss, let me go.¡± I tried loosening his hold, struggling and peeling off his fingers, but he wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°Boss, please, you¡¯re ruining our mission.¡±


    ¡°What mission is this?¡± Giovanni closed the distance between us. My heart thumped at an uneven pace.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to know,¡± I said, squirming in his arms. ¡°Now, let me go before the subject disappears.¡±


    ¡°The fuck are you on about, Jay? Tell me right now or I¡¯ll hold you down like this until you answer.¡±


    My eyes darted to my left and right, wondering where old Mr. Hermit had gone to. I definitely saw that brown walking cane. So, how did Mr. Hermit turn out to be Giovanni?


    ¡°Jay, the fuck are you staring at? Look at me.¡± Giovanni pinched my chin and forced my gaze back to his.


    The minute my emerald irises met his ck ones, I was lost in the depths of that ever-swirling ck sky. My heart raced; my skin tingled.


    ¡°Boss, please. I¡¯ve no time for this. Now let me go.¡±


    ¡°Stop squirming on myp, goddamn you!¡± Giovanni closed his eyes, suppressing whatever emotion he was experiencing.


    He took three deep breaths and then tossed me over the plush couch, surprising even me by trapping me beneath him. Just like that time in the bathtub. Just like that time in my dream. And then before I knew it, his face descended,ing closer and closer until-


    Bonk!


    Heath, Bobby, Jonny, and Finnie came out of nowhere and subdued Giovanni, dragging him back until I could breathe again.


    I freaked out.


    Oh God. I seriously hoped they didn¡¯t mistake Giovanni for Mr. Hermit.


    ¡°Bobby. Heath. Wait! That¡¯s the boss. That¡¯s Giovanni,¡± I shouted, rushing after them, tripping over my heels twice. I cringed as pain raced up my legs.


    Damn these heels. They¡¯re a torture device for women¡¯s feet.


    But I suppressed myself. I had more important things to deal with. And that was to make sure the guys didn¡¯t punch Giovanni¡¯s lights out.


    I had imagined the worst, seeing Giovanni all swollen with bloody lips. But by the time I got there, it wasn¡¯t Giovanni who had a ck eye; it was the other four. I ran to them.


    ¡°Jay, get in the car,¡± Giovanni shouted, halting my steps.


    ¡°But, boss-¡± I looked from the four distraught minions to the boss.


    ¡°Now. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself, Jay.¡±


    I knew I was a yful person, always wanting to taunt him, but today, I knew he was up to his eyeballs in rage. I didn¡¯t want to provoke him.


    It was cold outside. I shivered, not from the chilled air, but because of the guilt riding through me. It was all my fault. Now the guys would pay the price.


    Giovanni took his coat off and put it around my shoulders. I looked up, not sure why he did this. He only said two words. ¡°Wear this.¡± Then he led me to his car. I got in obediently, not wanting to argue anymore.


    On the road, he drove at a dangerous speed, passing through yellow lights. We didn¡¯t speak a word. I wanted to talk, but I was scared. Giovanni just kept his eyes on the road.


    I couldn¡¯t take his silence anymore. I mustered up the courage and spoke. ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Jay. Not now. Wait until we get home,¡± he said coldly.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I tweeted, knowing now was not the time to push his buttons.


    But he didn¡¯t take me home. Giovanni drove me to an isted ce, parking the car at a cliff¡¯s edge.


    And then he killed me. With his gaze.


    I was a trembling corpse, still breathing because he allowed me to. But not for long.


    His long, lean fingers wound around my neck. I struggled to breathe. I closed my eyes, trembling in my seat. My life was now in his hands.


    He¡¯s going to kill me and dump my body in the sea. I¡¯m going to die. I know I¡¯m going to die. But I don¡¯t want to die yet.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I mouthed, not sure if any sound came out. All I could focus on were his fingers around my neck. Suddenly, they softened, lingering on my corbone. And nape. And¡­


    I blinked, opening my eyes. He was assessing my face, just as I was assessing his.


    Hard edge. Rough and raw. He was so dangerous today. But his eyes were so soft. And so innocent. Could this man be capable of killing so many men? Was this man really the mafia? Under the light of the full moon, he was like a little lost boy, hand gripping me for support.


    ¡°Boss.¡± I broke the silence.


    Giovanni gripped my arm. Hard. I cried out. He released me just as quickly. And started beating his fist on the steering wheel. ¡°Fuck! Jay, fuck!¡±


    His face twisted with all sorts of expressions. Anger, vexation, annoyance, but most of all, there was pain and misery.


    I was scared and somehow felt quite sad for him. I¡¯d never seen Giovanni react this fiercely to any situation. It was as if he were fighting with himself. One minute he was Dr. Jekyll; the next he was Mr. Hyde.


    As soon as his profane disy ceased, he put the car back into motion again. I didn¡¯t dare say a word during the drive home. And as soon as the car passed through the security gate and parked in front of Cory Mansion, I shot out, frightened Giovanni might transform into Mr. Hyde again.


    The guys were already there, waiting for us to arrive. As soon as Giovanni saw Heath, he stormed up to the tall man and struck a blow at Heath¡¯s jaw with his clenched fist.


    ¡°What the fuck did I tell you, Heath? Why did you bring Jay into that establishment?¡±


    Heath didn¡¯t respond. He only hung his head.


    Giovanni was possessed by the devil. He was now Mr. Hyde. As soon as I saw his fist in the air again, I knew Heath was going to take another blow. I ran and stood in front of Heath just mere seconds before that strong hand hit my face.


    ¡°If you want to punch Heath, then punch me instead. I was the one who came up with the n. Not Heath.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, Jay, get out of the way.¡± Giovanni seethed, eyes burning with rage.


    ¡°No.¡± I stood my ground. This was my fault. And I should take the me. ¡°Heath didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I was just helping them collect the money.¡±


    ¡°You were trying to collect that old geezer¡¯s money, right? By dressing like a slut.¡±


    I was furious. He mocked my dignity and morality. I fired back at him, ¡°I¡¯m not a slut. I¡¯m a girl on a mission.¡±


    ¡°And what mission is that? To fuck that old geezer. To lose that virginity you so want to keep.¡±


    Tears wanted to seep from my eyes, but I suppressed them. ¡°I have my right, you asshole. And just because I dressed provocatively, it doesn¡¯t mean I want to sleep around with anyone. That man needed persuading. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t hand the money over. You said to do anything to get your money back. So I did.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to get involved or dress like a slut like that. You¡¯re better off in the kitchen, cooking, cleaning, and making coffee.¡± His voice cut my heart into sections. And it was bleeding. I was in pain. And angry.


    ¡°I¡¯m a woman, Giovanni. I want to dress and act like a woman for once. I don¡¯t want to always dress like I¡¯m one of the boys, hair always covered in flour, clothes smelling of coffee. I want to dress like a woman.¡±


    Somewhere along the way, the room went quiet.


    ¡°You are one of my boys, Jay. Don¡¯t ever dress in that clothing again. Remember, you¡¯re my coffee machine, my maid. So start dressing like one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your boy. I told you that. I may have a t chest, but I¡¯m a girl. A girl, Giovanni.¡± I emphasized my point, tears streaming down my face now.


    ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Act like I¡¯m a girl for once. See I¡¯m a girl for once. Not your maid. And certainly not your coffee machine.¡±


    ¡°You mean like this.¡± He grabbed my chin, backed me up until I was pinned against the wall, and kissed the living hell out of me. His tongue invaded my personal space. His lips sealed over mine. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t think. And by the time I managed to push him off and run out of the room, my heart wouldn¡¯t stop pounding.

 #1 Chapter 22

    Aftermath


    Giovanni kissed me. All through that night, I repeated the mantra. Giovanni kissed me. Despite it was in the heat of anger, he still kissed me.


    I traced my lips, lingering on that small spot where his lips touched mine. I tried to fall asleep, but when I did drift off, my mind kept conjuring up all sorts of scenarios, all of which involved me and that mafia boss in some sort ofpromising positon.


    At three o¡¯clock, my eyes opened. It was my biological clock. That was the usual time Giovanni would kick at my door to announce he wanted his coffee to quench his midnight thirst.


    And so I got up, made a ck decaf, and slipped into his office. Something inside me still prayed he wouldn¡¯t be in. Of course, God didn¡¯t hear my prayer. Giovanni was seated in his chair, tracing his lips, too.


    And suddenly, the kissing scene fromst night mmed into my mind again. My hands shook. The coffee cup rattled in its saucer.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± he shouted, face turned in my direction. I stepped back into the dark, obscuring his view.


    Oh God, I didn¡¯t want to face him. Well, not yet anyway.


    Stupid, Jenny. Why the heck did you make this coffee for him?


    I couldn¡¯t understand why I behaved like this. Did I want to appeal to him, please him in some way just so he could reduce Pa¡¯s debt?


    Very unlikely. I could be selfish and run away. Leave everything behind and scram. Pa could deal with it. Giovanni could find Pa and they could negotiate with each other.


    But I couldn¡¯t. I just couldn¡¯t. Not just because of Pa, but because there was something else there, too. I just couldn¡¯t find the reason yet.


    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s me,¡± I said hoarsely, stepping into the light, the cup of coffee in my hand. ¡°I made you ck decaf.¡±


    I quickly walked to his desk, ced the coffee on the hard surface, and was about to dash out of the room again when a hand lingered on my arm.


    A zap shot up my spine. My heart skipped a beat. The room seemed to constrict somehow. I fought for breath, clutching the ledge of the table for support until my knuckles turned white. I knew if I didn¡¯t hold on, my legs would buckle.


    ¡°Jay!¡± That deep baritone rumbled into my ear. And that was the tipping point. My legs buckled.


    Giovanni caught me, bracing me against his steel-hard chest. I leaned in subconsciously, molding myself even more into him, until his chest was flush against my back. His head somehow found its way into the space between my shoulder and neck.


    ¡°Jay,¡± he whispered again. The heat of his breath seared my skin as his nose continued to brush the nape of my neck.


    I shivered again and closed my eyes, sucking in a deep breath.


    Why was it so hard to breathe, so suddenly? What was wrong with me? What did Giovanni do to me?


    ¡°Boss.¡± I panted, losing control of my voice. I gritted my teeth. My body was trembling so badly I was starting to worry. ¡°Boss,¡± I uttered again.


    Giovanni turned me around and tilted my face up. Our gazes locked. His was misty, filled with something I couldn¡¯t identify. Mine was also misty but filled with unshed tears.


    My belly squirmed when his fingers caressed my lips. His face grew closer. His eyes were so ck, like the night sky. I was lost in them.


    It only happened in a split second, but to me, time had stopped. I was suspended in space, aimlessly floating in a sealed vacuum.


    Giovanni sealed our lips, kissing me with anger and passion all rolled into one. His teeth clicked with mine, his tongue hungrily fighting to get into my mouth, to gain control of my senses. And my senses were lost. No longer could I control my limbs. I was at his mercy.


    But Giovanni didn¡¯t show any mercy. He pressed on, kissing me with all his strength, as if each and every kiss were hisst one. He tore at my lips, swallowing all my cries.


    I whimpered and grasped on to him, my fingers digging into his shirt, wanting more of what he gave, wishing he could kiss me just that little bit longer, for this was the very first time I had experienced this kind of sensation. Our kiss fromst night was tempered with anger. This kiss was fueled with passion.


    Or, that was what I¡¯d thought. Until he angled his mouth, increasing the pressure. The pace was fast. I struggled in his arms. He didn¡¯t let me go. And then I knew. This wasn¡¯t a passionate kiss. This was anger in the form of a punishment packaged as a kiss.


    So, he was still mad with me fromst night. He was only punishing me for not knowing my ce. I was his maid after all. Even if not by choice, I was still his maid. I shouldn¡¯t have dressed in such a provocative manner so as to tempt men. I should just be myself. in Jenny.


    Had I forgotten the first sentence Giovanni uttered when he first saw me? ¡°You¡¯re ugly.¡± Those were his first words used to describe me. So, how many times must people remind me I was ugly before the information sank into my brain? Pa. Amelia. Everyone in ss. Countless people my age at the University.


    But I¡¯d fought hard. I thought if I couldn¡¯t be beautiful, then at least I should be smart and kindhearted. I already knew I was stupid and clumsy, so I studied hard to get into college. I knew, too, that I talked too much whenever I got nervous. But this was an innate trait I found hard to change. Even then, no matter what I did in the past to try to redeem these qualities-be it to clean the house, clean the bathroom, do all theundry, be a good daughter to Pa or a good sister to Amelia-at the end of the day, I was still clumsy, in Jenny.


    I¡¯d never minded before that I was inferior to Amelia. Even when she went to the school formal and Pa said she was beautiful or even when her countless boyfriends kissed her on the lips, I fought that purging feeling in my stomach, that feeling of envy that wanted to explode to the surface because no one had ever wanted me to be their girlfriend or wanted to kiss me.


    Until Giovanni.


    I tried to remain positive and told myself it was fine to not be beautiful. There were more important things in life. There were people starving in the world, people who fought to stay alive because of cancer and other medical conditions. But sometimes it hurt. It hurt so much when the people you truly wanted to please didn¡¯t see you or acknowledge your existence.


    Like Giovanni.


    The thought struck me hard.


    Why did I care so much what he thought of me? I was lucky he¡¯d found use in me as his maid. He could have killed me and been done with it. So why did I have to care whether I couldn¡¯t dress in beautiful womanly clothes? And why did I have to cry right now while clinging to him for support?


    It was because, for once in my life, I felt I was worth something. Pa loved me, I knew that, but he¡¯d never needed me like the guys here. His favorite daughter was Amelia. I was the extra daughter he didn¡¯t need. I should have died in that ident that killed Ma. But I hadn¡¯t. Even when I was in the hospital after that ident, losing my memory, I still fought on, wanting to feel I belonged somewhere.


    But Heath, Jonny, Keith, and especially Bobby, they all made me feel I was part of a family. They made me feel I was one of them. We ate together. We had fun together, going to different ces to collect money. So, maybe I was being selfish now for not wanting anything to change. I pleaded with Giovanni, apologizing to him, so I could stay here.


    Yes. I wanted to stay. In the beginning, I hated Giovanni. I hated this mafia boss for always calling me in the middle of the night to make him coffee. I hated him for always calling me ¡°chessboard¡± or always reminding me I was his coffee machine. And I hated Pa for using me as coteral for his debt. Yes, I hated I was stuck in this position. But that had all changed now.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I sobbed between our kisses. ¡°Please don¡¯t punish Heath. Please don¡¯t me it on the guys. It was all my fault. I just wanted to help them get the money for you.¡±


    Giovanni didn¡¯t listen to me. Maybe he didn¡¯t hear me because he was trailing soft kisses on my cheek, temple, and all the way down my neckline.


    ¡°Boss, are you listening to me?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t. He was still at it. And his lipsnded on mine again.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I cried and sobbed.


    ¡°Stop crying, Jay,¡± he said in irritation, pushing my hair aside to press a kiss on my temple. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? I hate it when you cry. You look ugly when you cry.¡±


    His nose was nestled in my hair. He couldn¡¯t see the tears dribbling down my cheeks. I silently sobbed. ¡°Boss, please listen to me. I¡¯m sorry for what I did. I thought if I did this, you might cut Pa¡¯s debt by at least a small portion. I thought if we could get the money back for you, you¡¯d be happy and let me go before the due date.¡±


    Giovanni tore back as if I¡¯d bitten him. His eyes breathed fire. ¡°So, you only did it because you want to reduce your father¡¯s debt?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Tears squeezed out of my eyes. I wanted to say more, but I didn¡¯t know what. My throat was clogged.


    Giovanni pushed me against the wall and pinched my chin so I would look into his face. He looked so angry. So very angry. His eyes zed fire.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°You pathetic girl,¡± he growled in my face. ¡°So you only want to get out of the contract faster?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m here?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I enjoy seeing your face? If it weren¡¯t for your coffee skills, you would¡¯ve been dead by now.¡±


    ¡°If you hate seeing my face so much, why won¡¯t you let me go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go if you pay me back the three million dors your father owes me.¡± He braced his arm against the wall, trapping me against him. His face grew closer until his nose brushed my cheek. He whispered next to my ear, ¡°So, Jay, do you have three million dors for me?¡±


    I was stunned. I didn¡¯t know what to say. Taking my silence as my answer, he kissed me again. He parted my hair and cradled my neck, once again sealing our lips together. The kiss was deep.


    I mewed out, ¡°If you hate my face so much, why are you kissing me?¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He jerked back as if he were burned. ¡°Do you think I enjoy kissing you? You kiss like a dog, Jay.¡±


    I kiss like a dog? Not only did Giovanni not like my face, but he also said I kissed like a dog.


    A girl who¡¯d never had a boyfriend. A girl who¡¯d never been kissed, but when finally was allowed the chance, kissed like a dog.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I couldn¡¯t speak. I just cried. More tears slid down my face.


    ¡°Fuck. Go, get out,¡± Giovanni shouted, shoving me out the door. ¡°I let you go. Now don¡¯t fucking cry in my face again. I don¡¯t ever want to see your face again. Just get out.¡±


    Giovanni mmed the door. I crumpled to the floor. And gave in to my emotions, crying a thousand tears.


    Giovanni closed his eyes and braced himself against the closed door. What had he done? What the fuck had he done? He¡¯d kicked Jay out. And not only that, but he¡¯d said he didn¡¯t want to see her again.


    But he couldn¡¯t control himself. He almost took her. His ability to hold himself together was starting to break, for their kiss was so amazing. It was fire and ice melded together.


    His hand trembled as he thought back to a few days ago when he¡¯d sneaked into her room while she was asleep. She¡¯d looked so peaceful, as if she hadn¡¯t a care in the world, even when her father owed him three million dors and she was the coteral.


    He¡¯d stayed there, his face just inches away, his lips hovering above hers, until he couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer. And then he¡¯d kissed her gently.


    He knew she must have thought this whole event was her dream. He made it appear that way. That was why he was happy the next day, even suggesting they go out for dinner, at the cost of his health when Jay challenged him to eat the seafood dish, the food he was allergic to.


    Even then, he didn¡¯t tell her off. So, why now?


    It was because he fucking wanted her. So much it hurt. So much he felt the ache in his chest like a piece of concrete was embedded in his heart.


    Jay!


    What the fuck did you do to me?


    He might as well face the truth. He was in lust with his maid. He was attracted to her like no other woman he¡¯d ever been attracted to. Yeah, he could jump her. But even though he was a ruthless man, with hands that had been tainted with blood in the past, he wasn¡¯t the type to take an unwilling woman.


    He¡¯d enjoyed their kiss. Even when he was the one who was doing all the initiation and action, he felt his world had turned upside down and he was floating in a world free of worry and stress. Blissful. That was what it was. The most amazing and earthshattering kiss he¡¯d ever experienced.


    But what had made him so fucking mad about their kiss a second ago was that she said she¡¯d only wanted to get rid of her father¡¯s debt faster. So he¡¯d lied, saying she kissed like a dog.


    She didn¡¯t feel the passion in those kisses like he did, did she? She didn¡¯t have any feelings for him, did she? No attraction, no shortness of breath, no feelings whatsoever?


    Oh, fucking hell. Who was he kidding? She was his maid, a schoolgirl who was almost a decade younger than his twenty-eight years. She didn¡¯t see him as anything more than a mafia boss, one who killed and fought for power and control.


    Giovanni dragged himself up and shuffled back to his chair, crushing his face in his hands. He was scared to admit it to himself, but he had to face the truth. He was totally captivated by his maid, Jenny Stone. And there was only one way to deal with this problem of his. He picked up the phone and dialed the one man who would help resolve everything.


    It was long past due to find Jennifer.

 #1 Chapter 23

    Linger


    I had a sleepless night. I dreamed of Giovanni and me kissing again. It was weird. Why did I dream of him; when he didn¡¯t see me as anything more than his coffee machine?


    I knew I should leave. That was what he¡¯d told me. I could leave, so why was it when I woke up that morning, I lingered in bed.


    My phone vibrated. I swiped it on. It was a text from Crispin.


    Crispin: Where are you? ss about to start.


    Jenny: Sorry, Cris. Sick. Won¡¯t be at school today.


    Crispin: What¡¯s your address? I¡¯ll visit you. Want me to take you to the hospital? Is it really bad?


    Jenny: I¡¯m all right. Just small headache. Gonna sleep a bit.


    Crispin: Your symptoms aren¡¯ting back, are they?


    I thought about that time I was in the hospital after that car crash that killed Ma and put me in critical condition. I stayed in the hospital for a total of three months. I must have crashed my head into something because all my memories from my childhood up until I turned six had been forgotten.


    Not a lot of people knew about that ident that almost took my life. Only Crispin and my family. No, I didn¡¯t have that headache. I hadn¡¯t since I came to live here.


    Jenny: No. I¡¯m fine.


    Crispin: Ok. You sleep well, then.


    Jenny: I will. Take care.


    Crispin: You take care, Jenny. I worry about you. And remember, text if you need anything. I want to help.


    Jenny: Thanks, friend.


    I dropped onto my pillow and cried. Why was I crying? I should be happy Giovanni was so kind to let me off. I should rejoice in this opportunity.


    But I felt so lonely. So very lonely. And so lost. I felt I was a little lost child with no home to return to. Pa had run away with Amelia, leaving me behind. Only Crispin was there for me.


    He was a good friend. He worried about me. But I couldn¡¯t rely on him all the time. It was already good enough that he chose me as his best friend. I had to learn to rely on myself.


    I forced a smile and pulled open the curtains. The sun shone bright and the sky was cloudless blue. It was a beautiful day outside. I shouldn¡¯t feel so downhearted. So I got up, determined today was going to be a good day. I¡¯d say hello to Giovanni when I saw him. Pretend everything fromst night hadn¡¯t happened. Act like our rtionship was fine. Yes, everything would be fine.


    After preparing myself for the day, I went downstairs to make some coffee for Giovanni. But he was nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere for him, but he wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Guys, have you seen the boss?¡± I asked, when I saw the guys in the lounge.


    They didn¡¯t hear me. Or more likely they didn¡¯t want to hear me. Their eyes were consumed elsewhere.


    I walked sluggishly to them. They were grouped together in front of the t-screen,menting about something. I hadn¡¯t a clue what they were on about. I caught a few words like hot and Ryan Reynolds from The Proposal.


    ¡°Hey, what are you guys on about?¡± I shoved my way slowly to stand in front of the TV, unlike my usual hyperactive self.


    The minute my eyesnded on that screen, my heart started skipping again. And I trembled, feeling cold.


    ¡°Our boss is hot, right? Look at his eyes. So ck, as if they could suck your soul out of heaven.¡± Bobby had to mention Giovanni¡¯s perfect eyes. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off his ck pupils then. It was like I was entranced by that face, just likest night.


    ¡°More like a ck hole that sucks your life force out,¡± Imented quickly, just for something to say so the guys wouldn¡¯t detect my abnormal behavior.


    Yeah. He did suck out my life force. I have no energy today.


    Bobby looked horrified at my answer, though. ¡°But check out that body. Boss has such perfect genes. You can¡¯t find a body that hot.¡±


    ¡°He works out at 3:00 a. m. every morning, Bobby. Trust me. I¡¯m the one who makes his coffee.¡±


    ¡°Seriously. Is that why you¡¯re always yawning every morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes. No man is capable of looking good without having to work out. Look at him. He¡¯s too tall,¡± I said without any emotion.


    ¡°Jesus, Jenny. What¡¯s gotten into you? Where¡¯s your spirit? You look like you woke up on the wrong side of bed,¡± Bobbymented.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Bobby. I¡¯m fine.¡± I waved him off.


    ¡°But to get back to the subject of tall men, though. My niece¡¯s friends say girls and women are into them,¡± Finnie added.


    ¡°I kind of agree. Girls these days dig tall men. They don¡¯t like shorties, like us,¡± Jonny said sadly.


    ¡°Hey, Jonny, no talking about your height now.¡± I turned to console the man who was, in actual fact, about an inch taller than me. ¡°You know, tall girls at my college are into short men, too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking. Do you have any hot friends? Introduce some to us.¡± Jonny cheered up as soon as I told him this.


    If only I could have his spirit today, too.


    ¡°Sure. Sure.¡± I patted his shoulder, remembering to never ever touch on this topic again. There was no way I was letting any of my friends know about this side of my life.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s a Ryan Reynolds to me.¡± Bobby had to direct our conversation back to Giovanni¡¯s good looks.


    ¡°I say he¡¯s more like that actor who yed Christian Grey from Fifty Shades,¡± Imented, eyes still fixed on Giovanni¡¯s image on TV. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember, he¡¯s into whacking and pping?¡±


    ¡°Jenny, don¡¯t you find our boss hot at all?¡± Bobby turned to me, questioning my capability to rate hot guys. ¡°I¡¯m a guy here, and I still get the shivers every time he walks into the room. It¡¯s like he¡¯s a movie star. He has this charisma about him that captivates people.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Boss has the looks of a movie star. And the body of a male model. I¡¯m just like Bobby. We shiver when we¡¯re near him. How about you, Jenny? You¡¯re a girl. What¡¯s your reaction when he walks into the room?¡± Finnie put me on the spot.


    I felt my face flush and my palms sweat. I cleared my throat, blinked, and said with a casual voice, trying my best not to show them my true feelings, ¡°Yeah right, like I would be totally captivated by him, guys. He¡¯s just a normal guy to me. Nothing special.¡±


    Bobby gasped. ¡°You¡¯re a lesbian, Jenny. That¡¯s what you are. He kissed youst night, and you still didn¡¯t feel any sort of attraction for him.¡±


    Why did Bobby have to remind me ofst night or the kiss in the early hours this morning? I was trying to forget it already.


    My heart thumped as I turned to the TV screen again. Giovanni was being interviewed on a program called Close and Personal with the Hottest Male Billionaire.


    Billionaire? And here I¡¯d thought he was only a millionaire. Must be all that illegal business of his. Did they even know he was mafia and not a legit businessman?


    The TV presenter was a female. She was literally gushing over Giovanni, hand busy flicking her blond hair back like it was all over her face or something.


    And what was wrong with her eyes? Why was she blinking nonstop?


    Go to the optometrist if you have an eye problem,dy.


    And Giovanni wasn¡¯t helping my mood either, when he responded to the signals she was sending. He shed a bright smile, a smile I¡¯d never before seen on his face.


    I chewed my bottom lip, watching him answer her questions. I wished he would smile like that to me sometime.


    ¡°So, Mr. Dente, do you have a special someone in your heart?¡±


    Giovanniughed, flicking his ck hair back. His eyes were shining bright, and he grinned at the screen.


    ¡°Well, I do, actually.¡± He turned his face until his eyes were looking directly at whoever was staring at the screen. In this case, it was me and the guys.


    My heart thumped as soon as he made eye contact with me, and at that moment, everything ceased to exist. I held my breath and waited for his answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known her for a while now. And I want to tell her this.¡± Giovanni smiled and paused, slowly sending out some sort of invisible wave signal that had my heart thumping mad. ¡°Jennifer, if you¡¯re watching this, then you should know I¡¯m waiting for you. I¡¯ll wait for you toe back to me so I can fulfil our promise we made.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it sounds like a love confession,¡± the hostessmented.


    ¡°You could say that.¡± Giovanni smiled.


    I couldn¡¯t see anything else. Nor could I hear anything. All I could think about was Giovanni in love with his Jennifer, waiting for his Jennifer toe back to him and fulfilling whatever promise they¡¯d made.


    My heart felt something akin to pain. I clutched at my chest. Tears spilled from my eyes again.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Jenny, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you crying?¡± Bobby asked, seeing my teary face.


    ¡°What? Nothing.¡± I wiped my eyes quickly to remove the evidence. ¡°Something¡¯s just in my eyes. I¡¯m just going to pop upstairs for a minute.¡±


    I rushed to my bedroom, ignoring their calls. I closed the door and took out my phone, rereading thest text Crispin sent to me.


    Crispin: You take care Jenny. I worry about you. And remember, text if you need anything. I want to help.


    Without another thought, I texted him with my new message.


    Jenny: Meet me in front of school caf¨¦ at noon. I want your help.


    I dropped the phone and slid to the floor, sobbing painfully into my hands. I knew why I¡¯d cried when Giovanni said he wanted to find Jennifer. I knew why I¡¯d cried when he said I kissed like a dog. I knew why I¡¯d cried all ofst night when he said he no longer wanted to see my face. I¡¯d now found the reason.


    Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss, had totally captivated me. And for that, I had to leave here.

 #1 Chapter 24

    This interview was taking longer than Giovanni had expected. The fake mask he¡¯d put on was starting to wear thin. The woman in front of him was constantly flirting with him, touching her hair, and winking at him.


    Giovanni had been with so many clingy women in the past he could spot one from miles away. And this woman had clingy written all over her face.


    Does she not have any dignity? We¡¯re on a live broadcast here.


    ¡°So, Mr. Dente, do you have a special someone in your heart?¡± she asked, eyes running up and down his body again.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Giovanni pretended tough, throwing his head back so the viewers couldn¡¯t see how pissed he was at this whole setup.


    He knew from the very beginning that this was what it had amounted to. He¡¯d wanted to do this, hadn¡¯t he? The producer of this so-called program, Close and Personal with the Hottest Male Billionaire, had bugged him for years, wanting to get him on his show, saying they¡¯d rake in millions more female viewers if he¡¯d just appear. Not that the program hadn¡¯t already had more than a few million viewers up their sleeves.


    Giovanni had declined so many times before. He wasn¡¯t interested in being in the spotlight. Butst night, after that crazy kissing episode with Jenny, he¡¯d made up his mind to find Jennifer. And that was why he was on this show.


    Giovanni had hoped Jennifer was like any normal eighteen-year-old girl, eyes glued to this program. It would make his job of finding her that much simpler. God knew how many years he¡¯d tried to find her. He¡¯d hired countless private detectives, but that girl seemed to have disappeared off the face of this earth. Those lovely spring memories of them spending days together, drinking coffee under the shady beech tree, were the only fond memories of his teenage years before life turned sour and he¡¯d been kicked out on the streets.


    Giovanni missed her. His heart had told him so, especially now that spring had indicated she turned eighteen. And he¡¯d made a promise to her to make her his lover.


    He wanted tough at himself. It was stupid to cling to that small promise to this girl. Who wants to be the lover of a mafia boss, anyway? She was too young back then to understand theplicated world he lived in. But maybe they could start out as friends first.


    Would she still want to date me if she knew I¡¯m mafia?


    This thought disturbed him. Then another thought swiftly took over his mind.


    What if she turns out ugly? What if I can¡¯t bed her? Giovanni shook his head to dispel these thoughts.


    No, Jennifer would never be ugly. Even if to others she might not have the looks, Jay¡¯s heart had been totally captivated from that first moment he¡¯d set sight on her all those years ago, what with her chitchat and kind, soft heart.


    Giovanni paused at that thought. Fuck. Did he just mistakenly use Jay¡¯s name in ce of Jennifer? Where did thate from? Oh, right, it was because he was still enamored with her, lusting after her; that was the whole reason he was here in the first ce.


    Giovanni turned his attention back to the blonde and smiled. ¡°Well, I do, actually. I¡¯ve known her for a while now. And I want to tell her this.¡± He then shifted his focus to one of the many cameras, making sure they had a good view of his full profile. ¡°Jennifer, if you¡¯re watching this, then you should know I¡¯m waiting for you. I¡¯ll wait for you toe back to me so I can fulfil our promise we made.¡±


    Giovanni closed his eyes for a second, imagining the grown-up Jennifer nodding when she heard his confession on TV. But all he could see in his mind¡¯s eyes was Jay¡¯s face staring back at him from the other side of the screen.


    Fuck! He was in deep shit now. Jenny Stone, his maid, had totally captivated him.


    THE END of book 1

 #2鈥擟hapter 1

    ¡°From today onwards, you are deemed as my lover. Be prepared to meet your fate.¡±


    And those are the words that came out of the very man who makes her heart flutter, Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss with movie star good looks and a coffee addict.


    Between working as his maid and brewing his coffee as payment to her father¡¯s three-million-dor debt, Jenny finds she has to fight off his advances, using every skill she possesses not to be lured into his seductive trap. But what can a poor student like her do when every touch and kiss Giovanni bestowed upon her has her craving for more?


    Jenny knows her defense is about to break down because this mafia boss is totally alluring.


    One Night of Pleasure¡­Or Not


    I looked at his bed in awe. I couldn¡¯t help myself but rub my cheek onto that soft pillow again. It had his scent. He¡¯d slept herest night. Alone, or with another woman? One of his mistresses, maybe?


    How many did he have? One, two? For a rich and powerful mafia man like him, two was never enough. His ego was toorge, his status too high to quench his thirst.


    Somehow, a little pain etched my heart at the image of him tumbling with two women in bed. I wasn¡¯t sure why I should feel this way. I was nothing to him. I was not one of his women. I was only here because I had to be, not because I wanted to.


    I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and stared at my own reflection. in Jane. That was what I was. Boring brown hair. Boring green eyes. That was what Pa had always said, the in daughter.


    I touched my cheeks and counted the freckles there. I sighed. There were too many to count. It looked awful, like I¡¯d spent too much time in the sun.


    The door behind me squeaked open. I froze upon seeing the image of him in the mirror, too, his eyes boring straight into me. He was freshly out of the shower, his body drenched in water droplets. He only had a small towel around his waist. His ck hair was all wet, like the night sky outside.


    Giovanni was beautiful, a colossal being, like Adonis, the statue. He was simply captivating, and totally alluring.


    Did he know he¡¯d stolen my heart, just like he¡¯d stolen millions of other girls¡¯ heart on that show? My maiden heart was his and his alone.


    But could I be his? Could I be his Jennifer, the one he was looking for?


    I stole a nce over my shoulder at his half naked body. And gulped much needed air to quench my thirsty lungs. My stupid heart had to impulsively do that silly dance again when I caught his stare.


    His eyes bored into mine, hot ckva gushing out of those irises. I swallowed, turning back to the task at hand, reminding myself that this was the only task I should be doing tonight. Which was to hang his shirt, wash his sheets, clean his bedroom, and make his coffee. In essence, I was his maid, his twenty-four-hour live-in maid, which he could call up anytime for his pleasure. Pleasure for his taste buds that was, and nothing more.


    Oh, but I wanted to do so much more. I wanted to run my fingers along his broad chest, to feel his heart drumming against my fingertips. I wanted to kiss those lips that were always set in a grim line, or kiss away that frown that was on his forehead whenever he thought too much. My hand itched at the delicious prospect.


    ¡°Jay, dry my hair,¡± he demanded, walking toward me and perching himself on the edge of the bed.


    Upon hearing his demand, I stumbled toward him with a big, fluffy towel in hand, acting like I was his obedient lover.


    He flopped his head forward, his hair in a thousand and one directions. I wrung his wet hair dry, slowly massaging his skull with my fingers, slowly relieving him of today¡¯s stress.


    I knew he liked that. I¡¯d done this to him so many times before. But tonight, something seemed different. I was conscious of the proximity between us, his fingers lingering at the curvature of my hips, his chest pressed against my breasts. My whole body tingled as I looked into his deep, alluring midnight eyes.


    ¡°Jay,¡± he caressed my name. His voice was like a drug, luring me into him. I gulped, feeling my body tingling hot. ¡°Kiss me.¡±


    He pulled me closer, his lipsing nearer to mine. I could feel myself sinking under his spell. Suddenly, he tossed me onto his bed, and now he was on top of me, his fingers tracing my lips. I could feel all of him pressing into me. His hard chest, his strong muscr legs, and his erection.


    ¡°Jay,¡± he rumbled again. ¡°Kiss me.¡±


    ¡°Gio.¡± My voice ripped through me, an odd crescendo in my chest. My palm went to trace his cleanly shaven jaw. ¡°Gio, handsome boy. I missed you.¡±


    Those words, I didn¡¯t know where they¡¯de from, but I had to say them, as if something inside me would burst if I kept this phrase hidden inside me forever.


    ¡°Gio. Gio,¡± I repeated his name. Each and every, time the name dug deeper into my heart, engraving the syble into my soul. I wanted his name to be a like scar etched into my skin, forever, not leaving me.


    I watched him as he watched me, eyes filled with dormant heat, heat that wanted to be unleashed tonight.


    This was it. After so many weeks of living together, I¡¯d get to experience firsthand what it was like to feel those supple lips against mine. So I swallowed and pursed my lips forward, waiting for that moment when his lips would touch mine.


    ¡°Jennifer. You¡¯re my Jennifer.¡± His voice caressed my soul, while hisrge hand caressed my cheek.


    The name Jennifer droned through me, exciting me with an undeniable need. I arched my lips into his and kissed him with vigorous need. Giovannitched on, responding to my request.


    ¡°Gio, I¡¯ve been waiting for so long. For you toe rescue me,¡± I mewed with heated desire, kissing him more fully.


    ¡°Jennifer. I will never let you go again. Where did you go? You disappeared that day.¡±


    His question was lost in the infinite confines of our skin, as we embraced each other with explosive need. His hands glided over my skin, exploring what we¡¯d been missing these past few days.


    ¡°Gio. Gio.¡± My voice droned on, the pace of his name quickening, just like the pace of my heart, quickening with every heartbeat, with every breath I took.


    ¡°Say you¡¯re my Jennifer, Jay. You¡¯re my Jennifer.¡± His voice came out breathless, his face speckled with sweat.


    ¡°Gio.¡± My hand went immediately to wipe those droplets off him, and quickly slid to palm his cheek.


    ¡°Jay, say you¡¯re my Jennifer.¡± His voice was desperate, just as I was desperate to extinguish this heat that was consuming me alive. It ripped at my core and med my desire.


    ¡°Gio,¡± I whispered, his name a wisping from my lips. ¡°Gio.¡±


    Giovanni rocked into me, breathing out haggard, face buried deep into my nest of brown curls. ¡°Say you¡¯re my Jennifer. I want to hear you say it.¡±


    Desperation was his middle name. And only I could appease it.


    But why couldn¡¯t I say it? Inside my soul, I¡¯d already admitted I was his Jennifer.


    ¡°Gio.¡± I began, crushing my fingers into his ck locks, desperate for him not to leave me, desperate for him to know I was his Jennifer. ¡°Gio, I¡¯m your¡­ I¡¯m your-¡±


    ¡°J ay, get up. Time for school!¡±


    Say what?


    I peeked my eyes open, the morning sun ring much too brightly through my closet bedroom curtain.


    Wait a minute. Where was I? This room was too big to be my closet bedroom at Cory Mansion.


    And then it hit to me. That voice, calling me Jenny from outside the bedroom door.


    Crispin. I was at Crispin¡¯s apartment. And¡­


    Oh, crap! And double cappino crap, crap! A wet dream. I had a wet dream of Giovanni and me in bed. Together. Doing seductive things only my hero and heroine could do in my collection of erotic romance books.


    My face bloomed tomato red. I was hotter than a steam bun. Oh, the embarrassment. If Giovanni knew I was dreaming about him being my hero, what would he say?


    A sudden ache cut through me at the thought of never seeing him again. Or never having the opportunity for him to berate me again. Ever.


    I¡¯d run away from him yesterday. Well, he¡¯d let me go to be exact, since I could clearly remember his harshment, ¡®Fine, I let you go. You kiss like a dog.¡¯


    Ouch! That stung.


    Did I really kiss like a dog? Was I really that bad of a kisser? That was my second kiss after all. The first kiss was also stolen by him from the night before. And the third kiss was stolen by him in my dream.


    Ahhh , I sighed gleefully, mouth stretched into a wide smile as my brain took me back to my intimate dream. That kiss was totally delicious. It rocked at my heart, which even now was beating nonsense. Now, if only I could kiss like that in real life I was sure Giovanni would take back his words.


    My thought returned to the main reason of why he¡¯d kicked me out. Thinking about it made me be agitated. Oh lordy, what if it was due to the heat of the moment and right now he was looking for me? Hell, what if he cut my throat after he¡¯d found me? I¡¯d be dead meat, hanging on a hook, for the eagles and hawks to feast on.


    I grouched, sitting in bed, palm under chin, thinking about my pitiful life in a rational manner. I still owed Giovanni three million dors, that much was true. Which meant if he came looking for me, I would have to have some money on hand, at least to repay some back to him.


    I checked my cellphone for the millionth time. I blew away the wisp of brown lock that had fallen into my eye, and sighed. If Imented anymore about my grim future, or not so sh past, I¡¯d bete for ss.


    I got up, brushed my teeth, washed my face, not forgetting to brush my bird¡¯s nest of hair, got changed out of my pajamas, and raced downstairs. The smell of pancakes and coffee greeted me with their aromatic scent, and my stomach responded with a loud growl.


    Crispin was dishing out the pancakes onto the side tes. Coffee was already resting on my side of the table.


    I sneaked a bite off his te. Crispin pped my wrist. ¡°No eating mine. Yours are over there.¡±


    I smiled and sat in the chair facing my te of food. ¡°Thanks heaps, Cris,¡± I said, mouth watering at the food.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Crispin said, and slid into the chair opposite mine. He began eating his pancakes, taking small bites while casting a smile in my direction. I smiled back, wondering why he was so happy today.


    ¡°And why are you so happy, Cris dear?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He shook his head and stole another nce at me.


    I rested my knife and fork on the table, turning my full attention to him. ¡°Now you have me curious.¡± I eyed him. ¡°Is there something on my face again? Obviously not coffee, since I didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°Just happy.¡± He cast his eyes to the window outside. ¡°It¡¯s sunny today. You know I¡¯m always happy when it¡¯s sunny.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I should have known.¡± I shed him my brightest smile, to match the bright sun outside, and sat back down. I grasped my mug of coffee and took a gulp of Crispin¡¯s brewed beverage-


    And sprayed it right back out.


    Crispin came behind my chair, apologizing profusely while patting my back to alleviate my coughing fit.


    ¡°I should never make coffee to serve the coffee goddess,¡± hemely said, which made me burst intoughter, I ended up coughing even more. Of course, poor Crispin thought I was dying from this. He only patted my back more.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯m not dying.¡± I shoved him off me. ¡°But if you keep on calling me coffee goddess, then I might just dieughing.¡±


    ¡°You are a coffee goddess,¡± he said, his tone all too serious. ¡°I could never measure up to your coffee skills.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no coffee goddess. But since you insist on calling me that, I really should live up to your expectations. And for that, let me make you a cup of brewing t white.¡±


    Crispin smiled as he watched me do my magic. And five minutester, we resumed our breakfast, me gorging down my pancakes like a pig, since I was so hungry, while he was drinking his t white, chuckling once or twice as he watched me eat.


    I flicked my eyes up and gave him my most intimidating stare. He didn¡¯t flinch, since he knew I was teasing with him.


    ¡°You know, Jenny, I don¡¯t mind if you stay here forever. I would love to drink your coffee every morning,¡± he casually said, turning back to his te of food.


    I giggled and put my fork down again. ¡°Cris, what you need is a girlfriend. One who can look after you. Me, I¡¯m just your storage baggage, a friend who took advantage of you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not taking advantage of me,¡± he said too quickly, making my head snap up.


    I blinked at his sudden change of voice. I shifted in my seat, ufortable somehow at our turn of conversation. ¡°Well, I think I am. Here I am, eating your food. Crashing at your house. I¡¯m a friend, with baggage. Actually, a lot of baggage. Make that ten bags of secrets, to be exact,¡± I joked.


    But Crispin wasn¡¯tughing. He really did take it at face value. ¡°Jenny, is this about your old man and sister again? Have they been in contacttely?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I dropped my smile, a cloud of sadness clinging to me.


    Two months. It¡¯d been two months since they disappeared on me and Inded in Cory Mansion as maid to the mafia boss, Giovanni Dente. And still I hadn¡¯t heard anything of them since. Were they out of the country, running away like two ouws?


    ¡°Want to tell them about yourndlord?¡± Crispin¡¯s voice swirled me out of my misery.


    Landlord. Oh God. I was such a bad friend. I lied to Crispin that myndlord, aka, Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss, had kicked me out, because I didn¡¯t have the money to pay rent. Hence, why I ended up crashing at his house.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think they would want to know about myndlord,¡± I said, my voice cracking a bit under the weight of my words.


    Crispin calmly grasped my small hand with his big one. ¡°Jenny, you don¡¯t have to look for another house. You can stay here, with me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t inhabit your room forever, Cris. You¡¯ll get back-pain from sleeping on the couch forever. I need to look for a ce to stay.¡± I smiled sadly at him.


    While I was sleeping soundly on his bed,st night Crispin had taken the couch as his sleeping quarters.


    But the real reason I didn¡¯t want to stay was I didn¡¯t want Crispin to be involved in my family¡¯s business. We were a pretty shitty family, up to our eyeballs in debt. In fact, we sucked at being a real family. As the saying goes, you can¡¯t p with one hand. No matter how hard I¡¯d tried to conform and be the perfect daughter and sister to Pa and Amelia, the fact was, after Ma¡¯s death, everything went topsy-turvy. Even if I couldn¡¯t remember what¡¯d happened prior to the ident, I still believed we were a better family then. Ma was the glue that held us together. And now she was gone. Just as our bank ount had gone straight down with Pa¡¯s impulsive investment again. Of course, his intelligent investmentnded me with a three-million-dor debt.


    Never could I involve Crispin in this madness of ours. If my ship were to sink, then I¡¯d go down alone. Never would I drag my good friend with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Jenny.¡± He applied a little more pressure on my palm, emphasizing his intention. ¡°You¡¯re a very important person to me. I want you to be happy. Study and live easy.¡±


    I tried to give him a happy smile, one that was filled with sunshine and roses, but what came out was forced.


    Life for me was never going to be easy. I needed to pay off that three million dors. Otherwise there would be no knowing when Giovanni woulde hounding me. Unless I kept running.


    But by running, I would be a coward, just like Pa taking Amelia with him to who knew where. I might not be the princess of beauty, but I was no coward.


    I also knew what Giovanni was capable of. And I wasn¡¯t talking about his strength and ability to kill. No. I was referring to guns, on disy in his mansion. I didn¡¯t need to have a degree in rocket science to know he would being for me with those guns, and possibly kitchen knives, especially since I¡¯d scrambled off yesterday without telling anyone, taking that debt along with me.


    ¡°Jenny. I want to tell you something.¡± I lifted my eyes to meet Crispin¡¯s, giving him my undivided attention.


    Crispin had always been there for me, since we were in middle school.


    His hazel eyes locked onto mine. I gazed right back. His face was serious. I knew he was about to tell me something important.


    Crispin cleared his throat. ¡°Jenny, I really like-¡±


    And we were interrupted by a phone call.


    Crispin flinched, irritated he couldn¡¯t finish what he was about to say. I was pretty curious, too, until I heard the word ¡®work¡¯ing from his mouth.


    Yes, that¡¯s right. I needed to find work. That would be my ideal solution. Maybe Crispin could help me. And as soon as he finished his call, I expressed my interest.


    ¡°Cris, my good friend. You know how you work at the amusement park part-time. Do you know if they¡¯re hiring any waitresses, one who¡¯s skilled in coffee making?¡±


    Crispin chuckled, making him look even younger than his twenty years of age. ¡°I believe not. But you may just be in luck. My boss asked if I was willing to dress up as a bunny to hand out flyers for a new candy store in the park. I have another job lined up so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be taking this one. But¡­¡± He eyed me with amusement. ¡°Are you interested?¡±


    Me, as a mascot bunny handing out flyers. I could seriously add that title into my CV.


    Jenny Stone. Top ss barista. Full time maid to the mafia. And now part time bunny.


    Yep. I thought that sounded pretty cool.


    Bring it on, Crispin.

 #2鈥擟hapter 2

    A New Resolution


    Giovanni twitched in his seat, his face an angry mask of confusion. Three nights. Three whole fucking nights he¡¯d stayed away from home, at his Las Vegas apartment, just to avoid his maid, Jenny Stone. But every damned night he¡¯d dreamed of her, making delicious love to her, and as a result, every morning he woke up with a ten-foot pole under his nket.


    The fuck! That girl was really messing with his mind.


    That dream fromst night was too vivid. He could rey every damned scene in his mind. The way she was peeking at him from behind her shoulder length curls. The way her eyes ate him up as she walked to him with that big fluffy towel in her hands. And he was like that little fourteen-year-old boy all over again, mooning over her, allowing her to massage her fingers in his hair. It was soothing and kind of erotic, to the point he was so aroused he¡¯d even asked her for a kiss.


    But this Jay was not the least bit timidpared to her real life form. She smacked her lips against his, molding and ravishing his mouth like a starved ginger kitten. And that kind of got his blood boiling hot, so that he crushed her beneath him, running his greedy hands all over her body and up her skirt, squeezing her breasts, and buttocks.


    She was delicious and soft. It was what he¡¯d wanted in a lover. The perfect lover. And just when she was about to confess to him that she was his Jennifer, the phone fucking rang.


    It¡¯d been Bobby, asking where he was, and why he hadn¡¯te home after three days absence. Of course, he swore at underling until he was six feet underground. He, himself, had flown home via his private jet, only arriving now at 5:00pm, the perfect time when his maid would be at home, tidying up Cory Mansion, making his coffee, and doing whatever stuff she did to keep the house clean.


    But he had to admit something was off. The house didn¡¯t gleam like before. But Giovanni didn¡¯t care about the few dirt marks at the front door, nor his bedroom looking like pig sty. What he wanted to see right now was Jay¡¯s face.


    Giovanni scrubbed the distressed look off his face, and waited for his coffee to arrive.


    God! Three whole days and nights of not seeing her face had him acting all giddy, like a crazy teen.


    Or maybe that was just the caffeine talking.


    But God! The cravings. Or more likely, his craving for sex, with Jay, since his subconscious mind had even dreamed of his maid confessing to be his Jennifer.


    Now that was fucked up, on a totally different level. Maybe he should just shag her, change the contract from her being his maid to his lover?


    The hell? Now why didn¡¯t he think of this before.


    Maybe it was because he¡¯d made a promise to his little friend Jennifer he¡¯d look for her. And possibly morphed her into his future lover.


    Shit! He was in deep shit. On the one hand, he craved Jay. On the other, he¡¯d a promise to keep.


    Fuck this. He was a selfish egotistical bastard. That was what Ro Bianco, the bastard he¡¯d called father for all of those fourteen years, had called him. So, why shouldn¡¯t he act like one. If that was what people chose to believe of him, so be it. He was a mafia through and through, just moving from the Bianco n to the Dente n didn¡¯t make him any different. Yes, he¡¯d have Jay as his temporary lover, until the real Jennifer came along.


    His heart could not be denied. He needed Jay, like he needed his coffee. And Jay plus coffee equated to abination that could not be resisted, the dish tantalizing his taste buds, thebo totally alluring to his senses. But what he found more alluring right then was a taste of that t white from Jay. Now where the hell was she?


    ¡°Jay, where¡¯s my coffee?¡± Giovanni roared, his voice echoing through the hallway.


    A minuteter, scrambling feet came rushing in, followed by two bald heads, and two brown heads. His underlings; Bobby, Heath, Finnie, and Jonny.


    Giovanni surveyed the door, but no one else seemed to being.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± His voice was crisp, authoritative, and cold.


    ¡°Who, boss?¡± Bobby asked.


    Giovanni couldn¡¯t suppress his annoyance. ¡°Jay, you numbnuts. Where is she?¡±


    Bobby shook in his boots. ¡°She¡¯s not here, boss?¡±


    ¡°I can see she¡¯s not here. Go to the kitchen. Tell her I want my t white. And if she doesn¡¯t show her face in front of me in ten seconds, tell her I will add an extra ten percent to her father¡¯s debt.¡±


    Giovanni could tell his men were scared. They gulped down their lumps of fear, but none moved their asses.


    He frowned, wondering why. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving your asses?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s not in the kitchen, boss,¡± Jonny squeaked out this time.


    ¡°Where is she, then?¡± he roared again, fist mming on the mahogany desk.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    His men jumped a mile high up the roof. They flinched, their eyes scrambling about, as if trying to think of some excuses for why Jay wasn¡¯t inside his office. They were hiding something from him, he could tell. They¡¯d better spit it out now or there¡¯d be hell to pay.


    Giovanni had already confronted his feelings and epted them with both hands. He was totally captivated with his maid. And tonight, he¡¯d be changing their contract. Tonight, he¡¯d lure her into his trap. He¡¯d personally punish her, until shey writhing beneath him with pleasure, screaming out his name at the peak of ecstasy. She said she was a virgin. All the better. A squeaky clean lover, one he would teach from the very beginning.


    The thought pleased him immensely. Now, if she¡¯d only show her face, and maybe get him that cup of coffee he¡¯d been dying for, then everything would end perfectly. His mind jerked back to the ashen faces of his four underlings. They were babbling something like fools. What were they hiding from him?


    ¡°Jay, Jay is not here.¡±


    Giovanni didn¡¯t answer. He was waiting for Bobby to carry on. Seconds ticked by. But Bobby still didn¡¯t flinch. Of course, Bobby couldn¡¯t keep up with the pressure anymore. He burst like a broken dam.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone, boss. Gone. We don¡¯t know where she¡¯s gone to, but she disappeared three days ago.¡±


    Giovanni jerked Bobby up, clutching him roughly by the cor.


    ¡°Repeat that?¡± he hissed in Bobby¡¯s face.


    ¡°We¡­ we don¡¯t know, boss,¡± Finnie answered instead. ¡°She just said her goodbyes and left to go to school, but she never came home.¡±


    ¡°And you tell me this now?¡± Giovanni annunciated these cold words, while directing his heated gaze at Finnie.


    ¡°We tried to call you but you only picked up today,¡± Bobby whimpered on the other side.


    Giovanni jerked his attention back to Bobby. ¡°Fuck! What the fuck is going on?¡± he scowled at both Bobby and Finnie. ¡°Did she run away?¡±


    Bobby shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, boss. She acted normal enough when she left. No tears, nothing. She was normal.¡±


    A thread of fear drummed through Giovanni at Bobby¡¯s exnation. Perhaps she was kidnapped, then? Swirl of dark thoughts raced through him.


    Leo! Could Leo have kidnapped her? Fuck! No. He remembered Melena¡¯s warning. They¡¯ll get back at him. But that couldn¡¯t be. Jay had nothing to do with the mafia¡¯s business. God, he hoped she was all right.


    Giovanniunched up from his seat and instructed Heath and Bobby to go with him. All three mmed into the car, with Heath tugging the engine into drive.


    While veering out of the driveway Bobby asked worriedly, ¡°Where are we going, boss?¡±


    Giovanni replied coldly, his face a dark mask, ¡°To Leo¡¯s. To get Jay back.¡±

 #2鈥擟hapter 3

    ¡°W here is she?¡± Giovanni demanded as soon as he stepped inside Leo¡¯s den, which was in downtown Queens, New York. The ce smelled of filth, rotten eggs, and three months old socks. The fume was so strong it irritated his nostrils.


    ¡°Ah, looks like the bastard prince is here. What do you want? Is it not enough that you hurt my little sister?¡±


    ¡°You are one second away from me smashing your jaw. And you know it¡¯s not an idle threat,¡± Giovanni said coldly, hand balling into tight fist. ¡°Now tell me. Where did you take her?¡±


    Leo feared Giovanni¡¯s fist. He¡¯d seen firsthand what that fist could do when it was balled up like that. That was also one of the many reasons why he was named the leader of the mafia boss, after the head honcho, Giuseppe Dente. Giovanni was quick witted, with his fist and his mind.


    Leo eyed his men, but they were nothingpared to the two strong men Giovanni brought with him. If he made one wrong move, Giovanni would grind him to a pulp. And that was not an exaggeration.


    No way would he let a bastard kid like Giovanni remain leader of their n. The boy¡¯s background was a mystery. And Leo had no respect for mysterious people, especially one who was full of arrogance like Giovanni. For now, though, it was best to mellow out his game, until he found someone to partner up with. Then he would m Giovanni down from his throne.


    ¡°What woman?¡± Leo asked, pretending to act timid. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re barking about?¡±


    ¡°My maid. Jenny Stone.¡± The clenched jaw meant Giovanni was at the brink of explosion. He gripped his fist, eyes growing dark.


    Leo burst outughing. ¡°Giovanni, you¡¯re fucked up in the head. I didn¡¯t know you had that much sympathy for people, let alone a fucking maid. What is she to you, your fucking whore?¡±


    At the blink of an eye, a blow smashed into Leo¡¯s jaw, banging him to the floor. Blood trailed out of his mouth.


    ¡°My maid,¡± Giovanni seethed again, voiceing out frosty. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t fucking know.¡± Leoy there limply, mouth hanging open, eyes wide with fear.


    Giovanni eyed his enemy for a second longer then let him go. He strode out the door and back into the ck Maserati, calmly exuding a look of elegance as he wiped his bloodied hand with a Kleenex tissue, followed by hand sanitizer.


    ¡°Boss, why did you let him go?¡± Bobby asked, following Giovanni into the car.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do it. I could tell by his eyes,¡± Giovanni said quietly, eyes gazing out the window.


    Giovanni thought about his maid. His only hope was to wait for her to return home. By tomorrow, if she didn¡¯t show up, he¡¯d send out his private investigators.


    And just when that thought urred to him, Bobby announced excitedly, after receiving a call from Finnie. ¡°Boss, they¡¯ve found her.¡±


    He snapped his head to Bobby, heart soaring in relief. ¡°Heath, get going. Time to go home.¡±


    Giovanni grinned devilishly. Jay. You¡¯re mine now. No escaping.


    Prince of Mafia, Too Many Jennifer


    Giovanni blinked. And then he blinked again. He asked himself this question as he stared at the woman sitting across from him, reclining toofortably in his lounge chair. Three days of not seeing my maid and she¡¯s changed this much?


    Who the fuck was he kidding? Blond hair, E-cup size breasts, lips injected with Botox, she was a fish through and through, just with no scales.


    ¡°Who the fuck is this?¡± He jerked his head to Finnie, then jerked back to give the woman a second nce.


    ¡°It¡¯s your little friend, boss, although she¡¯s not so little anymore,¡± Finnie exined, eyes round as marbles as he took in the size of those massive twin breasts.


    ¡°What are you on about?¡± Giovanni shouted, mind still in confusion. Finnie had said they¡¯d found Jay. But when he got home, he found this fish-like woman.


    ¡°Jennifer,¡± Finnie reminded him. ¡°You were looking for your little friend Jennifer. So, here she is.¡±


    ¡°The fuck are you on about, Finnie? We¡¯re looking for Jay, my maid, not Jennifer.¡±


    ¡°But you went on that show, didn¡¯t you? You wanted to find your little friend Jennifer. So, here she is.¡±


    Shoot him. Just shoot him right now. He hadn¡¯t expected the consequences to turn in this direction. Anger pulsated through him, more at himself than at his underlings. Yeah, it was entirely his fault. He was too enamored with Jay, and he¡¯d wanted to get rid of this feeling inside him. And the only way was to find Jennifer. But now that he¡¯d admitted his feelings, the real Jennifer came along.


    But Giovanni was smart. Just one look from this woman, he knew she was not the real Jennifer. His little friend did not look like that. Well, at least he didn¡¯t imagine her to look like this when she grew up. She would look more like Jay, his maid.


    ¡°Where is the ne? Show it to me,¡± he demanded coarsely, dispelling any so called proper manners he¡¯d adopted for when on television. Yeah, the outside world didn¡¯t know he was mafia. All they knew was his impressive bank ount, which was in ten digits.


    The girl looked up withrge giraffe eyes. ¡°What ne, Mr. Dente? Or should I call you Giovanni, since I¡¯m your Jennifer?¡±


    Her voice oozed with a kind of seductive charm, but he didn¡¯t find it charming at all. What he found was irritation. He had no time to deal with this bullshit. He needed to find Jay. And fast.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my Jennifer. Now get out.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Out!¡± he roared.


    This woman didn¡¯t cling to his leg like Jay had the first time he saw her. God, the memory made his chest ache. He missed Jay. Like crazy. Where was she?


    Bobby escorted the girl out, only toe scurrying back a minuteter, face pale in rm.


    ¡°Boss, big trouble,¡± he floundered, reeking of sweat.


    ¡°What now?¡± Giovanni barked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a stampede of would-be Jennifers in front of our front gate.¡±


    Giovanni face palmed himself.


    Oh Fuck!

 #2鈥擟hapter 4

    ¡°W here the hell are all these Jennifersing from?¡± Giovanni barked, yelling at security at the front gate to stop any woman from entering his property. They were even worse than reporters, leeching onto his property.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you advertise on television a few days ago that you wanted to meet your Jennifer again?¡± Bobby supplied the missing information that Giovanni hadn¡¯t managed to digest the first time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who Jennifer is. Do you?¡± Jonny whispered to Bobby.


    ¡°She¡¯s boss¡¯s little friend,¡± Bobby whispered back. ¡°From way back. Back when¡­¡± Bobby timidly turned to Giovanni and stopped in midsentence.


    Giovanni just sat there, a dark aura around him. His men knew perfectly if he didn¡¯t shout, yell, or cuss at them, he would be in his worst mood.


    Suddenly-


    ¡°Fuck this!¡± Giovanni snapped, having had enough shit for one day. ¡°One of you, make me a cup of t white.¡±


    Bobby yed tug of war with Finnie, pushing each other to do the job for their boss. Bobby ultimately lost. He sighed and wished he¡¯d paid more attention to Jenny when she made the boss his coffee.


    Five minutester, Giovanni was still drumming his fingers on his desk, waiting impatiently for that coffee to arrive. His eyebrow twitched.


    Another five minutes passed. Giovanni was gritting his teeth. He was on stage two of nearbustion.


    Another five minutes passed. Giovanni was brimming with anger, face boiling bright red.


    Then Bobby finally arrived, carrying the cup of t white.


    ¡°What the fuck took you so long? Fifteen minutes to make a cup of coffee?¡± Giovanni roared at his underling.


    ¡°Sorry, boss.¡± Bobby fidgeted under his stare. ¡°Had a little trouble with the barista machine. The thing was hard to operate.¡± Giovanni showed Bobby his pissed off face, making him even more flustered, and he started talking nonsense. ¡°Plus, we want to make sure it¡¯s delicious.¡±


    With this said, Bobby slid the cup across to his boss. And Giovanni took one sip-


    And sprayed the rest back out onto Bobby¡¯s face.


    ¡°What the fuck is this piss?¡± he growled, spitting the disgusting fluid from his mouth. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste anything like coffee. And why is it lukewarm?¡±


    Bobby snapped his eyes to Finnie. ¡°You didn¡¯t boil the water?¡±


    ¡°Hey? I thought you were the one who¡¯d boiled the water?¡± Finnie shrugged his shoulders in defense mode.


    Giovanni¡¯s jaw ticked. ¡°Why can¡¯t you two numbnuts learn anything from Jay? Now how am I going to survive without my coffee?¡±


    Both looked down at the floor, afraid to even make eye contact with their boss, since they¡¯d failed miserably at this measly task.


    Giovanni snorted through his nose. ¡°Go, get out. Go and find Jay. If none of you finds her, be prepared to get a pay cut.¡±


    ¡°What? No, boss. Finnie, let¡¯s go look for Jay at the school. Boss, we¡¯ll be back around eight.¡±


    Both Finnie and Bobby swirled on their toes and left, leaving behind Heath and Jonny to guard the door from any unknown Jennifer lurking on their property.


    Giovanni really was getting a headache. He really needed his caffeine fix. And Jay was the only one who could remedy it.


    Just as he was about to pop two headache pills into his mouth, his phone rang.


    Giuseppe.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± he tempered his voice, showing respect for the older man. He wondered why the old man had to call him, though. Usually they¡¯d meet up once a week, to discuss the group¡¯s business dealings.


    ¡°Giovanni. How was your trip to Las Vegas?¡±


    ¡°Good sir. All the work has been settled. Our casino there is thriving.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s always good to hear. Listen, can we meet tomorrow?¡± Giuseppe¡¯s voice crackled through the phone.


    ¡°Yes, sir. What about?¡± Giovanni clutched the phone next to his ear, leaning back in his chair.


    ¡°Ro Bianco. I heard you didn¡¯t get to meet him.¡±


    Shit! He¡¯d forgotten about Ro. That was the night Jay dressed as a seductive princess, resulting in his hormones acting out of sync with his brains, and he¡¯d ended up harassing her.


    Could that be why she¡¯d disappeared?


    Shit! The thought didn¡¯t sit well with him. On the one hand he wanted to sleep with her, but on the other he didn¡¯t want to force her, especially since he relied on her coffee skills as an extension of his livelihood.


    Giovanni immediately straightened up and refocused. ¡°Yes, sir. I didn¡¯t get to see him on that day. Something came up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good you didn¡¯t make it. Ro didn¡¯t turn up either. I¡¯m not sure why. But he¡¯d contacted Maxwell again, saying he wanted to meet up to apologize about thest meeting. He also wants to renegotiate the loan. Meet me tomorrow, Giovanni. I want to talk about the terms of contract with you first, before you present anything concrete to him.¡±


    ¡°Where do you want to meet up, sir?¡±


    ¡°Italiano, the Italian restaurant next to Islington Amusement park.¡±


    ¡°Right, got it. I¡¯ll see you there tomorrow. Formal asion?¡± Giovanni asked, referring to their dress code.


    Never had Giovanni appeared in front of the old man in anything less than grand attire. Giuseppe had brought him up that way, to enjoy the finer things in life, to appreciate what he¡¯d worked hard for.


    ¡°Yes,¡± came the old man¡¯s reply.


    Giovanni answered with a curt response and waited for the phone call to end.


    He sighed. Let¡¯s get the meeting out of the way first, then I¡¯ll search for Jay myself. Tomorrow, he¡¯d find Jay. Come hell or high water, he¡¯d make her his woman.

 #2鈥擟hapter 5

    Love Balloon for You


    This is fun. This is really fun, I thought as I handed another balloon to a beautiful little girl holding her mummy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to get some candy at ¡®Love Candy Store,''¡± I waved at her before running to the water fountain to hand out more flyers and balloons to little children and their parents. ¡°Only a dor fifty. And if you buy another, it¡¯s half price.¡±


    I felt immense joy seeing little children smile. I used to smile like that once. Right now I was also smiling, but it seemed to be forced somehow.


    What is wrong with me? Why do I feel like my heartstrings have been plucked? And by whom?


    I sighed, wanting to take my bunny mask off, but as part of my job contract, I was not to do that until I was on break. Luckily, that was only another fifteen minutes away.


    But it was really hot underneath this costume. My forehead was masked with a sheen of sweat. Some even rolled down my face and neck. Of course, with the scorching sun above my head, too, even my bunny ears wilted.


    If I¡¯d known I¡¯d be a roasted bunny by midday, I would have asked for more pay, instead of settling for a measly thirty dors.


    Well, at least that was money. I didn¡¯t want to be a cash cow, sucking benefits off Crispin. These thirty dors would go in my piggy bank and toward paying off Pa¡¯s debt. If I did see Giovanni one day, I¡¯d give him this whole pig stuffed with coins and ten dor notes. I¡¯d even give him the honor of smashing the pink ceramic animal to smithereens. At least that would cut Pa¡¯s debt by, what¡­0. 01 percent?


    I knew three million was no easy money to find, but I had to start somewhere. Plus, there were living expenses to ount for. Living with Giovanni and the guys, I didn¡¯t think much about it, since all expenses were paid for. All I had to do was work my guts off in return, though there wasn¡¯t actually much, just housework and brewing coffee. Heck, back at home with Pa and Amelia, I did more than that. But now the circumstances had changed. If only Giovanni hadn¡¯t kicked me out, I would happily jump back to his side.


    Crap! What was I thinking? Did I just confess to liking Giovanni?


    Oh, yeah. I think I just did.


    But who wouldn¡¯t be captivated by that handsome face. He was a walking talking Adonis, super-hot and filthy rich. Any girl would want him in bed, myself included.


    But I supposed it would only happen in my dreams. Well, at least my dream from this morning was delicious. Now, if only I could see him again. I¡¯d attack him with my seductive smile.


    Yeah, right. Look what happened when you dressed as a sweet seductress. He punished you by kissing you senseless and using you of kissing like a dog.


    Ahhh, seriously, I definitely thought I was going crazy under this scorching sun. These ridiculous thoughts running through my head. I really should get this work done instead of wandering off to La-La Land.


    There were a bunch of kids getting off the bus. Maybe the best way to hand out flyers would be to intercept them.


    And that was what I did. I ran to the front gate of the amusement park, eagerly smiling and waving at them like a good bunny would, waiting for them to get off the bus.


    They squealed with delight as soon as they saw me. Of course, with a cute pink bunny like me, all bushy tailed and green sparkling eyes, who wouldn¡¯t find me adorable? Add in the free balloons and flyers, too, I was a little kid¡¯s ymate. And so, when they started descending the steps, filing into the entrance of the park, I jumped right into the boisterous scene.


    A secondter, I found my n worked way too well for my own good. I rode the wave of kids as they jostled and shoved me from left to right, with meughing like a crazy girl on drugs, and they, snatching balloons and flyers from me. I felt a bit like a salmon swimming upstream, but finally I got the job done, wasting no time at all, right before my lunch break.


    Only one balloon was left in my hand. The heart shaped balloon. Guess it was never popr with little kiddies. Plus, it wasn¡¯t Valentine¡¯s Day. Oh well, I¡¯d keep it for myself. I always had a thing for balloons. It made me happy, even when my life was spiraling out of control.


    It was reaching midday. The sun was scorching, my head was itching, and I had an urgent need to pee. The sooner I headed back to Love Candy Store to dispose of this heavy costume, the better. So, I walked back with haste.


    In my flustered state to relieve my full dder, I swirled on my heel way too fast, and I bumped into a solid hard wall. My head was spinning, my body was shaking and oh, my lord, my dder almost burst.


    me the costume. I couldn¡¯t see crap in this thing.


    But just as I was about to topple over andnd on my butt, a hand caught me, right at the small of my back.


    The sensation sent a thousand and one different emotions right through me. Warmth,fort, love, desire, and¡­ home.


    What the crap! Who feels like that with a mere stranger?


    Maybe because this stranger reminded me of someone I¡¯d run away from¡­


    Giovanni.


    Just thinking about him had my body going into spasmodic mode. I mped my eyes shut, trying to remind myself of why I took off from that mafia boss in the first ce, and finally I calmed down.


    My world was still spinning, but as soon as my peripheral vision and bearings came back, I stood up, bending my head slightly to thank the person who helped me.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I started, lifting my face up to meet my rescuer. ¡°Thank you for helping-¡±


    I didn¡¯t get to finish my sentence but just stared at the male specimen standing before me.


    Oh crap! Oh crap! Of all the people in the world, why must I have to encounter him now. The man of my wet dream. Giovanni.


    ¡°Oi. Are you all right? Say something?¡± Came that deep baritone that haunted my dreams.


    I still didn¡¯t say anything but just continued to stare at his amazing form.


    His hair was impably styled with possibly half a bottle of hair gel. His immacte grey suit showed off his tall lean body. The air around him seemed to shine with a charming aura.


    Gosh, only three days of not seeing him and my bunny eyes couldn¡¯t get enough of his presence. He was totally alluring.


    Giovanni. Giovanni. Why must you always look so damned hot!


    Oh crap! If he knows it¡¯s me underneath this bunny costume, I¡¯ll be dead meat. My rational mind kicked back into gear.


    I swept my eyes from left to right,bing through the crowds, making sure the other guys weren¡¯t around in the vicinity. After all, Giovanni came with two sets of big, badass bodyguards. I must take caution along every step of the way with this man.


    Right before Giovanni could even think I was his in maid underneath this costume, I shoved the love balloon right into his hands.


    Quick action brought an even quicker reaction.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he shot back, eyes suspicious as he took in the balloon and me.


    Hot, wet, delicious. That voice definitely did something to me.


    I didn¡¯t speak further, though, scared he might figure it was me. So, I tilted my head back and pointed to him, using the universal signnguage. ¡°Love balloon for you.¡±


    Giovanni just stood there, balloon dangling from his hand. Maybe he thought I was a mutant bunny, and he didn¡¯t know how tomunicate.


    Of course, I did a little jiggle dance and waddled my tail, just to lighten our interaction. I didn¡¯t want him to think I was some stalker bunny giving him my love balloon as a confession of my love for him.


    But nature always had a way of cutting short my conversation. Just as Giovanni was about to reply I quickly waddled off, afraid any minute now I would embarrass myself by peeing in my costume. I could only me myself for drinking a gallon of water before work to ke my hunger.


    What could I do? I was hungry. And I didn¡¯t have the money to buy snacks, save for the two strands of licorice I¡¯d kept hidden in the front pouch of my bunny costume for an emergency. Plus, water was free, so why not take advantage of it.


    I stole a quick nce over my shoulder to see if Giovanni was still there. And guess what? He was, observing me like he found me questionable.


    This was bad. Really bad. I¡¯d triggered his curiosity.


    I waddled a bit faster, taking another quick glimpse over my shoulder. And crap! He was still following me. I knew then I must escape him at all cost.


    I dashed around the corner, head too busy looking behind my back that I literally crashed into another wall of steel chest. I looked up, heart in my mouth.


    It was Crispin.


    I sighed in relief.


    Thank you, dear Ma up in heaven! Your daughter is now safe from the mafia boss.


    Or so I thought.


    Crispin smiled at me, eyes lit bright. ¡°Jenny, time for your break. Let¡¯s have lunch together.¡±


    Holy shit! Could Crispin say it any louder? For a boy who hardly spoke in ss, he said my name as if he were on a megaphone.


    I twisted my head in Giovanni¡¯s direction, to make sure he hadn¡¯t caught thatst sentence, but hell, he had. And he was stalking toward me, face brewing in undeniable anger.


    Dark, dangerous and oh so alluring. I was in deep shit now.


    I screamed, like a banshee, arms gging about like a mad woman, taking off at such a dangerous speed even cars weren¡¯t allowed to pass. Giovanni gave chase, just as fast, his steps echoing behind mine. I only ran faster, mind split between wanting to run to the toilet to relieve myself and finding a safe hiding ce.


    Wait. If I did run to the female toilet, he still couldn¡¯t enter. Thedies¡¯ toilet could also be my hiding ce.


    Oh, you¡¯re so smart, Jenny. Killing two birds with one stone. Ma up in heaven, you would have been proud of me if you were still alive.


    I supposed I was too busy congratting myself on my sound n, I forgot to add in the extra four bodyguards of this mafia boss; Bobby, Jonny, Finnie, and Heath. Those four were blocking my entrance to the toilet. Behind me, Giovanni was still hot on my heels.


    I was trapped, totally and utterly trapped, in all direction.


    But I had an advantage. These four underlings did not know it was me underneath this bunny costume. So I pretended to be a normal bunny mascot, walking casually to the south, where the toilet was.


    I passed Bobby, standing like a drill soldier beside the children¡¯s pool, watching the children ying around him with mild interest.


    I almost shed a few tears when I saw that toilet sign. Victory was so close I could taste it in my mouth. My poor dder wouldn¡¯t have to uphold this unbearable pain any longer.


    That was until¡­


    ¡°Bobby, grab that bunny!¡±


    Well, that n went down like a lead balloon.


    Bobby just looked from left and right, wondering which bunny to hold on to, since there were quite a few us in the y area.


    ¡°The pink bunny, you ass!¡± Giovanni¡¯s shout could be heard a mile away, alerting the kids and adults in the vicinity. They looked wildly at the four hunky dudes in ck suits and the one hot Italian man in the grey suit, giving chase after me.


    I, for once, did not give in to curiosity. I ran like lightning had struck me, dashing off for another detour around the block.


    And the chase was on again. Left, right, up, down, and around the block.


    ¡°Fuck! Move out of my way.¡± I heard Giovanni yelled at the guys a few times, but I didn¡¯t pay him any heed. I kept going, dashing to the left again, going up the manmade hill, ducking under the low sling bridge and sprinting blindly into the children¡¯s tunnel.


    I had to find a toilet, and fast. This was my ultimate sanctuary and salvation point. And then I saw it. Big bold print, in red, font in times new roman, artistically designed, just ten meters away from me.


    But the wind was my worst enemy. Even though the sun was a burning furnace, the wind cut through me, making the bunny costume heavy.


    But I was almost there. Three meters¡­ two meters¡­ one meter¡­


    I smiled. And¡­


    A push. A jerk. And then a mter, I was caught.


    Crap!


    Giovanni pinned me to the wall, showing off his man power by squashing me against the brick wall and his hard taut body. His nostrils red, jaw ticked, and eyes radiated with a thousand emotions. And anger yed the strongest here, most of it centered on me.


    He tore off my bunny mask, and tilted my chin to meet his eyes. I winced, squeezing my lips into a tight smile, saying the very first thing I could think of. ¡°Hey, boss. Fancy seeing you here. Like the love balloon I gave you?¡±


    Giovanni looked at the balloon still attached to his finger. He was wondering how that balloon survived through that wild goose chase.


    ¡°Jay, you devious maid.¡± He panted, eyes turning back to me, lips curling in a sardonic grin. ¡°You¡¯ve put me through hell and back. Now, how should I kill you?¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    My smile dropped. I knew then I was to die at his hands, as he closed his thick fingers around my neck.


    I closed my eyes; thest image on my mind was his devilishly captivating face. But what greeted me was not a shiny metallic gun to my forehead, nor a sharp knife to my stomach. It was his lips, hot, sensual, and passionate on mine.

 #2鈥擟hapter 6

    What is this? Fucking Valentine¡¯s or something? Why did the bunny give me a love balloon? Those questions were running through Giovanni¡¯s mind as he took hold of the love balloon in his hand, staring nkly at the pink eared bunny.


    That bunny was strange. He¡¯d never seen a mascot bunny before. With the full pink ears and fluffy bunny tail, Giovanni concluded that this bunny was a female. And the way she bumped into his chest and fell into his arms, she also reminded him of Jay, his maid, not to mention her voice when she first spoke to him.


    Must be his brain hallucinating under this hot sun.


    Giovanni promised himself that after his meeting with Giuseppe this afternoon, he¡¯d arrange for a thorough investigation to search for his maid¡¯s whereabouts.


    While he was thinking this, the bunny quickly dashed away. Giovanni couldn¡¯t take his eyes away from her. Something about that bunny triggered his curiosity. So he followed her.


    Yeah, he had a few minutes up his sleeve. He could afford to do that. And he did, his step quickening, matching her stride by a few paces from behind when she started around the corner. He¡¯d almost caught up to her when she bumped into a gangly boy with brown hair.


    Her body stilled, as if she were afraid the boy she bumped into were her mortal enemy, but from the way she moved, he could tell she rxed after seeing his face.


    Must be her boyfriend, he thought.


    What a waste of time? And what the fuck did he just do¡­ stalking after some girl in a pink bunny costume? He seriously needed to find Jay and get this lust out of his system.


    Just as he was about to turn back, the boy with brown hair spoke, piquing his senses, ¡°Jenny, time for your break.¡±


    Fucking hell! So, he was right after all. That bunny sounded just like Jay, and now with the confirmation of the name Jenny, too, he was more than one hundred percent sure this bunny was his maid. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be running like she¡¯d seen the devil, after interacting with him.


    And he gave chase, sprinting after her. After countless detours and tricks by his mischievous maid, he caught her, between his thumb and fingers. And his heart swelled with an uncontroble emotion as soon as he tore off that bunny mask. It was like some sort of reunion, a sort of d¨¦j¨¤ vu that he¡¯d experienced before.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, boss. Fancy seeing you here. Like the love balloon I gave to you?¡± She chuckled at him, eyesrge and green.


    Mystical. Captivating. Alluring.


    Giovanni was mad. He inched his face closer, bringing his fingers to wrap around her small neck. Jay was small, tiny,pared to his tall six-foot-one status, but yet she still didn¡¯t appear intimated by him. Her shoulders were squared. She was even brave enough to smile at him and greet him like they¡¯d just seen one another a few days ago.


    Fuck, they did see each other a few days ago. Four days to be exact. Only four days, but it was so fucking long he almost couldn¡¯t function without her.


    ¡°Jay, you devious maid.¡± He panted, eyes shooting back to her, his lips curling up in a sardonic grin. ¡°You¡¯ve put me through hell and back. Now, how should I kill you?¡±


    That question was meant to scare her, but the only effect it had was on him. He was lured into her trap, her eyshes like fantails as they slowly met, and he wanted to kiss every damned freckle on her cute button nose.


    Shit and fuck. He was a mafia boss. Fantails and cute were not in his vocabry.


    Giovanni was mad with himself. How should he punish her? A gun? That would be too obvious. He didn¡¯t want to frighten the girl by forcing her to be his lover at gun point. A knife? He wasn¡¯t a psychotic med patient, desperate to get under her skirt. Yeah, he was kind of desperate, and almost on the verge of an obsession with this maid of his, but psychotic he was not. And so, when he saw his maid biting her lips, waiting patiently for her fate toe knocking at her door, he knew what to do, the one thing that would knock her soul right out of her body.


    His lips descended, slowly capturing her still mouth, sealing off her air supply as he cupped her head within his palm. He intruded upon her space, his tongue battling for control.


    Oh, God! Oh, Fucking God! This was delicious, addictive and tasty. Yes, Jay¡¯s lips on his were like a five-star course. And thatst swirl of her tongue touching his was the dessert.


    When he finally had enough of the sugar fix, he pulled back, lips just beside her ear, soft seductive words breathed out, ¡°Why did you run away when you saw me, Jay?¡±


    His maid just blinked at him, lost for a full second. Until she started shaking her butt, with her legs closed together.


    ¡°Well?¡± he probed, watching her dance on her toes.


    ¡°Because you were chasing me,¡± she squeezed out, shaking even more.


    Good answer. That made sense. Why not run when someone chased you. Now for the ultimate question.


    ¡°Why did you leave the house, Jay? Answer me!¡± This time no answer. And the shaking was getting on his nerves. ¡°Stop shaking, for fuck¡¯s sake. Stand still and answer me.¡±


    But Jay didn¡¯t respond to him. Her eyes kept on scanning her surroundings, and she was fighting to get out of his grip. He wasn¡¯t stupid. No way in hell would he let her go again.


    ¡°Say it, Jay. Otherwise, I won¡¯t let you go. Now why did you leave?¡± Giovanni swore he wouldn¡¯t stop until he got his answer. So he kept at it, pressuring her to reply. Until she did.


    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ because¡­ I needed to pee!¡± And she dashed out of his arms and straight into the loo.


    Yep! That answer shut him right up.

 #2鈥擟hapter 7

    Are You My Jennifer?


    Giovanni was furious, in a rage. As soon as she stepped out of the toilet, he snapped, ¡°Did you wash your hands?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He turned on his heel, took two steps, and literally dragged her with him. His poor maid was screaming her head off. But at this point, he didn¡¯t give a fuck. They needed to have a real conversation-one that definitely did not take ce in front of the loo.


    Giovanni eyed his surroundings, scanning for a safe but private space where they could talk without any interruption. And he found it. Way up high in the sky. The Ferris wheel.


    He dragged Jay to one of thepartments, flicked a one-hundred-dor note to the ticket collector, and locked the door behind him.


    Jay was trapped. And that was where he liked her to be. Close, enclosed, and right next to him. Now it was time for the interrogation. No more kisses.


    But he couldn¡¯t help feeling that dark emotion curling up his throat. Steam wasing out of his ears. He looked at his maid, in bunny ears. He just couldn¡¯t take her seriously like this.


    ¡°Take those damned bunny ears off your head, Jay,¡± Giovanni snapped, snatching the ears off her head. ¡°I can¡¯t talk to you seriously when you look like a cartoon character out of Disnend.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the whole point, isn¡¯t it?¡± she grouched. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be a cute bunny, giving out balloons and fly-¡±


    ¡°The fuck you going around giving balloons and flyers for?¡± He cut her off. ¡°Who gave you permission to work in this amusement park? Did I say you could work here, Jay? You don¡¯t even have time to study and brew my coffee. Now you have time to dress up like some yboy bunny and give out love balloons. Jay, you-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± She cut him off. ¡°I can¡¯t tolerate you talking down at me. I¡¯m a human, Giovanni, not a yboy bunny. I don¡¯t like it when you talk shit to me. Oops. I swore.¡± Her eyes immediately red at him. ¡°See, it¡¯s because of you. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve turned out like this. Living with you as your maid for two months, now I¡¯m talking like you. Shit this, shit that. Ahhh! I¡¯m going crazy.¡± His maid messed up her hair in frustration.


    Giovanni just blinked. No one had ever defied him before. Not since he¡¯d been named mafia boss after Giuseppe. But this maid of his made himugh, so hard that his taut abs trembled and he fell back into his seat.


    Jay just stared at him nkly as heughed manically. Maybe he was a maniac after all. Maybe he had turned crazy, just like Jay. Two crazy people in a container, two peas in a pod. Fuck, it was hrious. He¡¯d neverughed that hard before. Not since he was with his little friend Jennifer.


    After hisughter died down, he smirked, shoved the bunny ears into the pocket of his grey suit, and straightened his cufflinks. He roughly ran his fingers through his sleek ck hair, resurrecting his fa?ade, personifying the ruthless billionaire mafia boss, before asking her the ultimate question that had been haunting him since the day she¡¯d left Cory Mansion. ¡°Why did you leave? Did you want to die? Did you n to steal my three million dors like your old man did?¡±


    ¡°Because I was told to. No, and no, for the other two questions.¡±


    Such simple, straightforward answers. But Giovanni was still confused. ¡°What are you on about? Exin.¡±


    ¡°You said you let me go. So I went.¡±


    Giovanni scoffed. ¡°I said no such thing.¡±


    ¡°You have short-term memory,¡± his maid pointed out.


    ¡°I have an excellent memory,¡± he taunted back.


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you refresh my memory of that night then?¡±


    She was testing him, and he knew it. He hated it, being put on the spot.


    ¡°What night?¡± Giovanni raked his brain for what had happened that night, but he couldn¡¯t remember saying anything along the line of kicking her out of the house. Shit, this guessing game was doing his head in. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, Jay. Just tell me. My mind is in a soup blender here.¡±


    ¡°The night you kissed me,¡± Jay emphasized.


    The information snuck in. A slow smile stretched his lips, as the memory of that night came rushing back in. Oh, yes, the kiss. Hot. Delicious. Making his dick stand proud and tall.


    Giovanni moved seats so he snuggled closer to her. ¡°So, you just want me to kiss you again, right? Were you reminding me so I could kiss you again? Was that kiss near the restroom not enough?¡±


    Jay backed into her seat. Her cheeks held a lovely tinge of pink. It looked beautiful on her.


    ¡°It was a horrible kiss that night. You even said so yourself. That I kissed like a dog.¡±


    Giovanni frowned again. Did he really say that? He wasn¡¯t sure. Maybe it was during the heat of the moment. He couldn¡¯t remember. But she looked so upset, like a little wounded ginger kitten, her lips trembling as she sat there huddled in that small corner. He closed their space even more.


    ¡°Really? You were that upset because I said you kissed like a dog?¡± He traced her lower lip, the pad of his finger lingering on that soft texture of her skin. He wanted to bite that lip, until it bled, and then devour her whole. That was how much he wanted her. And his dick was thinking the same.


    Giovanni calmed himself down and diverted his attention to her eyes. Thoserge green eyes enchanted him, and he was sucked in by some unknown force. He whispered huskily into her ear, ¡°Jay, maybe you just need to practice more.¡±


    Giovanni tilted her chin until her eyes locked with his. Green eyes, sorge, like emerald, like his little Jennifer. A distant memory. A distant love.


    ¡°Jay.¡± Something weird coursed through him. A sudden idea, a sudden thought emerged in his mind, and now he couldn¡¯t stop it. ¡°Say something for me.¡±


    His maid blinked again, lost as to what his intentions were. ¡°Is that an order, boss?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°Say, ¡®Gio, handsome boy,''¡± he mouthed.


    ¡°Gio, handsome boy,¡± Jay said unenthusiastically.


    ¡°Put some emotion into it.¡± Giovanni pinched her chin as punishment.


    ¡°Ouch. Okay, okay. Let go of my chin, boss. It hurts.¡± Jay struggled to break free of his grasp, but he didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°If you had just said it the first time, I wouldn¡¯t have had to punish you.¡± He drummed into her. ¡°Now say it.¡±


    Those emerald eyes came alive, sparking green mes. His maid might look confused, but she was also pissed off. However, she knew her ce. When one got trapped with a ck panther, one obeyed the word of the ck panther.


    ¡°Gio, handsome boy,¡± she said more seductively, like that time at the Gentleman¡¯s Club.


    Giovanni closed his eyes, remembering that time from long ago when he was sitting underneath that beech tree, face grazed with wounds from that fight with his ssmates. His little Jennifer had said those very same words.


    ¡°Jay, say it again,¡± he prompted, eyes still closed, trying to imagine what his current Jennifer would look like, using his maid¡¯s voice as a trigger point.


    ¡°Gio, handsome boy,¡± came that voice. ¡°Gio, handsome boy. Gio, handsome boy.¡±


    Soft. Subtle. Sweet.


    Fuck! Oh fuck! He saw her, Jennifer, in his head. The little girl in those in boring brown pigtails, with half a licorice hanging from her mouth.


    He opened his eyes, and sucked in his breath. There she was, right in front of him, chewing licorice like that time from many years ago.


    Oh, God! Oh, fuck! Licorice. Now why hadn¡¯t he thought about the licorice? He¡¯d seen Jay chewing licorice a few times when she was making him coffee. And now here she was, chewing licorice again.


    He snatched her jaw, halting her in mid chewing. Could it be? Could Jay be his Jennifer?


    ¡°Jay, do you like eating licorice?¡±


    Jay looked floored, jerking her chin out of his grasp. After swallowing thest piece, she replied, ¡°Why do you even need to ask, boss? I love licorice. It¡¯s my all-time favorite sweet, especially the ck ones. Pa said I¡¯ve eaten them since I was a wee child. I¡¯m really hungry. This is my snack.¡± She showed him another long ck piece hidden in thepartment of the bunny costume. ¡°Do you want some? If you do, I could share half. But I¡¯m getting the bigger half. So, do you want-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any.¡± He cut her off again. He only wanted one simple answer, but what he got from his maid was a lifelong speech of why she loved licorice. He asked, ¡°Jay, how old are you?¡± He needed to know. God, the need to know was eating at his core.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost neen.¡± She smiled cheerfully. ¡°In fact, another month, it¡¯ll be my birthday.¡±


    Was Jennifer five or six back then? He couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°Jay, do you have a twin dragon ne? Someone in your past perhaps, a close friend maybe, someone who gave it to you to keep for them when you were a kid, about fourteen years ago.¡±


    ¡°Fourteen years ago? Ne?¡± Jay scratched her head, thinking for a minute. Giovanni only leaned closer, waiting impatiently, wanting to hear this piece of information. Jay looked back at him nkly and shook her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have any ne. Especially if it¡¯s a twin dragon, I would have remembered it. I love dragons, you know. They¡¯re such cool, mystical creatures.¡±


    Fuck! That blew his hypothesis straight out the window.


    But he wasn¡¯t convinced yet. Jay sounded, looked, and acted just like his Jennifer. There wasn¡¯t a single cell in his body that refused to acknowledge this. So, the grip on her shoulder grew tighter as Giovanni tugged her into his embrace.


    ¡°Wow, boss. What¡¯s gotten into you? Just chill, boss, chill.¡± Jay shoved him back, quickly jumping out of his arms again, creating as much space as possible between them in the tight little container.


    ¡°To tell you the truth¡­¡± Jay carried on with her speech from where she sat; her eyes cast off to a faraway ce. ¡°I lost my memory when I was young. Ma and I were in a car ident. I must have hit my head during the crash because I couldn¡¯t remember an inch of my childhood. It¡¯s like my memory from when I was born until then was deleted. It¡¯s pretty weird and terrifying waking up in the hospital all alone, not having a clue who you are or where you¡¯re from. So, I guess I don¡¯t know what I did or who my friends were back then.¡±


    Jay turned to him, eyes a bit misty. She quickly wiped them away and gave him a forced but pathetic smile. Something inside him just died.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, she grinned, ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t want to hear my sappy story, boss. No good billionaire would want to hear any sad story. They¡¯re all lies anyway, right? Especiallying from a girl like me, who¡¯s head over heels in debt. Who knows? We poor girls might band together to create some sob story just to snatch a bit of your billion-dor pie.¡±


    ¡°Jay, shut up and get back to your story,¡± he barked back, irritated that she should speak in such way.


    No woman had ever managed to snatch a piece of his billion-dor pie. He was smart enough not to fuck any woman who tried. He made sure of it. So Jay didn¡¯t need to worry about his finances. What was more important, though, was her life story. He had a strong intuition the key to finding Jennifery with Jay¡¯s lost memory.


    ¡°Really? You want to listen to my story, boss? Are you interested in my life?¡± She teased him.


    ¡°You have ten seconds, Jay, or you¡¯ll be dead meat.¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat?¡± Jay smiled, and suddenly his heart was less constricted. ¡°You know, I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re threatening me just to pass the time. You don¡¯t mean it, do you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me, Jay,¡± he attempted to sound authoritative.


    ¡°Okay, all right. I¡¯ll continue. Now, where was I?¡±


    ¡°You woke up in the hospital and didn¡¯t know what the hell had happened.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite true, boss. I do know what happened. I woke up. Alone. After three months in aa. Ma was gone. She went up to heaven. I was so small back then. I don¡¯t remember much else. Pa told me all this, by the way. And that was it. No ne. Just nice, lovely licorice.¡±


    Giovanni let out a breath of air through his mouth. He sank into his seat, arms folded across his chest, one leg across the other, eyes fixed on his maid. Everything was starting toe together. But he needed to ask one final question to confirm his suspicion. ¡°Jay, where did you learn to make your coffee?¡±


    ¡°You love my coffee, don¡¯t you? You can¡¯t live without my coffee right¡­ right? I knew it. I knew you¡¯d be addicted to my coffee like cocaine,¡± she harped enthusiastically.


    Shit! Couldn¡¯t the girl get serious for once? First she almost cried, and now she wasughing away, teasing him about his coffee addiction.


    ¡°Jay, who taught you how to make coffee?¡± he asked again, voiceing sterner than he thought. He toned it down at the end by asking, ¡°I want to know. So tell me.¡±


    ¡°My ma,¡± Jay said quietly, hands suddenly mping together. ¡°Pa said she used to own a caf¨¦. He said I would go there often and just hang out. I guessed I must have learned the skill from her. She was a professional barista.¡±


    Giovanni mored back. Words were lost in his throat. He could only look. Jay was his Jennifer? Jay, his annoying but oh so captivating maid was really his Jennifer? Fucking hell, no wonder he could never find her-she¡¯d lost her memory.


    Fuck, Giovanni, how could you be so fucking stupid? Jennifer was always right in front of you. Why didn¡¯t you see it until now?


    So, to rectify all the time he¡¯d missed, he attacked her, blocking off her exit with hisrge chest, kissing her hard with his lips, squeezing her so tightly she couldn¡¯t breathe. His need to express his desire was strong. And the only way he could show her that was through this kiss.


    He molded his lips against Jay¡¯s, hungrily trapping her tongue against his, slowly lighting the mes that burned through his loins.


    Damn, his dick was hard. He was so turned on by that kiss. But she didn¡¯t respond, just like all the other times he¡¯d kissed her.


    ¡°Jay, I think you seriously need to learn how to kiss properly. How about some practice? I could teach you,¡± he whispered hoarsely beside her ear.


    Suddenly, she woke up from her trance-like state. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I can practice with the person I love.¡± She gazed wildly at him, palms pushing hard against his chest.


    That boy. Thatnky, brown-haired boy. Her boyfriend?


    Fuck! Images of that boy wrapping his arms around Jay made him see red. He growled, veering his thoughts to something else, so his damned dick could behave, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about your damned love life. Right now, what I¡¯m interested in is my three million dors. How are you going to pay for it?¡±


    ¡°Are we back to talking about the three million now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have thirty dors by the time I finish my shift today. You can have that.¡±


    Giovanni roared withughter. ¡°Three million Jay. Three million. What the fuck do I want with a measly thirty dors.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back through my coffee and cleaning service then; that is, if you¡¯ll still have me as your maid.¡±


    Giovanni moved a bit closer, and pulled her onto hisp.


    ¡°Wow, boss. Not again. Let me go. Please keep your hands to yourself.¡± Jay pped his arm, but he wouldn¡¯t let go. He held her tight, restraining her on hisp.


    ¡°Sit still, Jay. Or I¡¯ll shove you out of thispartment.¡±


    That did it. Jay didn¡¯t move an inch. Maybe she was also scared of heights. All the better for him, since he needed her under his thumb.


    ¡°Good girl. Now, let¡¯s talk business. Jay, have you any idea how much three million is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot of money,¡± she replied simply, without moving an inch of muscle.


    ¡°Damned right it¡¯s a lot of money.¡± He spun her around, squeezing her face between his palms. He looked straight into her emerald irises. ¡°It¡¯s a fucking shit load of money, Jay. Even if you spent three lifetimes working as my maid, you still wouldn¡¯t be able to pay it off.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you propose I should do?¡± Her heart sank in despair. ¡°It¡¯s Pa¡¯s fault that he left me behind to pay for this mess. My life is already ruined because of him. Can¡¯t you just cut me some ck. Give me twenty percent off or something. I make really good coffee.¡±


    ¡°Jay, Jay, Jay.¡± He shook his head andughed devilishly. ¡°Even if I gave you twenty percent off, that would still be two lifetimes for you. And don¡¯t tell me your coffee costs more than a thousand dor a cup?¡±


    It was a rhetorical question. He didn¡¯t expect her to answer him. Thank God she was smart enough not to. But under thick eyshes, she quickly asked, ¡°Then what should I do?¡±


    Her head was down. Giovanni knew now was the perfect time to strike.


    He gently ran his fingers through her soft brown locks. They were so smooth. They sparkled with a hint of gold under the bright sunlight. He stroked them again then curled the strands around his finger. Jay immediately became suspicious. She snapped her eyes up at him.


    ¡°What are you doing, boss?¡±


    Giovanni chuckled and closed the distance between their lips. ¡°Jay, Jay, Jay,¡± he said huskily, with one finger brushing her cheek. ¡°I have a great proposal for you, one where you¡¯re guaranteed to live freely, without having to work hard as my maid ever again.¡±


    Jay became curious and sat up straighter. ¡°You do, boss?¡±


    Giovanni smiled roguishly. Caressing her supple cheek with his nose, he slowly said, ¡°Jay, why don¡¯t you be my-¡±


    And his phone chose that moment to ring, cutting off his proposal. Fucking hell!

 #2鈥擟hapter 8

    Dinner with Dente


    I sat blinking at the old man sitting across the dining table from me. He smiled. I smiled back. He chuckled softly, then took a sip of his two-thousand-dor bottle of red wine. I chuckled, taking a sip of my twenty-dor orange juice. The food in front of me was spaghetti Bolognese. Such a normal dish, but why the heck did it cost two-hundred dors? I could make this dish at home. And even better, too.


    I gazed at my surroundings. Everything in this ce resonated money. The beautiful floral table cloth must have been imported from Venice, the gold chandelier from France, and our food, did it contain gold, too?


    I asked myself this; how on earth did Ie to be in this high end Italian restaurant, dining on a dish that cost me an arm and a leg-no, my whole life-just to pay for one small meal?


    ¡°Jay, eat your food. You¡¯re too skinny.¡±


    Oh, right. It¡¯s because of this man here. Or should I say the multibillionaire mafia boss, Giovanni Dente?


    I turned to him, a scowl on my face. ¡°I am, ain¡¯t I?¡±


    I shoved more food into my mouth, my impersonation of a starved pig, just to prove my point.


    The old man in front of me chuckled again, then dabbed his mouth with a napkin, before turning to Giovanni and asking politely, ¡°She¡¯s a lovely one. Where did you pick her up?¡±


    I spilled my orange juice at the old man¡¯s words. Some even dribbled down my chin. I quickly wiped my chin clean and gazed at him in disbelief.


    Picked up? What am I? Some call girl?


    But that question wasn¡¯t the tipping point to my boiling mood. No, it was Giovanni¡¯s answer that had my face turning from a pale pink rose to an angry red lobster.


    ¡°At the amusement park next door. I brought her along. Afraid she might hop away again,¡± Giovanni said casually, popping a piece of his neatly cutsagna into his mouth.


    I gritted my teeth and wanted to shove that damned fork right down his throat, so he could choke to death.


    The ego of this man. He not only dragged me into the Ferris wheelpartment, freaking the soul out of me since I have acrophobia, but then he had to drag me to this fancy restaurant in my bunny suit, forcing me to have lunch here with this nice old man, and I still hadn¡¯t a clue what his name was.


    Maybe if Giovanni had been kind enough to introduce him to me instead of just dropping me off in my seat and proceeding to order the food for me, without even asking my opinion, then I would¡¯ve stopped calling the nice old man, old man . But what choice did I have? I was only a poor student who¡¯d been dragged here against my will.


    I really didn¡¯t mind dining with the old man, though, even when he was on another level altogether. The concept of wealth poured out of his ears, mouth and nose. His clothes, hands, and nails were carefully looked after and trimmed. His hair was grey, parted at the side in thetest style. I knew, since I kept up to date with the fashion trends.


    This man was rich and kind. That much I also knew, since his eyes were really smiling at me, not just his mouth. He seemed kind of warm, and I couldn¡¯t help responding back with my bright grin.


    But what got me most annoyed about this whole situation was that I didn¡¯t get to tell Crispin where I was, or more like, Giovanni didn¡¯t give me the chance to pass on this message to him.


    Thinking of Crispin made me worried. He must be raving mad by now, phoning the cops, or worse yet, rounding up the whole circus squad, as he liked to call it, with sharpbat knives and swords, just to find me.


    Oh, Giovanni, you mafia boss. You¡¯re really causing me distress.


    ¡°Stop thinking. Start chewing,¡± Giovanni prompted me to eat more when I was lost in my thought. I turned my heated gaze at him.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m stuffing my face like a pig here,¡± I pronounced, shoving more food into my mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re not fat enough. You¡¯re just skin and bones. How are you to entertain me at night if you¡¯re that skinny? Eat, Jay. You¡¯ll need the energy.¡±


    I mmed my fork down and gave him my opinion. ¡°You think I don¡¯t have the strength to wake up in the middle of the night to make you coffee? I¡¯ve been doing that since I became your maid. If I could wake up at midnight before and stay this thin, then I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be no problem in the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he said casually.


    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± I emphasized.


    ¡°Never mind. You¡¯re too dense, anyway.¡± He brushed aside the subject and resumed with his meal.


    I stared at Giovanni in disbelief, eyes opening wide at his usation. ¡°Excuse me, boss. Me? Dense? Let me tell you something, boss.¡±


    I was riled up, pulling up my sleeves to reveal my slim arms as an act of intimidation, even though I knew no one at this dining table was either intimidated or scared at my small mousy form. But I had to act brave somehow. If I couldn¡¯t stand up for my own rights and defend my honor, then who would fend for me?


    ¡°I¡¯m smart, boss. I got all A¡¯s in all my subjects. So please tell me how you came to the conclusion that I¡¯m dense?¡±


    There, now let¡¯s see how he responds to that?


    And Giovanni¡¯s response was to turn to me, his eyes running up and down my face, as if scrutinizing something. I could feel my skin heating up again. But I sure didn¡¯t act timid. I stared right back at him, straight in the eyes.


    A secondter, he smirked, casually saying, ¡°Then what do you think I was doing in that Ferris wheelpartment with you sitting on myp, Jay?¡±


    I blinked, and swallowed; somewhat nervous over my thoughts. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡­¡±


    I was slightly taken aback by his question. How do I go about exining this to him? I knew Giovanni was hot under his cor. He must have been sexually repressed, and he needed to let it out. Perhaps one of his mistresses or whatever hadn¡¯t given him any. That¡¯s why he came hounding me. But surely he couldn¡¯t have gotten hard because of me. I was his maid, a person he wouldn¡¯t give a second nce to.


    ¡°Well, have you worked out what my intentions were, Miss Smarty Jay?¡± he asked sarcastically.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. Turning to Giovanni, I gave him my verdict. ¡°I say you¡¯re a dog in heat!¡±


    Giovanni choked on his wine the second those words left my lips. A chuckle resonated from the old man.


    ¡°See, I am smart,¡± I grinned, gaining confidence when the old man continued to smile at me, his eyes were glowing warmly at my intellectual ability to ruffle Giovanni¡¯s feathers. I turned to watch Giovanni, whose face was still glowing red. ¡°That was the correct answer, right?¡± I teased him on top.


    ¡°Jay, you-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Giovanni.¡± The old man intercepted before him before he couldsh back at me. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business.¡±


    Giovanni cleared his throat and politely apologized to the old man. I almost swallowed my own tongue. I¡¯d lived with this mafia boss for a total of two months, and never in my life had I heard him apologize to anyone. Oh, hell must have frozen over.


    While they were talking business, I went back to my meal, nibbling on my meatballs and slurping my expensive orange juice.


    My mind went back to the subject of how to pass the message to Crispin that I¡¯d be returning to live with Giovanni again. I knew Giovanni would never let me go to Crispin, even if I asked him politely. We were almost joined at the hips since our fateful meeting near the restroom in the amusement park, not to mention I couldn¡¯t even get out of his eyesight. For example¡­ right now. Once or twice he would nce in my direction, to make sure I was still his obedient maid, nibbling away like a little bunny eating her dinner beside him. I would have liked to text Crispin about my new situation, but I ran out of credit on my phone a long time ago, and with money being in shortage, that was a lesser priority.


    A proverbial light bulb lit above my head. Maybe if I excused myself to go to thedies¡¯s room, I¡¯d make a head start and scram out of this ce to tell Crispin before Giovanni even found out I¡¯d disappeared from his side. Yes, that sounded like the perfect n.


    I waited patiently for the perfect opportunity to interrupt them.


    ¡°Read through this document. I¡¯ve asked Maxwell to redraft some special uses. If you want to add anything else, let Maxwell know. The meeting with Ro is next week in Mn. If he wants to borrow money from us, he follows our orders. Ro is conniving, Giovanni. Be careful how you deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the heads up, sir. I know.¡±


    That sounded like the perfect closure to their conversation. I put my voice through. ¡°Um, boss. May I please be excused to thedies¡¯s room?¡±


    His head instantly jerked in my direction. ¡°What, do you need to piss again?¡±


    I was floored. This mafia boss had no sense of politeness at all, even in front of this lovely old man.


    My gaze flipped to the old man, but he only chuckled softly. This triggered my curiosity. What was their rtionship? Why was he always so calm with Giovanni?


    ¡°Sorry, boss, yes. I do need to go. Been drinking a lot of juice. Urgently need to go.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°God damn, Jay. Just go. And be quick about it,¡± he snapped.


    ¡°Of course, boss. Thank you, boss. You¡¯re so kind. May you live up to a hundred years,¡± I smiled slyly, inching myself backward, then hightailed straight to the bathroom.


    As soon as I was out of sight, I bolted the door, counted to three, unlocked the door again, and snuck out.


    I was already close to the door, tiptoeing my way to that red exit sign, but as soon as I got within three feet of it, I collided with a massive wall of steel chest, again, for the third time today.


    ¡°Have you been to the bathroom already?¡±


    My body went rigid at that thick baritone, and I nced up to see the mafia boss in full form.


    Snap! It was Giovanni.


    ¡°Umm. Yes.¡± I nodded meekly.


    ¡°Good. Now, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    He snatched my arm and flew me outside the restaurant at full speed; I couldn¡¯t even catch my breath. I still hadn¡¯t gotten to spout a single word before he shoved me in his Maserati and off we went, driving straight to Cory Mansion.


    I nced miserably at the sight of the amusement park drifting away from view.


    Goodbye, Crispin. Goodbye, freedom. Wee to the life of the mafia¡¯s maid once again.


    Or that was what I thought. Little did I know I was to be more than the mafia¡¯s maid.

 #2鈥擟hapter 9

    More than a Mafia¡¯s Maid


    As soon as I set foot inside Cory Mansion, I was met with a cluster of hugs, shoulder rubs, and patting on my head.


    ¡°Jenny, wee back.¡± That was Finnie. Still as affectionate as ever.


    ¡°Oh, thanks, Finnie.¡± Iunched into his hug.


    ¡°I missed you, Jenny.¡± That was Jonny, rubbing my shoulder.


    ¡°I missed you too, Jonny.¡± I beamed up at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back, Jenny.¡± That was Heath, patting my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back, Heath.¡± I craned my neck to smile at his six-foot-plus stature.


    ¡°Give me a hug, Jay.¡± Bobby snatched me from the other guys andunched into a hugging attack, squeezing me until I almost couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°And make me some coffee,¡± he kindly teased. ¡°I¡¯m dying here without your-ouch! What was that for, boss?¡± Bobby rubbed his head when a smacknded on his skull, delivered by none other than the mafia boss, Giovanni Dente.


    ¡°I¡¯m allergic to you guys fawning over each other,¡± he remarked sourly. ¡°It makes me gag. Now get the fuck out of here.¡±


    ¡°Sheesh, something is riling boss up,¡± Bobby said, and they all disappeared out the door.


    I was about to follow, too, when Giovanni stopped me. ¡°Jay, you stay.¡±


    ¡°What? Um¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Stay!¡± he roared.


    ¡°Okay. No need to burst a vein.¡±


    I stood there idly, waiting in therge lounge room, and still Giovanni hadn¡¯t instructed me on what to do. Wasn¡¯t that the reason why he¡¯d asked me to stay? Yet he only stared at me, with his eyes running up and down my body so that I was bing a bit nervous. Those eyes held some sort of secret and I couldn¡¯t figure out what.


    ¡°Jay,¡± Giovanni said suddenly, his voice purring like a panther. His long legs strode toward me, slowly closing the gap between us. ¡°I¡¯m hot. Really hot. My clothes are melting off me. I need a cold bath. A really cold one. To cool me down. Go run me a bath, in the spa pool.¡±


    I stared, mouth gaping open like a Venus fly trap. Giovanni was stripping himself, slowly unbuttoning his crispy white shirt, revealing his masculine chest, making my mouth salivate again and my heart rocket at maximum speed.


    What was he doing to me? Was he trying to kill me on the spot, by using his seductive charm? Why must I be his target if he had the hots for some other woman?


    Again, I ran like lightning had struck me. I bolted into his bedroom, and hid myself in his bathroom. The faster I got this job done, the faster I could get out of here.


    Running the water to make sure it was icy cold, I stepped back, congratting myself on another job well done, when a warm handnded on my shoulder. I spun around and-


    Holy macaroni cheese! Giovanni was naked. And he was standing right in front of me, with his banana hanging in full swing.


    I startled and jumped back. Only tond in the massive spa pool behind me. I floundered and coughed. He only jumped in. But instead of rescuing me from my coughing fit, his hands and knees pinned me against the wall. I was trapped. And as soon as I saw a slow grin appear on Giovanni¡¯s captivating face, I knew I was in big trouble, really big trouble.


    Giovanni licked his lips, his eyes deliciously running up and down his maid¡¯s wet body. She was hot. He wanted to rip off that wet clothing that clung to her skin so she could be as naked as he, then he¡¯d show her what fun two consenting adults could do.


    But he must restrain himself. To get a good result, he must create a web so intricate his victim, Jay, couldn¡¯t break through.


    ¡°Jay. Be a good maid and help me bathe,¡± he issued his order; smirking, his lips tilted upward in a devilish grin.


    ¡°No, boss, no,¡± she said too quickly, eyes not looking in his direction. ¡°I¡¯m your maid, boss. I¡¯m not your lover. This job should only be reserved for her. So, I think I¡¯ll just scram out of here.¡±


    ¡°Not so fast, Jay.¡± He reined her back in, mping her in his embrace. Cuddling her until her back hit his chest, he whispered next to her ear, ¡°To me, you¡¯re more than a maid, Jay. Plus, you¡¯re dirty. Let me help you wash.¡±


    ¡°See. See,¡± Jay nodded her head vigorously, as if trying to prove her point to him. ¡°You¡¯re right, boss. I¡¯m dirty. Even you mentioned it. And I know how you hate being dirty. So, I think it¡¯s better if you bathe by yourself.¡±


    Jay was about to leap out again when he dragged her back in, sloshing almost three liters of water onto the bathroom floor.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t care. He only roared withughter. It made him sound like a predator, with his prey between his jaws.


    Actually, that was what the situation was. Jay was his prey. And he wanted it to stay that way. The prey he would never let go again, the prey he would cherish with all his life. But first, he¡¯d y this game to his full contentment.


    ¡°It would make more sense if we both washed each other, Jay. Don¡¯t you think so? So, let me help you bathe.¡± He continued teasing her, running his fingers up and down her spine.


    Giovanni grinned again as she shivered under his touch.


    God, she was responsive. He couldn¡¯t wait until tomorrow night when his n woulde to fruition.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± Jenny stammered, face blushing pink, just like he predicted. She even nted both palms against his chest to push him away. Giovanni allowed it, pretending to hit the back wall when she pushed him.


    Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t allow her to have her way, but today, the truth hade out. Today, he¡¯d found out Jay was his little friend Jennifer, and by God, he swore he¡¯d have her, as he¡¯d promised fourteen years ago, even if she couldn¡¯t remember a damned thing about him.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not fine, Jay. You¡¯ve had a hard day today, handing out balloons to those rug rats. And you were dressed in a bunny suit, too. It must have been stuffy. Let me help you wash up.¡±


    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s really fine.¡± She flung her head from side to side while shuffling herself backward. ¡°You¡¯re having a bath. I should give you some privacy.¡±


    Giovanniughed, reining her back into his arms. He rasped beside her ears, watching her eyes openrge as the meaning of his words sank into her head. ¡°From now on, Jay, there shouldn¡¯t be any privacy between us. Didn¡¯t I say already that you¡¯re more than my maid? So let me wash you. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re all squeaky clean, from your head right down to your little toes.¡±


    Jay floundered like a fish, slipping out of his arms again and again, protesting with all her might, until he¡¯d decided he¡¯d enough fun for one day. He let her go.


    Jay immediately jumped out of the small pool,nding on the floor, on her butt, with a big thud. She winced, but immediately got up, footsteps running all the way out the door. Not until she was ten feet from him did she turn around and peek at him, using the door as her barrier.


    Giovanni chuckled, loving this warm feeling inside of him. Hey back in the spa pool, head rxing back, and hummed. ¡°I want my bedroom cleaned before I finish my bath, Jay. I want to see my face in all the reflective surfaces. Otherwise, you¡¯re in big trouble. You got that?¡±


    He lifted his head and shifted his focus to his maid, who stood mutely at the door.


    When she didn¡¯t respond, he asked again, in his stern boss voice, ¡°I said, did you get that?¡±


    Jay opened her eyesrge, nodded once, took two steps backward, then spun out of his vision.


    Giovanni chuckled and waited, his ears wide open, listening for any signs of his maid in his bedroom. And he was d when he heard noises of tugging, pulling, and lifting of bedsheets in his bedroom.


    Thinking about bedsheets, he could imagine his maid- or should he start thinking of Jay as his little friend Jennifer now-in bed with him, frolicking, with limbs entwining among the bedsheets after sating their passion.


    Giovanni shivered at that thought. A rush of heat ran through his loins, making lust burst out of his pores.


    Fuck! Maybe he should just g his n and jump her bones right here and now. Yep, that sounded like a better n. Giovanni knew he wasn¡¯t the patient type, anyway.


    ¡°Jay,e here,¡± he ordered, his voice droning across to the next room.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Less than a secondter, Jay was standing with hands bracing the doorframe, her head just entering an inch or two into the bathroom space.


    ¡°You called me, boss?¡± she asked, batting her thick eyshes, which she did subconsciously. That action always made his dick hard.


    ¡°I said toe here, Jay,¡± he growled, slightly annoyed when she didn¡¯te near him. He needed to be near her to be able to attack her.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, boss. What do you need?¡± she asked, as if she hadn¡¯t a clue what he meant.


    ¡°I saide here. Inside the bathroom, not at the bathroom door,¡± he spat out.


    Jay gave him a nervous grin and batted her eyshes again.


    The fuck! That girl was really ying with fire here. And his damned dick just wouldn¡¯t settle down. It kept on twitching, as if wanting someone to y with it.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather stay here, if I may,¡± she said casually, as if not knowing the effect she had on his dick. ¡°Easy to grab your stuff, if you know what I mean.¡±


    Oh, he sure knew what she meant. Easy to grab his stuff. He sure had some stuff for her to grab, like his dick. But now was not the time to think of such thoughts.


    He shoved his perverted thoughts down his throat and gritted his teeth, mad that his maid wasn¡¯t obeying his order. ¡°The fuck, Jay. Don¡¯t piss me off. Get your ass here, right now.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, boss, sir, I-¡±


    ¡°Argh,¡± he roared, leaping out of the spa pool, having had enough of ying the waiting game. He took three steps at a time, until he stood right in front of her, furious ck eyes ring down at her.


    For fuck¡¯s sake. Jay was peeving him off, big time. Without another word he pinned her, palms smacked against the wall, trapping her. But that fury quickly transformed to lust once again when he saw her biting her lip.


    Fuck. Not again. Not the lip. He wanted to kiss those lips so badly he was trembling inside.


    God! He needed her now. Right at this minute.


    Giovanni gently brushed his nose against her hair, fingers trembling slightly when he thought of Jay as his little lost friend Jennifer. She was so beautiful, so captivating in her innocent sort of way.


    ¡°Boss, what are you doing?¡± She ttened herself even further into the wall.


    Giovanni chuckled, voice thick with desire. ¡°You really can¡¯t tell what I¡¯m doing, Jay?¡±


    When she refused to look at him, he pinched her chin and tugged her to face him. Sliding his nose so it caressed her cheek again, he kissed her temple and down until his lips were at the junction of her ear.


    He whispered lightly, blowing soft warm air onto her nape, ¡°Remember that conversation in the restaurant, Jay? You said I was a dog in heat. You¡¯re right, Jay. I am a dog in heat.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, boss,¡± she stammered again, putting her two palms on his wet naked chest and pushing, but they slipped, resulting in his body squashing her even farther into the wall. She fumbled in the tight space and tried again. He was having a swell time watching her defend herself, and he chuckled again.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jay? Tell me what¡¯s wrong?¡± Heughed at her distressed and confused face.


    Of course she would be confused. He¡¯d done aplete one-eighty-degree turn as soon as he saw his Jennifer again.


    ¡°Please, boss.¡± She tried again, flicking his mind back to their current situation. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking, please stop.¡±


    Giovanni roared into another bout ofughter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jay. You¡¯re not my target,¡± he caressed into her ear, tugging a loose strand of hair behind her ear through that chaotic mess.


    Well, not yet anyway, he wanted to say aloud, but he stopped himself in time. Now was not the time to reveal his n. Tomorrow night, when she would be butter melting in his hands, he¡¯d tell her.


    Giovanni cast his gaze down to his maid, who still held a nk look on her face. He guessed she was lost as to what his intentions were.


    Giovanni only grinned and spoke again. ¡°Listen carefully, Jay. Tomorrow you¡¯re going shopping with me.¡±


    His maid continued to hold on to that nk expression. His mouth tilted into a smile when she asked, ¡°Do you need me to find you some new clothes, since you¡¯re not wearing any at the moment?¡±


    Giovanni chuckled and kissed her hair. ¡°No, Jay. Listen up. You¡¯re going to apany me to buy a beautiful dress for my woman tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Your woman?¡± That got her attention.


    ¡°Yes, Jay. My woman. Tomorrow I¡¯m going to meet my Jennifer. And you¡¯re going to be there to help me select the perfect dress for her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve found her, boss?¡± she asked again, her face clearly searching for an answer.


    Giovanni smiled. ¡°Yes, Jay. While you were pretending to be some bunny, giving candy out to little kiddies, Jennifer and I reconciled.¡±


    ¡°Oh, was it from the T. V show?¡± A frown appeared on her forehead, and he had the urgent need to kiss it away.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to that show, we¡¯ve finally reunited. We¡¯re meeting tomorrow.¡± He swiped his lips across her forehead, and again she froze. And she was biting her lip. He tilted her chin up, until their eyes locked. ¡°Well? Will youe tomorrow?¡±


    Jay cleared her throat, giving her verdict. ¡°Look, boss, I¡¯m kind of busy tomorrow. Got to clean the guys¡¯ bathroom. You know what that¡¯s like. A stink bomb. I have to attack it early, before it turns into stink dynamite. I don¡¯t have time to help you look for a dress for Jennifer. I¡¯m sorry. Plus, I think Jennifer would appreciate it more if you put all your effort in finding that dress for her yourself.¡±


    Giovanni¡¯s face turned dark. ¡°Jay, this isn¡¯t a request. It¡¯s an order.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No buts, Jay.¡± He halted her protest. ¡°Be ready by two. I¡¯m taking you out after lunch.¡±


    With that said Giovanni concluded his game and casually exited his bedroom with a smirk on his lips; leaving poor Jenny absolutely stunned and totally heartbroken.

 #2鈥擟hapter 10

    Shopping with the Mafia Boss


    I was maid to the mafia¡¯s boss, Giovanni Dente. My tasks included a selection of housework at Cory Mansion, where Giovanni and his underlings lived and worked. Not only did I cook them dinner among other menial tasks like cleaning their bathrooms and doingundry work, I was also a personal maid to the boss at night-brewing him coffee at three in the morning, his usual night routine.


    I was used to my life now, studying and working at Cory Mansion to pay off Pa¡¯s debt, which was three million dors. But never in my life had I thought I¡¯d have the chance to grace a fancy high-ss fashion designer store. Well, not in my hand-me-down sweater and skinny jeans, with a mass of messy bun that could have been better tamed with a hairbrush.


    What did the mafia boss see in me, to select me as his personal assistant in choosing a dress for his woman? Not that I wasining, but I was curious. And maybe a little envious.


    Okay, I was jealous. Like super-duper jealous. I never knew I had an evil side lurking inside me.


    I knew I was captivated by Giovanni. And the mere mention of his woman yesterday had me lying awake the whole night. Did he not know I was very troubled and traumatized by that statement? Did he not know I¡¯d dreamed about him making love to me?


    Giovanni puzzled me with his changed behavior since I¡¯de back to live in Cory Mansion. He was already a yboy; I knew that. I didn¡¯t need to see his women upfront to know he had a whole collection of them. Last I heard, he stored some in his Las Vegas home.


    But what would hurt me most would be the effect of seeing his woman first¨Chand, right in front of my eyes. And I had a strange feeling that tonight, I¡¯d get to witness his new woman, named Jennifer, getting allfy and cozy with him.


    Footsteps approached me. I dragged my eyes up in time to see the beautiful blonde sales assistant handing me another collection of designer gowns. I almost toppled under the weight of the fabric in my arms.


    ¡°Will you be all right?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I smiled brightly at her.


    She smiled brightly back at me. ¡°If you need anything else, I¡¯ll be right over there.¡± She pointed to a counter close to the changing room.


    I nodded, and she disappeared.


    Yep. She was beautiful. And kind.


    Now why didn¡¯t Giovanni ask her for help? I was sure with a snap of his fingers, he¡¯d get all the help he needed from anyone. So, why me?


    I watched Giovanni, who was sitting a few feet from me in the ck lounge chair, casually cruising through one of the magazines as if he owned the ce.


    Wait, does he own this store? Do mafia people own designer stores?


    I shook my head to rid this thought and walked to him, hands full of the designer gowns.


    ¡°Boss, tell me again why I have to apany you to buy a dress for Jennifer?¡±


    Giovanni stretched his arms out and folded his long legs like a king. With a sardonic grin he said, ¡°Because you both have the same body frame and height. You make a good substitute for Jennifer. Try them on. I¡¯m sure whatever fits you fits her.¡±


    Ouch, that hurt. To bepared to his lover, that was not good.


    ¡°Look, boss, I really think you should just choose one and buy it for her yourself,¡± I expressed wearily. With myck of sleep, I wasn¡¯t bouncy like my usual self. ¡°I¡¯m a size six. That should be enough information to buy a dress.¡±


    ¡°Jay, why do you ask so many questions?¡± He stood and stalked toward me. Once he was in front of me, both of hands fell on my shoulders. He inched closer until his lips hovered just above mine, eyes the color of the midnight-sky staring down at me. ¡°Just hop in the changing room like a good bunny and try them on.¡±


    Straight to the point.


    I wanted to cry. And that reference to the bunny wasn¡¯t helping my mood one bit. Instead, I offered a small moan in protest and went into the changing room as directed.


    The sales assistant secretly smiled at me, as if to say I should be grateful for having such a kind and generous boyfriend like Giovanni.


    Well, he ain¡¯t my boyfriend, I wanted to tell her. He¡¯s my boss. My god damned mafia boss. And if I don¡¯t listen to him, I¡¯ll be dead meat by tomorrow.


    I was just about to get out of my sweater when there were three knocks on the door, followed by a deep baritone that sent my heart racing. ¡°Jay, how are you getting along?¡±


    Holy Crap! My soul almost flew to meet my ma.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    So, Giovanni still hadn¡¯t left. What was he doing outside my changing room door? Surely he must have some other business to attend to. Why was he waiting on me?


    ¡°Jay, you hear me? Answer me now, or I¡¯lle in there myself.¡±


    Such an impatient man.


    ¡°Good, boss. Very good. I¡¯m almost done.¡± I quickly pacified him with my hasty reply.


    ¡°Well,e out, then,¡± he growled. ¡°Let me see.¡±


    A minute longer and I was sure he¡¯d be pissed off as hell.


    I quickly picked a green dress, the softcy material catching my eyes. After only tugging the dress halfway over my head, I was stuck. Not because it didn¡¯t fit me. It was because my messy bun got caught on the seam of the dress.


    I swore, so ticked off at this whole scenario, and my left eye twitched. My left eye always twitched whenever I was pissed off.


    I tugged on the dress a bit more to get it over my head, then decided my buns would only get caught on more. I pulled the hair tie out. My brown tresses came tumbling down all over my oval face. After zipping up the dress, I quickly walked out of the changing room, poised, ready for Giovanni¡¯s inspection.


    The minute I stepped out, Giovanni had his eyes on me. Well, on my body to be precise. His eyes were like liquid coal, so dark they shone beneath the bright chandelier. Those dark pupils ran up and down my body as he took a turn around me. A full minuteter, hepleted his circle, standing erect in front of me once more. He turned his lips upward, a full, bright smile lighting his whole face.


    ¡°Beautiful. Very beautiful,¡± hemented subtlety, his fingers caressing my hair, coiling a few strands around his fingers.


    I stood very still, not moving an inch, as the boss inspected me for any faults.


    Keeping this thought in mind, I was aware of his fingers moving down from my hair to trace my flushed cheeks. The brush was gentle; I wanted to lean into for him more. The act was a soft gentle caress, as if he were petting his favorite dog.


    And I snapped back to reality.


    I was his maid or, in this case, his pet. And hisment on my new look, only added truth to my conclusion. ¡°Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Jennifer would definitely look beautiful in this dress.¡±


    I didn¡¯tment; I was too upset at his words.


    Would he ever say I looked beautiful? Thest time I was dressed in a womanly dress was when I was trying to con some money out of old Mr. Hermit, to try to get on Giovanni¡¯s good side.


    Although, the result was anything but positive. I was told not to dress like that ever again. A person like me only belonged in the kitchen, as a maid, making coffee.


    Yes, that¡¯s right. I should never forget my ce. I was his maid. But inside, I was rebellious. If I had all the money in this world, I¡¯d buy that dress for myself. I wouldn¡¯t be like his Jennifer, for whom he had to buy a dress in order to please her.


    Still, she was a lucky girl to have Giovanni¡¯s affection.


    Why did I dislike her already, even before I¡¯d met her?


    I bet she must be some rich woman from a wealthy family who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Because that was the kind of woman Giovanni was attracted to. Not someone in like me.


    I sighed, and relished this special moment. At least I got to wear this dress for five minutes. I¡¯d cherish this memory forever.


    Curious as to the price of the dress, as I knew Giovanni wouldn¡¯t bat an eye at paying for it, I tugged at the price tag from behind, twisting my neck to get a good look at it, because curiosity really was my second name.


    And my eyeballs almost hit the floor.


    ¡°Three thousand dors!¡± I screeched, as soon as I saw that price tag. ¡°Why is it so expensive?¡±


    Giovanniughed, a chuckle that warmed my tummy. ¡°Go back and try some more. I want to see.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Get back in the changing room, Jay. Now.¡± That was his no nonsense tone. And I knew when that tone came out, I should not disobey him.


    I winced and nodded my head meekly, walking into the changing room to try on more gowns.


    I felt like a doll, out on disy for Giovanni to view, especially with the oohs and ahhsing from his mouth every time he saw me in a different dress. By the time I tried on thest one, I was exhausted and wanted to sink my toes in a tub of warm water. It was really that bad.


    Now, if only those dresses were meant for me, that would be a totally different story.


    Snap yourself out of this mentality, Jenny . I berated myself. Remember, you¡¯re Jennifer¡¯s substitute.


    Ah, why must I be her substitute? Where is she anyway? Shouldn¡¯t she try these on herself?


    I came out of the changing room, wearing my own clothing again. I was pleased Giovanni didn¡¯t ask me to try on more dresses. Who knew being a lover to the mafia boss was this exhausting? Imagine if I were his lover, I¡¯d be dead on my feet just trying on clothes.


    Now, where did that thoughte from?


    ¡°Pack all the dresses she tried. We¡¯ll take everything. And include somece undies and see-through bras. Her breasts are quite small, so get the A-cup.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I shouted from where I stood, spinning my head so fast in his direction I almost snapped my neck bone in the process. Giovanni was busy instructing the beautiful sales assistant on underwear and bras.


    I rushed to his side. ¡°Boss, what was that?¡± I gasped out.


    ¡°What was what?¡± Giovanni scolded back.


    ¡°The dresses. The bras.¡± I twitched my eyes so he got my meaning.


    ¡°What about the bras?¡±


    ¡°You said it¡¯s A-cup. Have you seen her, you know, in her baby suit already?¡±


    ¡°I saw her naked breasts already, if that¡¯s what you mean.¡± He tossed his credit card to the sales assistant.


    I knew this wasn¡¯t the type of conversation to have in front of a sales assistant, or in a shop to be precise, but once the words came tumbling out, there was no way to shut me up.


    ¡°You mean you two, you know, kind of did it already?¡± I asked him for rification.


    ¡°Not yet. I saw her breasts when she bumped into me wearing only a bath towel. But tonight, I¡¯ll get to eat her.¡±


    ¡°Eat her? You mean sleep with her?¡±


    ¡°You are smart, Jay. Yes, I¡¯m going to fuck her. Tonight.¡±


    I gulped, finding his use of terms quite harsh for my ears. Maybe that¡¯s how all mafia men spoke. But the F-word struck me.


    He¡¯s going to sleep with Jennifer tonight?


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why you wanted to buy her a dress,¡± I mumbled to myself.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, Jay? Speak louder.¡± He flicked at my forehead. ¡°And what¡¯s that look on your face. Remove it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Nothing, boss.¡± I schooled my expression.


    Okay, I should stop showing my exasperated face now. What right did I have? Giovanni didn¡¯t buy those dresses, not to mention bras and undies, for me. His only purpose was to sleep with her. And again, I was only his substitute model for his Jennifer. So, to voice my opinion was out of the question.


    ¡°Nothing, boss. Nothing. I¡¯m sure Jennifer will be pleased with these dresses and womanly essories you¡¯ve bought for her. Now, this green dress here, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love it.¡±


    I caressed the material on the counter and silently said my goodbyes to the dress before the sales assistant put it in the bag.


    Giovanni gave some sort of purring sound, like a panther courting its mate. I flipped my gaze up just in time to see a passing glint in his eyes.


    I knew I was in deep shit again. He had that same look when he attacked me in the bathroom yesterday.


    I quickly made my excuses, sliding my sneaker backward, and made a dash to the vicinity of the changing room, to calm my pounding heart. But I didn¡¯t get very far before Giovanni came charging into the changing room, too, without permission.


    ¡°Boss, whoa, what are you doing inside the female changing room? Get out.¡±


    There was an indescribable expression written on his face, which I¡¯d never seen before. He crowded into my space, and not until I was pressed like a sardine against the wall did he speak. ¡°Jay, out of all the dresses, which do you like best?¡±


    Not again.


    I slumped my shoulders in defeat. I guessed today, my opinion was very important to Giovanni¡¯s psychological health, because he always asked for them. Then again, I couldn¡¯t figure out why my opinion was so important to him.


    ¡°Does my opinion even count?¡± I asked gloomily, eyes ncing down to look at my three-year-old sneakers.


    Poor things. If only I had the money, I would invest in a good pair of shoes and let my poor sneakers rest in peace.


    Giovanni plucked my chin and jerked my face up, dissolving the beautiful imaginings of new shoes. ¡°Smile, Jay. You look ugly when you make that face.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t help looking ugly. I was born with this face,¡± I mumbled sourly, yanking my chin out of his grasp.


    He grasped my chin and jerked my face to meet him again. ¡°Then change it.¡±


    ¡°stic surgery is too expense,¡± I bluntly replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about stic surgery, Jay. I¡¯m talking about your expression. Change it. Quick. Smile for me.¡± He jerked my chin from left to right until I couldn¡¯t help swatting his hand away.


    ¡°Enough, boss. You can¡¯t force me to smile. It has toe from the soul.¡±


    Giovanni smiled, baring his pearly white teeth, and I was reminded of how utterly handsome he was. My heart skipped another beat when he voiced, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll smile tonight.¡±


    I was puzzled.


    ¡°Tonight?¡± I queried, feeling something queasy inside my stomach. I knew whatever he was about to say, I would not like it.


    ¡°Yes, Jay. Tonight, you¡¯re to apany me to meet Jennifer.¡±


    I knew it. I knew he would invite me to join him tonight.


    What was I to him, exactly? First, picking a dress for his lover and now, apanying him to dinner with his lover in tow? And here I thought I was only his maid. I guessed being a maid fell under all those categories. And that included being his substitute Jennifer until the real one arrived.


    ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± I forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be the third wheel in your rtionship. Let¡¯s just leave it for today.¡±


    A small smile yed on his lips, until they tilted upward to form a devilish grin. I was already backing myself into a corner. I knew when that grin appeared, I should hide myself.


    I wasn¡¯t fast enough. Giovanni caught my wrist and dragged me all the way to another designer store. This time, it was menswear.


    ¡°Seriously, boss?¡± I asked for the hundredth time when he came out of the changing room, parading in front of me like the pink panther. In this case, he was a ck lethal panther, out to capture his prey in that sleek suit.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Now which one do you like?¡± he asked for my opinion again, holding another dark-blue suit in one hand. ¡°Which one suits me better? The one I¡¯m wearing now or the dark blue?¡±


    I jumped off my seat and strolled toward him. ¡°That one.¡± I pointed to the ck suit he wore. ¡°The ck. It suits your hair color and your midnight-sky eyes.¡±


    ¡°Jay?¡± He suddenly changed tactics, all in the span of three seconds, like a chameleon changing his mood. ¡°What color are my eyes again?¡±


    ¡°I said your midnight-sky eyes.¡± I blinked rapidly, staring at his captivating face.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very good answer, Jay. What a good bunny you are. Then I¡¯ll go for this one.¡± Arching his face forward so only a breath of airy between us, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight, then. Now, be a good bunny and get ready. I¡¯m sending you off to the salon to fix your hair and makeup. Then I¡¯ll meet you in this restaurant.¡±


    Giovanni slipped a card into my hand. I held on to it, knowing immediately it was the address of the restaurant we were to meet his Jennifer tonight.


    ¡°Must I go tonight, boss?¡± I pleaded with him. I knew if I were to see Jennifer I might not recover from my stupid infatuation with him.


    ¡°Yes, Jay.¡± He growled near my ear. ¡°You need to be there to take care of Jennifer. Without you, my evening will not beplete.¡±


    As he walked to try on another outfit, I copsed on the couch with a big thud. I slumped my face in my palms, crying out a soft moan. ¡°I am so not ready for tonight.¡±

 #2鈥擟hapter 11

    A Date with Dente


    I nervously nced around the empty restaurant. Empty of patrons that was, except for me. I wasn¡¯t sure what to do, afraid I was in the wrong restaurant. But upon the young male waiter politely confirming that I was at the right ce, I calmed down and waited for Giovanni at the bar, since he hadn¡¯t shown up yet.


    A small part of me was really afraid of being the third wheel on his date, but therger part was really fascinated and excited about the prospect of dining in this beautiful and luxurious restaurant set in the Grand Duke Hotel.


    I stood facing arge floor-to-ceiling mirror, and for the first time, I saw what I looked like after theplete makeover at the salon.


    I was fair, with a light dusting of freckles on my nose. My hair was curled in ringlets. My green eyes matched the green dress perfectly, the very green dress that I¡¯d dreamed about since I took it off at the boutique store.


    Giovanni was very kind to buy me this dress. Then again, he probably didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed by his maid. But then again, it was weird for him to even bring me along on their date in the first ce.


    But I should be considerate and thank him when I saw him next, because never in my life had I dreamed of ever wearing such a beautiful dress for his kind of asion.


    Pulling up my long dress, I caught a glimpse of my high heeled. I smiled at my own reflection. At home with Pa and Amelia, my typical outfit would consist of a pair of sneakers, a sweater, and tight jeans. Here I was Cindere, going to the ball. Except this was an empty ball with just me, Cindere, and no prince, as Giovanni still hadn¡¯t made his appearance.


    Who could me him? It must be Jennifer he was waiting on. She must be taking her time in getting dressed.


    I¡¯d been waiting for a good five minutes when the same male waiter approached me again. ¡°Would you like a drink, miss, while you wait?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine for now. Thank you.¡± I shook my head, politely declining the offer.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Giovanni was paying for my meal since it was supposed to be a date between him and Jennifer, so water would be my best bet in case I had to pay for this meal myself.


    ¡°You must be the lucky woman tonight,¡± he chatted away beside me as if we were friends. ¡°We had to close the whole restaurant tonight because Mr. Dente requested to dine alone with his woman.¡±


    So, that¡¯s why the ce is empty of patrons. Wait, what? His woman!


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯m the other woman.¡± I quickly corrected his mistake.


    ¡°The other woman?¡± He showed me that what the hell is she on about look.


    ¡°I¡¯m his maid, or her maid to be exact. No, more like the assistant for his woman.¡± Iughed, confused at my own exnation. ¡°Sorry, let me start again. I¡¯m Mr. Dente¡¯s maid. He¡¯d asked me to apany his woman. I¡¯m only here in case they need anything, as a kind of personal assistant, you know. I believe Mr. Dente ising with his woman, though, so they¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well. My bad.¡± He scratched his head andughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I really thought you were his woman, since you looked so well-polished and all that.¡±


    ¡°I look well-polished?¡±


    ¡°Beautiful is the word. You look beautiful.¡±


    I smiled, somewhat reminiscing my past. How I wished Giovanni would say I looked beautiful.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±


    ¡°You sound awfully sincere. Has no one ever said you look beautiful before?¡±


    I smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m used to people calling me in.¡±


    ¡°Pardon my impertinence, but you¡¯re not in at all. You¡¯re stunning to say the least. Especially with your fair skin and green eyes. If I didn¡¯t know, I¡¯d say you look like a beautiful Irish woman. Someone who would capture any man¡¯s attention. And now I¡¯m very d and somewhat relieved that you¡¯re not Mr. Dente¡¯s woman.¡± He wiped his brow to showcase his relief.


    I asked, confused, ¡°Relieved? Why?¡±


    ¡°See, I thought to get your number so we could hang out. You know, get to know one another. Be friends. And then maybe something more.¡±


    ¡°You want to be my friend? And something more?¡± And now I sounded like a broken record, repeating whatever he said.


    ¡°Yeah. Why not? If I could guess, we¡¯re simr in age, right? We should get along well.¡±


    ¡°Well, how old are you? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±


    ¡°No harm at all. I¡¯m twenty. This is my part-time job. I¡¯ve just arrived from Ennd. Oh, I¡¯m Jake by the way. You?¡±


    ¡°Jenny.¡±


    ¡°Jenny and Jake. We sound like a couple already. So, mind if I get your number?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind being friends, but I already have someone I like,¡± I confessed truthfully. And I had no idea when my crush with Giovanni would subside.


    ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s too bad. But we could still be friends. That is if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    I smiled at him, and at that moment, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go around flirting, Jay. Especially not in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boss, is that you?¡± I pressed my ear closer to the phone to hear better. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ve been waiting for ages.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already here.¡±


    ¡°Where, boss?¡± I swirled my head around looking for him, neglecting Jake, who¡¯d suddenly disappeared altogether.


    ¡°Behind you,¡± said the voice on the phone.


    I swirled around fast, only to trip over my ankle like a clumsy idiot. But someone held me fast, embracing my waist, calmly collecting me into his arms.


    Warmth andfort, like drinking coffee on a really cold day. That was the feeling that exuded at that moment. And I didn¡¯t want to let this feeling go. I wanted to burrow deeper into that cavity of warmth, embraced forever by those arms.


    ¡°If you go around falling, who¡¯s going to make me my coffee?¡±


    Giovanni.


    I melted a bit upon hearing his voice.


    ¡°Oh, hello¡­ boss.¡± Thatst word popped out of my mouth when my eyes rose to meet his. And the oxygen built up in my lungs, with the pressure rising high, heating even my face, I ended up speaking in incoherent sentences. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re finally here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jay. I¡¯m finally here. As promised.¡± He still held me tight, arms caging me so I couldn¡¯t move an inch from that confined space.


    There near the bar, we were molded together like strands of ck licorice, our eyes locked onto one another without breaking contact.


    Giovanni looked absolutely amazing in the suit he¡¯d bought, the same one I rmended. His ck hair was swept back, so sleek and shiny. It shone under the chandelier lights. He was cleanly shaven, unlike earlier this afternoon with that short stubble highlighting his jaws.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking very fine tonight, boss,¡± I said, eyes still locked onto his, heart thundering in my chest, hoping and praying he wouldn¡¯t hear it from where he stood. ¡°I¡¯m sure Jennifer will find you very appealing.¡±


    ¡°Appealing?¡± Giovanniughed, letting me go and running his hand through his hair. ¡°Jay, I think Jennifer will find me totally alluring, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Just my thoughts, exactly. I found Giovanni totally alluring. To all my senses. Scent, sight, touch, taste, he was everything a woman could want. He smelled of expensive cologne and something delicious, I wanted to lick him dry.


    Now, that didn¡¯t paint a pretty image.


    ¡°So¡­¡± He carried on, leading me by my waist to our seat. ¡°What do you think? Do I look totally alluring to you?¡±


    Did he really need my opinion? Shouldn¡¯t Jennifer¡¯s be the one that mattered? And talking about Jennifer, where was she?


    ¡°You took the words out of my mouth, boss. You¡¯re definitely splendid. And totally alluring.¡±


    With my answer, he seemed to cheer up, sliding into the seat opposite me; not forgetting to toss a foul look Jake¡¯s way as he walked by with the menu.


    Giovanni quickly nced at the menu and lifted his gaze to me. ¡°Have you decided what you want to eat?¡±


    Oh, I decided what I want to eat centuries ago. I wanted to dine on all the food in this restaurant. But my urgent need wasn¡¯t the food, but one simple answer.


    ¡°Never mind the food, boss. I¡¯ll eat anything in this restaurant, but the most important thing is, where is Jennifer? Did she note with you?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯singter. We¡¯ll eat first.¡± Giovanni brushed aside the subject and turned back to his menu.


    ¡°But that would be considered rude, boss.¡± I interrupted his concentration. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait for her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry, Jay.¡± He mmed the menu down. ¡°I don¡¯t dilly-dally waiting for a woman. If I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯m eating. So make your order.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± I said, unsure, looking at the menu again. I smiled up at Jake who all this time was still standing beside me, waiting for our order.


    I peered at Giovanni over my menu again. Strange, how he could say that of his woman. Maybe Jennifer was just one of his ythings.


    Once he¡¯d ordered for the both of us, and Jake disappeared, Giovanni started acting strange again, asking me all sorts of random questions, like how was my studying going, and if he was using me to the bones. I responded normally. All he did was nod with a few oohs and aahs.


    Several momentster, the meal arrived. We started digging in.


    ¡°It feels quite strange, boss. Just you and me, eating dinner,¡± I said, in between bites of food.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing strange about dining with you, Jay.¡± Giovanni replied casually, forking his food into his mouth.


    ¡°But I¡¯m your maid.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t the others dined with me before?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    If he said that, he did have a point. At home in Cory Mansion, we all dined together, like a family. But right here, in this beautiful restaurant, with just Giovanni and me, the atmosphere felt kind of romantic, like¡­ a date.


    Damn, I couldn¡¯t get that thought out of my head. Except this wasn¡¯t. Because I was the third wheel.


    ¡°Like the food, Jay?¡± he asked me, like I was a small bunny he took interest in, taking me away from my wandering thoughts.


    ¡°Do you need to ask?¡± I asked, after swallowing another mouthful of heavenly food. ¡°This ce is amazing. I can¡¯t thank you enough for inviting me along, too.¡±


    I was actually quite d Jennifer hadn¡¯t made an appearance yet. I didn¡¯t want Giovanni¡¯s future lover to be turned off by his maid¡¯s eating habits.


    I couldn¡¯t help the way I ate. When one grew up poor and hardly had enough good food to eat, one tended to lose some table manners.


    Giovanni chuckled softly, alerting me to his presence. He smiled, and in that moment, I knew I was totally captivated by him. And to me, the word totally captivated was akin to the sentiment love.


    I stole another peek at him. He hardly smiled, but when he did, like tonight, he looked so dashing. My stomach did a flip-flop and my heart raced in sync to a horse¡¯s gallop.


    Yes. I had to face reality. There was no use daydreaming anymore. I was in love with Giovanni. Madly so. But there was nothing I could do about my situation. If Jennifer was only his ything, then what did he see in me?


    My thoughts dissolved when the second course arrived. Everything was just splendid. The meal was excellent. Having Giovanni as my solepany was also excellent, and by the time dessert came around, I¡¯d totally forgotten all about Jennifer.


    ¡°My God, boss. This chocte mousse is amazing.¡± I took another spoonful of the dessert into my mouth, literally buzzing my taste buds into heaven.


    ¡°I¡¯m d. You can have mine, too.¡± Giovanni offered me his, sliding his tiramisu across the tablecloth.


    ¡°You¡¯re not eating yours?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll have my dessertter tonight.¡±


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t say sorry if I finish everything, because this is delicious.¡±


    Giovanni chuckled sinuously. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure my dessert will be more delicious than the dessert having.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, boss,¡± I said without a second thought, slipping another mouthful of the mousse into my mouth.


    Giovanni chuckled and leaned forward, wiping something off my lips.


    I froze.


    One second. Two seconds. Three. Time stood still as I watched his tongue darting out to lick his finger; licking that whole digit clean while his eyes were still locked onto mine. My beautiful mafia boss. My hot and totally alluring mafia boss. I had to instill this memory in my mind.


    ¡°Where does all that food go, Jay? It certainly doesn¡¯t fatten you up,¡± he said, breaking up my beautiful train of thought.


    I blinked, and thankfully, my mind quickly kicked back into gear. ¡°We¡¯ve spoken about this before, boss. I work hard. I eat just as hard.¡±


    ¡°Do you y hard, too?¡± he asked, his tongue darting out to lick his lower lip this time. Again, I was mesmerized by that move.


    What would it be like if he licked me, too? If I were that little bit of cream on his finger? Would he licked me seductively as his finger?

 #2鈥擟hapter 12

    I cleared my throat and attempted to sound unaffected by the whole show. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say I y hard. But I sure study hard.¡± I chatted away as if Giovanni had no effect on me. But boy, was I sweating inside. ¡°When I graduate, I¡¯m going to be a great ountant and earn heaps of money. Hopefully in the millions so I can pay off Pa¡¯s debt. Then I¡¯ll be free of being your maid.¡±


    ¡°Jay, you little bunny.¡± He startled me.


    One minute he was sitting in his seat; the next he was beside me, fingers sliding around my neck, lightly caressing my nape, then quickly cupping my chin, turning my face to meet his.


    ¡°Listen, Jay. Even if you studied until your brain spewed out and got a good job as an ountant, you¡¯ll be at least fifty before you¡¯re free of your old man¡¯s debt. I have a better proposition. Care to listen?¡±


    ¡°What other proposition?¡± I asked, totally mesmerized by his sight, voice, and touch.


    ¡°Before that, answer me truthfully.¡±


    ¡°Of course, boss. Have I ever lied?¡±


    Giovanni smirked, and then mmed his fist down so hard I almost copsed from fright.


    ¡°Do you have a lover, someone you like perhaps, stashed away in a closet somewhere? Because if you do, I¡¯ll tell you right now. Cut off all contact with him. From this day forward, you will devote all your time to me. Do you understand, Jay?¡±


    Why am I not surprised?


    ¡°That was your proposition? We¡¯ve already established that I¡¯m to be your maid until such time as I¡¯ve paid Pa¡¯s debt off. That was in the contract, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was. But I have another use to add tonight. And as your debt collector, I¡¯ve the right.¡±


    I sat ufortably, not sure if I liked where this was going. ¡°Please borate, boss.¡±


    ¡°Jay, how would you like to earn a shitload of money without having to pick up a mop or clean the bathroom again?¡±


    Wait, this sounded like that conversation we were having at the amusement park, right before Mr. Giuseppe called us.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    But what Giovanni said did sound tempting. I was never a fan of cleaning the bathroom in the first ce. But was there more to this proposition?


    ¡°Please borate further, boss. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Giovanni had a small smile on his lips. He leaned into me and said huskily, ¡°I¡¯m here to fulfill your fantasy, Jay. We¡¯ll have a swell time tonight. Right here in this hotel.¡±


    I stared at him nkly, afraid to even move. ¡°Boss, what are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act na?ve with me, Jay. I thought you said you were smart. Try to figure it out why I took you out shopping, bought that dress for you, let you eat dinner at this expensive restaurant, and¡­¡±


    ¡°And theck of Jennifer¡¯s presence.¡± I finished off his sentence.


    ¡°Guess you are smart after all, Jay.¡± He smiled, rounding out his game. ¡°Can you guess what I¡¯m about to say next?¡±


    ¡°Boss, I¡­ I don¡¯t believe it.¡± The truth hit me square in the forehead. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ you want me to be your Jennifer?¡±


    Giovanniughed. With a snap of his finger the panther was on full disy. He mped my face between his palms and stared down at me. Hard. ¡°But you¡¯re not pretending to be my Jennifer, Jay. You are my real Jennifer.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Okay, this just confused me.


    ¡°What, what? Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t you want me to fulfill your promise of fourteen years ago? Now let¡¯s go.¡± Giovanni stood, jerking me up from my spot and dragging me to the elevator.


    ¡°Boss. Wait! Go where?¡± I pushed back, digging my heels into the carpet to stop him from dragging me to who knew where.


    Giovanni swirled me around and pinned me to the wall. ¡°To sleep with you, of course. Tonight, I¡¯m going to eat you up. Every piece of you will be devoured by me. I want to run my tongue over and lick every inch of your body. Tonight Jay, you belong to me. And as promised from fourteen years ago, I¡¯m starting now.¡±


    And he did. By taking my mouth into his and kissing me senseless against the wall.

 #2鈥擟hapter 13

    Giovanni¡¯s Way


    Fourteen years. Fourteen fucking years he¡¯d been waiting for this moment, and it all boiled down to now. Giovanni savored his woman¡¯s taste in his mouth. He licked her, devouring her essence, and it made his head swirl. When she moved, he reprimanded her, squeezing her into ce. When she mewed, he licked her lips, sealing them over with his again.


    There was no way his little Jennifer was going to escape tonight. He¡¯d nned this game from the very beginning, since that phone call came through from Giuseppe. He knew she¡¯d nevere to him if he asked her politely.


    Fuck, who was he kidding? He wasn¡¯t used to asking. If he wanted something, he took it. That¡¯s how his brash way got him to where he was today. Kicked to the curb by the Bianci family, only to be second-inmand of the Dente group.


    More pinching, more protest, and more punches to his chest. His little Jennifer was like a wee bunny, soft and sweet when happy but with sharp fangs when aggravated.


    And he knew he¡¯d aggravated her. How could he not? He was the panther, pouncing on his little bunny, who hadn¡¯t a clue as to what had happened. One minute she was eating dinner; the next he dragged her up and pinned her against the wall, surprising the shit out of her when he announced he¡¯d sleep with her tonight.


    Her eyes were wide open when he announced this, and she bit her lip again. That sent him over the edge of madness. The result was her against the wall and him mping his mouth against hers.


    But there was nothing he could do to tame his behavior. He wanted her so badly his dick hurt.


    ¡°Jay,¡± he growled, the wordsing out of his lips again and again, as if that word were his secret code for love.


    ¡°Boss,¡± he heard her say, her voice soft and raspy.


    Fuck! Just hearing her had his dick hard. He wanted her right now. Fuck the bed. Maybe he¡¯d do her against the wall.


    But that wasn¡¯t his way. He might be mafia, the badass multibillionaire boy, but he was not some fuck who¡¯d shag a woman against the wall.


    ¡°Jay, let¡¯s go. I can¡¯t take it anymore. I want you now.¡±


    ¡°Boss, wait, no.¡± She seemed to wake up from her aroused state.


    ¡°What do you mean no?¡± he asked, taken aback. From that mini kissing episode, he was sure she¡¯d jump at the offer.


    ¡°It means I don¡¯t want to do it with you.¡±


    What the fuck! Did she just drop a bomb on him? Shit, this was not okay.


    ¡°What, have you got some birthmark you don¡¯t want me to see or something? I don¡¯t care about that,¡± he said, thinking of an excuse that would prevent her from sleeping with him. Because, if she genuinely didn¡¯t want to sleep with him, that would totally m his ego to the ground. He was a hot man and knew no woman could resist him. And being rejected by Jennifer was definitely not on the okay list.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, boss,¡± she replied hesitantly, ncing at him once, then looking down to her white heels again. What did she find so fascinating about those white shoes, anyway? He was certainly more appealing.


    ¡°Jay, look at me.¡± He tilted her chin up, until her eyes locked with his. ¡°Tell me straight to my face why you can¡¯t sleep with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I just can¡¯t do it with you.¡±


    The fuck! He was really getting pissed. This was clearly not how he¡¯d nned it. Once he¡¯d told her she was his Jennifer, she would jump for joy. Then they¡¯d sate each other¡¯s lust until sunrise.


    ¡°Then why were you kissing me like you want me to eat you?¡± he shouted at her, ego totally bruised now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shout at me,¡± she yelled back at him, obviously having had enough of being his little puppet in this game of his. ¡°And you can¡¯t demand me to sleep with you just because you¡¯re my debt collector.¡±


    Giovanni smirked and his eyes glinted. ¡°Oh, yes, I can.¡±


    And to prove that he could, he pinned her against the wall and took his fill again. He squeezed her soft breasts between his fingers as punishment, since she was such a stubborn girl. He basked in his sess when she mewed under his touch. Giovanni smiled to himself. She was like soft butter under his hands.


    ¡°Boss, I really can¡¯t sleep with you,¡± she rasped in his ear, her arms clinging to him for support when she couldn¡¯t hold herself anymore.


    He quickly supported her, using his leg to hold her up. Bracing her head within his palm, he pulled her close, his body meshing against her farther.


    ¡°Tell me why, Jay?¡± His nose brushed her cheek, his lips nipping hers softly. Deep voice rumbling beside her ear, he said, ¡°Because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll make you say it anyway.¡±


    The fire crackled between them. Heat frizzed the air as one second became two, and two became three.


    ¡°Fuck, Jay, you¡¯re killing me with your looks.¡± He growled and tossed caution into the air. He hiked her skirt up, fingers wanting to touch bare skin, and he sighed in glee when his fingers grazed her inner leg.


    ¡°Boss,¡± she rasped. ¡°Please refrain from acting like a dog in heat.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s a dog in heat, Jay? Looks to me like you¡¯re the little dog. Or should I say the little bunny in heat? Listen to me, Jay. This dog in heat needs his meat before the fire in his loins can be tamed.¡±


    She turned her eyes away, clearly torn by her desire for him. But he couldn¡¯t understand why she behaved this way. ¡°Can¡¯t you please let me go and listen to me for a minute first, boss?¡±


    A bolt of frustration red through him. He didn¡¯t like it when she acted like this. It just didn¡¯t sit right with him. He let her go, roughlybing his fingers through his hair, and waited for her exnation. ¡°Fine. I give you one minute. That¡¯s sixty seconds. You¡¯d better give me a good exnation in that time.¡±


    Jay looked up through her longshes again, and his dick hardened up by another notch.


    Fuck, if this kept going, he would burst right there.


    ¡°Jay. Quick. Exnation,¡± he prompted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hurt your ego or anything, boss.¡± She started.


    Fuck! That didn¡¯t sound too good. But he listened to her anyway.


    ¡°Boss, if you must know, I¡¯m a virgin.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s what you wanted to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good, then it¡¯s done. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Wait, boss, aren¡¯t you disgusted or something?¡±


    ¡°Why would I be disgusted? You¡¯re an innocent bunny. I¡¯ll be the first one to taste you.¡±


    ¡°But, boss, I know how you like your woman experienced. I¡¯m a virgin.¡± She emphasized that fact again. ¡°What good could I do for you? I don¡¯t know how to please a man.¡±


    ¡°To tell you the truth, Jay, I don¡¯t give a fuck whether you¡¯re a virgin or not. What I want is you, or should I start calling you my little Jennifer?¡±


    ¡°See, that¡¯s the other thing. How could I be your Jennifer?¡± she snapped at him suddenly. ¡°How do I know you¡¯re telling me the truth? What if you just want to sleep with me?¡±


    ¡°I do want to sleep with you.¡±


    ¡°But why did you make stuff up that I¡¯m your Jennifer?¡±


    ¡°You are my Jennifer, Jay.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t even remember you. And what is this rtionship between you and Jennifer, anyway?¡±


    ¡°I know you can¡¯t remember what happened under that beech tree, but you made me promise that when you grew up, I was to take you as my lover. So here I am. Taking you as my lover. Now let¡¯s go.¡± He attempted to tug her away, but she stopped him by digging her heels into the carpet and pulled his arm.


    ¡°But, boss, if I¡¯m your Jennifer, shouldn¡¯t I feel something toward you? Like a fragment of memory or something.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Giovanni turned back, a sour expression on his face. ¡°You lost your memory, Jay. It¡¯s a simple exnation. ept it and move on. I don¡¯t give a fuck about this. So why should you?¡±


    Her hands twisted at her sides. She looked up at him, eyes unsure. ¡°But still¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough talking. Whether you want to be my Jennifer or not, that can be discussed on another day. Now let¡¯s go. You know I¡¯m not a patient man.¡±


    Giovanni dragged Jay into the elevator, and this time, she followed him. As soon as they came out of the elevator, he attacked her in the hallway. Hands, lips, and limbs were attached and molded against her. They both tumbled through the door, he wedged the key card in its slot just in time. Finally in, he dumped her on the bed, and stood back assessing her.


    He lost focus. His main focal point was her, lying on the center of that bed, in an awkward position.


    Beautiful. So god damned fucking beautiful. Jay was breathtaking, a breath of fresh air from his other lovers. Her hair spilled out like a fan, hues of brown and red, intermixed to form this vibrant color. Her cheeks were flushed pink, from the heat of their kisses he suspected. And those lips, juicy and plump after he¡¯d taken a good fill, were swollen and slightly bruised. Absolutely alluring.


    God, his heart filled with something unknown. Light, gentle, and sweet. He could let his gaze linger on her all day.


    Why was he so stupid to not to see how fucking beautiful his maid was? She was everything a man could ask for in a lover. Temperament. Check. Coffee skills. Check. This girl was everything he¡¯d wanted in a lover, in his life partner.


    Fuck! That scared him a bit. Wasn¡¯t that what little Jennifer had asked when she was little? She wanted him to take her as his wife, a partner for life. But a dangerous man like him, he knew life with a wife wouldn¡¯tst long. He lived on adrenaline. Action, impulse, danger, and that was what he thrived on. No. Jay could only be his lover. No more and no less.


    With eyes solely on her, he made quick work of his tie, loosening it and discarding it to the side. He jumped on top of her, pinning her to the bed, pressing her firmly against the mattress.


    ¡°Fuck, Jay. My God. I can¡¯t hold on.¡± He buried his nose into her nape and sucked the living hell out of that area, hoping to mark her as his. She trembled against him, allowing him to kiss her solidly. ¡°I want you so badly I¡¯m getting dizzy.¡±


    ¡°Boss, boss,¡± she mewed. The sound vibrated into his ear, and his dick hardened even more. ¡°I want to kiss you. Deeper. Harder.¡±


    ¡°And who said you¡¯re an innocent bunny?¡± He yfully tugged at her hair, bringing his lips to close over hers once again.


    Suddenly, she straddled him, taking him by surprise when she used his discarded tie to bind his hands to the bedframe.


    BDSM? His little bunny was into BDSM? Wow, this was getting interesting.


    ¡°Are you into BDSM?¡± Giovanni questioned, eyes filled with curiosity, lips smirking with the anticipation of their fun night together.


    ¡°You could say that.¡± She smiled seductively, then leaned down to kiss his lips, cheeks, and lids.


    Giovanni was on cloud nine. He was happy. He was hot. He was-


    What the hell? He was tied to the bed and now he couldn¡¯t move an inch.


    ¡°Jay, what the fuck is this?¡± Heshed out, only to be held by the tie, bound securely to the bed.


    ¡°Sorry, boss.¡± She bolted to the door as soon as he kicked his foot in the air. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to part with my virginity, yet. So, you just rest here for the night, cool down those loins. I¡¯ll be sure to let Bobby know you¡¯re staying in the hotel tonight.¡±


    ¡°Jay, you little minx. Get back here.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, boss. No can do. Sleep well. And see you tomorrow.¡±


    And those were herst words, before she bolted out of the room, leaving him stranded, partly naked and so fucking mad.


    ¡°The fuck, Jay. Just you wait. I¡¯ll get you for this,¡± he yelled, before calmly thinking of a solution. And when he did, a smiled yed on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re mine tonight, Jay. Whether it¡¯s here in this hotel, or in bed at home.¡±


    And with that, he tugged himself up and reached for the phone in his pocket.

 #2鈥擟hapter 14

    Bitter Chocte and Memories


    My first taste of chocte was bitter. That was the very first memory I had of the beautiful, decadent dessert.


    I was five then, staying in the hospital after the ident that took away my ma and my memory. During one of my recovery sessions-learning how to walk again-I saw an advertisement on television for this new dessert shop that was about to open up.


    An assortment of cakes swept past my eyes in those thirty second ads. One stood out among the rest, and that was the beautiful chocte cake, decorated with an angel on top.


    Something as beautiful as this cake must taste so delicious and sweet. From that moment on, I had a sudden craving for that beautiful decadent dessert.


    I¡¯d always asked my sister, Amelia and Pa to buy me one because my birthday wasing close, but they always refused, saying it was too expensive. When I heard one of the girls who shared my room was going to have her birthday party here, which included a chocte cake from that store, I thought I would be lucky enough to get invited and my fantasy of eating that beautiful delicious cake woulde true.


    Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t asked to go.


    I¡¯d asked why since we¡¯d shared the same room and were quite close. She turned back to me, her pink peachy lips twisting sarcastically, ¡°Because you¡¯re in. Your brown hair is so boring and ugly. Like the color of mud. And you have freckles on your face, like ck sesame seeds. You¡¯re not beautiful. You¡¯ll embarrass me. Only beautiful people are invited to my birthday party.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    I cried that night. I never thought about how I looked before. My brown hair wasn¡¯t so in until she mentioned that it was so boring to look at, like the color of mud. And my face¡­ was it so unappealing that I would disgrace her if I were invited?


    On the day of the farewell party, I slipped into her party room to marvel at the cake, at least to satisfy my fantasy of seeing that chocte deliciousness in front of my eyes.


    My heart swelled in happiness at the beautiful sight before me. Those swirls and chocte kes with a white angel atop three levels resting majestically on the stand, just like the television advertisement.


    That cake was gorgeous, beyond anything I could imagine in my whole young life. And without thinking of what I was doing, I¡¯d grabbed a small slice just to satisfy my craving¡­and possibly as an act of revenge against that girl for calling me sesame seed face.


    My wee heart was thumping like mad from the adrenaline of what I¡¯d done. I quickly ran back to my room and hid under the nkets, afraid someone would catch me if they found out I¡¯d stolen some.


    After listening for a few minutes and hearing no footstepsing in to reprimand me, I turned to look at my beautiful piece of chocte cake in my hands. My little heart wept upon seeing the beautiful dessert all crushed in my hands.


    Dark-brown stains colored my palms, like mud, like the color of my hair. I licked my fingers then, wanting to at least savor the taste of that cake. Big fat tears dropped from my eyes, my shoulders trembling in disappointment.


    My beautiful chocte cake. Why did it taste so bitter? Why was it not sweet as I¡¯d imagined?


    Throughout all of my neen years of life, since the time I was five until now, I¡¯d discovered beautiful things were only an apparition, artifacts that could only be admired from afar.


    And that was what Giovanni was. He was a man who was so beautiful, so captivating to look at, but if I got a taste of him, I was afraid he¡¯d be bitter, like my first taste of chocte cake.


    I didn¡¯t want to get hurt again. I didn¡¯t want my beautiful fantasy of him to shatter, like that fantasy of my chocte cake. Maybe that was why I¡¯d run away from him. Inside, I¡¯d wanted him, too, but I knew if I let myself sink into his alluring web, I could never regain my sanity.


    Fantasy and reality merged, and soon my mind drifted off to sleep, with one thought remaining.


    I don¡¯t want to shatter my beautiful illusion of Giovanni. Let him be my captivating Adonis forever.

 #2鈥擟hapter 15

    ¡°J ay, I¡¯vee for my revenge.¡±


    I bolted upright. Something woke me up. I stammered around, blindly searching for my light switch. I scanned every nook and cranny of my closet-sized bedroom, determined to find the source of the disturbance, but I found none. Everything was still and quiet.


    I pulled the small curtain aside and gazed up at the half crescent moon and the billion bright stars illuminating the ck curtain backdrop of the night sky.


    It was beyond midnight. Probably one or two in the morning. Giovanni must have calmed his heated loins by now.


    I really shouldn¡¯t have tied him up to that bedpost and scrammed like a thief in the middle of the night. Giovanni must have wanted to slice my neck. Maybe he¡¯d decided to get rid of me for good. All I was good at was brewing coffee, anyway. But hopefully, that should be enough to keep me alive. For now, anyway. I didn¡¯t want to join my ma up in heaven. I still hadn¡¯t found Pa, or Amelia, yet.


    To say I was mad with Pa for what he¡¯d done by washing his hands of me and handing me over to the mafia boss as coteral, was an understatement. Each day I was left feeling disturbed as to why he would do such a thing. Then those words would pluck at my mind again.


    Because you¡¯re in. Ugly brown hair. The color of mud. Sesame seed face. The in daughter.


    I bit my lip, trying to block those painful words from entering my mind. I¡¯m beautiful. I¡¯m beautiful. I¡¯m not in. I¡¯m not in, I told myself this.


    So be it if I lived in my own world of illusion, faking and not believing what everyone saw in me as the ugly swan. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder. Everyone exhibited different skills, abilities, and personalities. And that was the true color of beauty.


    Shaking my head, I shifted those sad thoughts from my mind, readying to nestle back to sleep, when something underneath my nket moved.


    Whoa¡­ whoa¡­ holy cow, help me. I flung my arms out to grab onto something, anything, to protect me from being dragged under the nket, but I wasn¡¯t fast enough, or strong enough.


    I slipped easily between the covers, eyes shut as I struggled and fought back, only for strong arms to imprison me with a solid leg braced between my thighs.


    A silhouette of a man hovered above me, and my heart contracted. I was about to scream when hard lips mped over my mouth, silencing my cry.


    The kiss was brutal, tearing at my lips with pain and pleasure. That tongue intruded on my personal space, solidly battling for control. Heat red from my core, burning up the entirety of my being. I copsed against the bed as soon as those lips pulled away,pletely exhausted, but with a strange humming of excitement within my veins.


    Haggard breath fanned my ear in the darkness, followed by the cupping of my chin and caressing of my sensitive bruised lips. ¡°Jay. It¡¯s time for my revenge.¡±


    My body shuddered in anticipation and fear.


    Giovanni!..


    ¡°J ay. It¡¯s time for my revenge.¡±


    Giovanni didn¡¯t let his little bunny open her mouth again. He sealed off her scream in time by kissing her brutally, putting in all the emotions he felt during thest few hours. His anger, his surprise at her leaving him stranded while he was still hard, and his desire for her, burning so strong he saw white light behind his eyelids.


    Sucking away her oxygen, he pacified her, pinning her farther to the small, hard mattress, and cursed himself to hell for letting his little Jennifer sleep on such an ufortable bed while he nestled at night in a bed of heavenly feathers.


    He moved off the bed, bundling Jay up in the nket and carrying her into his bedroom next door. As soon as his legs hit the bedframe, heid her gently on his mattress, and flung the nket off her.


    His little Jennifer, lying there nestled in the middle of his heavenly bed, looking so desirable and fucking gorgeous with her swollen, bruised lips in a pout, and hot heated eyes gazing at him with lust.


    Without waiting another minute, he smashed her lips against his again, wanting desperately for that deep prating warmth to engulf him again while his head spun with ecstasy.


    Giovanni smirked between the kisses. To say she didn¡¯t want to part with her virginity, and yet, here she was, subconsciously rubbing her body against his.


    ¡°Boss. Boss¡­¡± She panted after his intoxicating kiss. ¡°How¡­ how¡­ did you get out? And why are we in your bedroom?¡±


    Giovanni cupped her chin and brought his lips close, leaving just enough space between to blow a warm fan of heat onto her face. Her skin flushed even further.


    ¡°Jay, you sure have the gall to leave me stranded. I¡¯ll give you that much. Now, how should I punish you?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me,¡± she responded automatically. ¡°Or eat me,¡± she said, as an afterthought.


    Giovanniughed, taunting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. If I really were to kill you, what would be a good way to finish you off? Cutting you up into bits would be too messy. Shooting you with a gun would be too loud. We wouldn¡¯t want to wake the others now, would we?¡±


    Jay shifted her eyes. He knew she was thinking about his underlings, Bobby, Health, Jonny, and Finnie, staying in the rooms below theirs.


    ¡°Then how would you propose to finish me off,¡± she uttered with fear, or perhaps desire.


    His lips twisted sardonically, fingers trailing to wedge into her mouth, watching her as she subconsciously sucked his finger, taking it in one little bit at a time. ¡°How about I just eat you up instead? One little piece at a time, devouring you until I¡¯m sated.¡±


    She flung his hand away. ¡°Boss, I really think you-¡±


    ¡°Hush, Jay. Don¡¯t talk.¡± He stopped her. ¡°Or I¡¯ll start with your lips first.¡± And when his little Jennifer didn¡¯t offer another word, Giovanni smiled and continued with his narration, this time fingers trailing down to caress her nap, the junction where her pulse ran hot. ¡°That¡¯s very good. Now, where were we? Yes, I want to start with your lips. But maybe I should go for your neck instead. Did anyone ever tell you that you have such a pale peachy neck, good enough to drink blood from? I really want to drink your blood.¡±


    Jay tossed her head to the side, cutting him off from that throbbing pulse, his target. ¡°I¡¯m sure my blood would taste bitter, boss. Please don¡¯t drink it.¡±


    A frightening jealous look crossed his eyes. ¡°Has any fucker bitten your neck, Jay?¡± he shouted, fear drumming through him at any old geezer touching his one true belonging. ¡°Tell me, Jay. I¡¯ll kill that fucker, slit his throat, and bury him six feet under.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit harsh, isn¡¯t it, boss?¡± she said quietly, eyes still not making contact with him.


    Giovanni smiled wickedly. He pinched her chin and tipped her face to meet his. ¡°What did you expect, Jay,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯m not a nice person. Like I told you from when we were younger. I¡¯m in the mafia. I kill people for a living.¡±


    ¡°Like an assassin.¡±


    ¡°Worse than an assassin, Jay. I¡¯m the boss of those assassins. So, tell me now. Have you got any boys you stashed away in the closet?


    ¡°Goose egg, boss. Zero.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so straight forward, Jay.¡± He caressed her supple cheek. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see. Where were we again? Oh, yes. I was going to suck your blood.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a vampire, boss. A mafia vampire.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a mafia vampire, one who¡¯ll suck your blood dry, until you can¡¯t offer your blood to any other man.¡±


    ¡°As if any man would want me. Like you said before, I¡¯m ugly and you would sooner sleep with a pig than sleep with me.¡±


    Fuck! Giovanni almost bit his own tongue. How could he have forgotten his own words?


    Okay, maybe he was a bit harsh when he first saw her. But her image was imprinted deeply inside his mind, and he could still remember every single detail of their first meeting, to this day. She was that beautiful girl, upon entering his door. Her chestnut hair, flung back and unbound, shimmered so vibrantly and innocently on that first sight. She¡¯d reminded him of his little Jennifer even back then. But the reason for his brashment was because he had to inhibit his dick from ying up, hence the word ugly came out of his mouth.


    ¡°Jay, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And I find you beautiful and delicious. I want to eat you tonight.¡± He attempted to correct his mistake by telling her the truth this time. Instead, she gave him her ultimatum, which pissed the fucking hell off him again.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t eat me tonight. Or ever.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me about how you¡¯re not ready to part with your virginity, again,¡± he growled. ¡°You¡¯re going to lose it someday. Why not lose it with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about my virginity,¡± she snapped back, fire spitting from the pits of her emerald eyes.


    His little, bunny. God, how he fucking wanted to tame her. But he needed to sweet talk her first.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not because of your virginity, then what is it?¡± He tamed his questioning by a notch, asking her nicely for once.


    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­¡± She started, eyes cast off to the corner of his room again, avoiding his eye contact. ¡°It¡¯s because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because of what?¡± He cut her off; irritated that one simple question from him had her thinking so hard.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m scared,¡± she shouted out, face shing scarlet.


    Giovanniughed, so hard his taut abs shook. ¡°Jay. Fucking is the basic instinct of human nature. And it¡¯s a fucking great experience. If you don¡¯t try, you¡¯ll miss out for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°Well, I prefer to miss out on this beautiful experience, then. I don¡¯t want my illusion of you to shatter.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Giovanni caught on to the word illusion. What the fuck was his Jennifer talking about? ¡°What illusion, Jay? What are you yakking on about?¡±


    ¡°Chocte cake. You.¡± That was all she said.


    ¡°Shit, Jay.¡± He shook her, wanting her to borate on her answer. ¡°You¡¯re talking in a riddle, here. Speak English.¡±


    ¡°When I was in the hospital, recovering from the ident, I wanted to eat chocte cake for my sixth birthday. I became fixated on that chocte cake. I even dreamed of it, thought of it constantly, wondering how a young child like me could get to eat something so beautiful and delicious-just like that cake I saw on T. V. When I heard the girl who shared the same room as me was having a birthday party, I went too, without an invitation. I just wanted to see what that beautiful cake was like with my own naked eyes, to see why I found it so fascinating.¡±


    Giovanni listened on, immersed in the story of his little Jennifer. ¡°What happened next?¡±


    Jay turned to him, a sad look on her face. She fluttered her eyelids slowly, thenunched herself onto his chest, almost knocking the fuck out of his breath. She cried, tears wetting his shirt. ¡°I stole her cake, boss. I stole her cake. I ate it, and it tasted bitter. My beautiful chocte cake that I¡¯d been fantasizing about tasted bitter.¡±


    Whether he was a stupid fuck or Jay was wailing about some shit he couldn¡¯t make sense of, he asked her for rification again. ¡°Jay-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it, boss? You¡¯re my chocte cake. The chocte cake I cherished with all my life.¡± She jerked her face from his chest, her flushed cheeks stained with fat tear drops.


    At that moment he didn¡¯t give a shit about him being some stupid dumb fuck. His Jennifer looked fucking delectable he¡¯d wanted to pin her against the bed, yank her nightdress up, and thrust himself deep inside her. But that mention of him resembling a chocte cake-was that her way of saying she wanted to sleep with him, too?


    ¡°Jay-¡±


    ¡°I was wrong, boss.¡± She lunged at him again, voice trembling with pain. ¡°It was wrong of me to steal her cake. That¡¯s why my beautiful chocte cake tasted so bitter. And now, all of a sudden, you saying that I¡¯m your Jennifer, and you want to sleep with me¡­ I¡¯m scared, boss. I¡¯m scared that I¡¯ve stolen you from the real Jennifer. It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve lost my memory, and I might be your real Jennifer, but until I could prove to myself, and you, that I¡¯m really her, I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll never be mine, that you¡¯re an apparition and I¡¯ll never get to taste you.¡±


    ¡°Let me get this straight.¡± Giovanni mentally took a step back and assessed this information. ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯m your chocte cake. And you¡¯re afraid that if you get to taste me, I¡¯ll taste bitter because you¡¯ve stolen me from the real Jennifer.¡±


    She nodded meekly.


    ¡°Fucking God, Jay. My little fucking bunny. Why do you have to be so fucking adorable?¡± He attacked her neck, nipping little kisses on her sensitive skin, wanting so much to leave his mark on this girl, to prove to the whole world that she was his.


    ¡°What¡­ boss, didn¡¯t you listen to what I was saying?¡± She pushed him back.


    Giovanni nted a devilish smile on his face. ¡°I heard it, Jay. Loud and clear. Now you listen to me. I¡¯m your chocte cake. I¡¯m right in front of you. You can taste me. I¡¯m not going to go anywhere. If you promise to be my lover, I¡¯ll never let you go. Does that satisfy you?¡±


    She looked unsure. Something shifted in her eyes and he knew her mind was working overtime. ¡°Boss, you said something about a ne before. So, if I¡¯m your Jennifer, why don¡¯t I have it with me?¡±


    Fuck! That was a damned good question.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re changing the subject, Jay,¡± he replied curtly, quite annoyed at her counterattack. ¡°And I don¡¯t know. That ne may be the evidence that proves you¡¯re my real Jennifer, but more importantly, I know for sure, in my heart, that you¡¯re the real one.¡±


    ¡°Then will I only be your substitute Jennifer until the real Jenniferes along?¡± Shetched back to the topic at hand.


    Giovanni gritted his teeth. ¡°That will never happen. You are my real Jennifer.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    Giovanni clicked his tongue in frustration. ¡°You¡¯re just wasting your time, Jay, thinking about some fucking chocte cake tasting bitter and doing your head in about whatever it is you want to do but can¡¯t. That¡¯s a shitty motto to live by if you ask me. If you desire something, then take it by the horns and taste it.


    ¡°So what if your first taste of chocte cake was bitter? How do you know the next cake will be bitter, too? They might have forgotten to add sugar in that cake when you tasted it back then. If you tasted it again, it might be sweet. And saying I¡¯m like your chocte cake, and you¡¯re scared to fucking lick me because I might taste bitter on your tongue¡­ How would you know I taste bitter if you didn¡¯t try me?


    ¡°You may think I¡¯m your fantasy, everything you hold dear, but if you don¡¯t take me and taste me, then I¡¯ll always be fantasy, never a reality for you to cherish. Why do you need to be so fucking scared of tasting something your heart wants? Because at the end of the day, when you die, you¡¯re just going to look back and regret all those things you haven¡¯t done and tasted.¡±


    ¡°Boss-¡± She interrupted him. But he cut her right off, so mad he simply kept rolling on.


    ¡°No, you listen to me, Jay. You¡¯ve had your turn to yack on about some damned chocte cake. I would have thought you were some stand-upedian with the way you yack on like that. So listen up. I¡¯m only going to say this once. I¡¯m not going to taste bitter. I¡¯m going to taste sweet. So fucking sweet you¡¯ll be addicted to me, intoxicated. I¡¯ll be so irresistible you won¡¯t be able to get away. And if you be my Jennifer and promise to stay with me, then I¡¯ll continue to taste sweet to you. For life.¡±


    ¡°What ifter on in our rtionship, you find out I¡¯m not your real Jennifer? What then? Will you taste bitter? Will you throw me out? Will I continue to be your maid, watching you with your real Jennifer, making out in front of me, while I make your bed or polish your bathroom floor? I don¡¯t think I could take that. I don¡¯t want to taste that bitterness in my mouth again. I don¡¯t want to look at my hands to see that dark-brown stain of chocte melting in my hands.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll promise if you promise me first, Jay. Promise me that you¡¯ll be my lover. Then I¡¯ll promise I will never leave you. I¡¯ll be sweet with you always; until the day my body turns to ashes.¡±


    Giovanni sat up suddenly and started unbuttoning his shirt slowly, to reveal his hard six-pack abs and broad, tanned chest. Once totally shirtless, he tossed the shirt to the side and watched in amazement as his little Jennifer twitched beneath him, eyes opening wide with unbridled desire.


    ¡°Listen up, Jay,¡± he said, arms opening wide in a weing gesture, waiting for his little Jennifer toe to him. ¡°I¡¯ll say this once again. I¡¯m right here. Right in front of you. So, what are you waiting for? I¡¯m your chocte cake. Come taste me.¡±

 #2鈥擟hapter 16

    I¡¯m Your Chocte


    ¡°L isten up, Jay. I¡¯ll say this once again. I¡¯m right here. Right in front of you. So, what are you waiting for? I¡¯m your chocte cake. Come taste me,¡± said the man with his arms wide open, waiting for me toe to him.


    One second ticked by. Two seconds, then three. My heart thumped dramatically, yet I still didn¡¯t move from my spot. My eyes were mesmerized by him, captivated by him, and totally drawn to his dark, demonic look.


    He resembled a devil, the ck devil who resided in hell. His ck hair didn¡¯t soften his dark look one bit, nor did hisrge round eyes; so ck, like obsidian, that with just one look I knew he could see straight to my soul.


    He was a dark and dangerous man. One wrong move could spell the death of me. But yet, I was drawn to him like a moth to a me, a fly who¡¯d prepared to meet its death. He was my dark chocte cake I¡¯d been craving since I first saw him. He was the man who¡¯d appeared in my dreams. And now here he was, offering himself to me.


    How could I not ept him? The temptation before me was too strong. Even when I tried biting my lips and squeezing my eyes shut, willing this image of him to disappear from my mind, wanting this throbbing need inside me to pass, each second that ticked by only heightened my curiosity to taste him.


    One small bite. Just one small bite. What will he taste like? I want to know. I really want to know.


    I fluttered my eyes open, decision made. I gazed over him once more. His image before me was flushed with a dark curtain of desire. And once again, I was struck by his powerful aura. Through my dazed state, I lost track of time. By what fortune was this beautiful Adonis before me.


    I slowly sat up, fingers drawn to him like mas. I caressed his jawline, along his temple, and slowly to his straight, firm lips. He captured my finger and slipped it into his mouth, sucking that single digit and swirling it around his tongue.


    Something hot radiated from my core, sending a thousand shudders through my body, and I moaned softly. My need for him was so intense it had my mind spinning.


    I¡¯m sorry, Jennifer, for taking your beloved Giovanni from you, but tonight, let me taste him, let me experience what it¡¯s like to be loved by him.


    ¡°Gio, handsome boy,¡± I mewed, that phrase rasping from my mouth. ¡°What do you taste like? I want to know.¡±


    ¡°My little Jennifer.¡± He cupped my cheek in response. He kissed me, lightly molding his lips to mine, while his fingers crushed into my brown tresses, holding me firmly, our kisses increasing in pressure and intensity.


    Hot. I was boiling hot. My skin flushed red, droplets of perspiration dotting my brows. This room was too hot.


    ¡°Giovanni,¡± I mewed in between our kisses. ¡°I¡¯m hot.¡±


    Giovanni took it as his cue to remove my clothing. I shied away from this sight, closing my eyes as he unbuttoned my nightdress, those buttonsing undone by Giovanni¡¯s expert fingers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look away. You¡¯re beautiful.¡± He huffed into my ear, urging me to open my eyes and look at my own body.


    I shook my head, farther burrowing into the crook of his neck.


    I didn¡¯t want to see myself naked. I was too embarrassed. This whole love-making business was already too intimidating, not to mention this was my first time lying naked in front of the man I¡¯d been admiring since I lived here.


    ¡°Jay,¡± he whispered, blowing soft air into my ear. ¡°Open up and look at me. Look at me when I make love to you.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni.¡± I called him again, voice almost lost at the expression he presented. He no longer looked dangerous, just a man who craved the love of his woman. I clung to him, needing his support. He was my pir tonight, the pir that would keep me sane during this turbulent storm. ¡°Please be gentle with me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you, Jay. You¡¯re my Jennifer. I want your first time to be special.¡± Giovanni cupped my face again, forehead stered to mine. His deep, dark eyes locked with mine. In those eyes were words that spoke of love. ¡°Just look at me. Look only at me. Don¡¯t think or look anywhere else. Focus only on me. Give me your love, and I¡¯ll protect you with my life.¡±


    I smiled, nodded my head, and brought my lips to close over his again. This time, as he inched my nightdress off and over my head, I looked at myself, at the way he ran his fingers up and down my t belly, at the way he was so focused on my breasts, kissing the skin near my nape and lovingly running his fingers through my brown locks again.


    We kissed again and again. I didn¡¯t know how long we kissed. Yet his lips always came back to mine after exploring my body. Giovanni seemed to enjoy every second he spent with me, and I was pleased and thought that maybe he did find me beautiful.


    I was aware of the light flutter of his fingers as he walked them to rest between my thighs. Suddenly, he changed tactics, slipping one finger into my core. I arched back at the sudden intrusion.


    Giovanni¡¯s lips came back to mine again, cutting off my protest. He whispered incoherent words into my ear, words of beauty, of need, and my body shuddered even more. I vaulted against him, happily offering myself to him.


    Giovanni smiled, fingers working me again. He increased his pressure and thrust. mes burst from my core, rendering me speechless.


    I was lost in this intoxicating maze. That finger inside me rocked my core, making me scream out nonsense I didn¡¯t know existed.


    Was this what Giovanni meant when he said mating was such a fun experience? This overwhelming sensation, to lose one¡¯s ability to speak, but at the same time gain such a hypersensitive reaction to everything around you. That was what I felt. The soft nket beneath my sensitive skin. The heavy panting of his breath, and the perspiration on his forehead.


    ¡°Gio¡­¡± I bit my lips and shuddered again. ¡°Um-ugh.¡±


    Those sounds. Were they reallying from me? Did I really make those sounds?Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    My first taste of the beautiful mafia boss, Giovanni Dente¡­ He was so sweet, the most delicious chocte cake I¡¯d ever tasted. No longer would I be afraid to eat this cake again. No longer would I talk myself out of tasting him. He was everything I¡¯d dreamed of and more. My mind went numb, the sweetness of his poison kisses drugging my senses, and in that moment, in my dazed state, I couldn¡¯t remember who I was.


    Was I still his maid? Or was I his lover? What would happen to Pa¡¯s debt now?


    But those thoughts were temporarily lost as I felt a sharp sting when Giovanni pushed himself into me.


    I screamed, but Giovanni was fast, sealing my mouth with his kiss again, diverting my mind from that pain until slowly, that slow burn turned to something else; a fierce, hot pleasure that stole my breath away.


    Each kiss, each thrust he bestowed upon me had me thinking of how I¡¯d evere to be in this position, to be made loved to in this gentle manner. And for once in my life, my worries concerning Pa, Amelia, and my life as a college student shattered into nothingness. For once, I was able to break free from this burden and rx against those strong arms and gentle body that promised to protect me forever.


    Giovanni. The more I knew him, the deeper I fell into his trap of desire. And right now was one of those times. Those kisses, those soft whispered words of love, they only made my heart soften even more for him.


    This beautiful man, I loved him. How did I ever think he was brutal? The way he kissed left me spellbound. The way he whispered nonsensical words had my stomach in knots. I knew right then I could never return to being just his normal maid and coffee machine again. During that final moment, when everything ceased to exist but just him and me, I prayed I was Giovanni¡¯s real lover, his Jennifer, so I wouldn¡¯t have to leave his side ever again. And with that thought and his final push, I cried out his name. Sated and in his arms, I fell into a deep slumber.

 #2鈥擟hapter 17

    Someone was brushing my hair. No one had ever done that before. Someone was lightly caressing my lips. No one had ever done that before, either. Something hot radiated from my core. It had never happened before. Not until tonight.


    I fluttered my eyes open, seeing the image of the beautiful Adonis before me.


    ¡°Boss.¡± I smiled, eyes lighting up, recalling that beautiful experience of our love making. ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did. You must be exhausted. Your first time and all.¡±


    ¡°I guess I was a bit tired. But that little nap was really refreshing. I could stay up all night talking to you right now.¡± I smiled up at him, basking in my own glowing happiness.


    Giovanni smiled, a twinkle reflecting in his eyes. ¡°Did you enjoy that experience?¡±


    I nodded my head, knowing what he meant. ¡°It was a wonderful experience. You were right. It only hurt a bit. But the pleasure overrode the pain.¡±


    ¡°Good. Really good.¡± He nodded his head, his thick, dark hair hiding half of his face as he came to rest in front of me, closing the gap between us.


    I watched Giovanni as his sweet, gentle smile twisted into a wicked grin, turning that once beautiful face into a devil¡¯s mask.


    Oh, shit. I¡¯m in deep shit now. Giovanni¡¯s revenge. I should have known.


    I scrambled off the bed, but Giovanni was fast, hauling me backwards until Iy t against the bed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve had your fun, Jay.¡± He pinned me down. ¡°And since you¡¯ve regained your energy, now it¡¯s my turn to have fun. Time for my revenge, Jay. Are you ready?¡±


    The Mafia¡¯s Cold Heart


    Giovanni¡¯s heart had always been cold. He could never remember a time in his young life when he¡¯d felt warmth radiating from the core of his heart.


    Since he could remember, his life was mundane episodes of fight and survive, whether out on the dark streets of New York City, when he was a homeless kid, or within the small syndicate of the Dente Group, when he got scouted by Giuseppe. Even now, reaching the top of the chain and bing the mafia boss, his heart still hadn¡¯t warmed one bit.


    He tried searching for that warmth, finding a small ce where his heart ought to belong, but he could never find it. Despite the numerous women he¡¯d bedded and then tossed out, he¡¯d always felt the same, that deep, cold ache at the core of his heart.


    Late at night, or early in the morning at dawn, he¡¯d sometimes dreamed of that one summer,te in the afternoon, when he sat under that beech tree with his little friend Jennifer, talking about random stuff. Only during those times did he feel whole again, like he was a human being with warm blood rushing through his soul.


    And right now was one of those times. He was warm, protected from the outside cold, with this girl enveloped in his arms. She was sleeping peacefully after their explosive climax.


    Giovanni now knew the remedy to his cold heart. He could only find that inner sanctuary of warmth when he was with her, his little Jennifer, or maid, Jay, beside him. Only when he was inside her, his cock buried deep in her tight pussy, did he feel he existed.


    Giovanni nted kisses, not only on her lips, but cheeks, chin, nose, and eyelids, to express his thanks. Every single kiss gave him a warm burst inside his heart. He kissed her more, wanting to keep this warmth inside him forever.


    ¡°Um¡­ ah¡­¡± she moaned beneath him in her sleep. He chuckled between more kisses, and lightly caressed her cheek.


    She moaned again, and this time, her mewing hit him hard, very hard, and shot straight down to his cock, hardening his soft length to a fully engorged spear. He shuddered at that instant, his pulse rushing hot in his blood.


    Fucking God! It felt good to be alive.


    He loved this feeling. Was addicted to it even. So, he kissed her again, all over her naked body. Shey limp and quiet, like a little doll for her master to pleasure.


    And he did pleasure her, nting kisses after kisses, followed by little light licks all over her body. He continued to kiss and lick her, mind in a haze, while his eyes were still trained on her, watching her as he inflicted this pleasure on her body.


    She was still asleep, but what did she feel like unconscious? This question rubbed his curiosity. Was she throbbing with this need like he was, too?


    Giovanni decided to experiment. He gently pushed her knees apart, revealing her inner core. He wrapped his lips on her pussy and sucked.


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­¡± came her response. She bent her back, arching her butt a bit higher, as if allowing him more ess to her core.


    Giovanni took this opportunity,tching on to that spot, sucking on that flesh more. He licked her up and down along her slit and yfully teased her clit with his tongue.


    Another moan escaped her lips, and her legs shook. A flood of her honey exploded into his mouth. He swallowed and licked his lips. She tasted delicious.


    A small momentter, he heard her voice. ¡°Boss. Did I fall asleep?¡±


    She sounded drowsy. Properly just woken.


    Giovanni hauled himself up, braced one arm over her and gazed into her misty emerald eyes that were filled with lust.


    She was so innocent she didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d done while she was sleeping. If she did feel the effects, she would have imagined it was her dream.


    He wasn¡¯t about to tell her, though. He¡¯d show her instead. This time, with her eyes wide open, staring at him as he ate her up.


    ¡°Yes, you did,¡± he replied wickedly. He caressed her hair and coiled it around his fingers. ¡°You must be exhausted. Your first time and all.¡±


    ¡°I guess I was a bit tired. But that little nap was really refreshing. I could stay up all night talking to you right now.¡± She smiled up at him, her cheeks flushed pink.


    Fucking hell! Did she know she looked so fucking alluring right now? And those lips. He wanted to fuck those lips, too. Shove his cock into her mouth and let her suck him dry.


    A ripple of pleasure tore through him.


    God! Fuck! That was so fucking intense.


    ¡°Did you enjoy that experience?¡± he asked, putting in every effort to dampen his desire.


    She nodded again, a broad smile on her face.


    You little bunny. You¡¯ve no idea what you¡¯ve just unleased within me.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It was a wonderful experience. You were right. It only hurt a bit. But the pleasure overrode the pain.¡±


    ¡°Good. Really good.¡± He nodded, his thick, dark hair falling in his face.


    Giovanni watched as her expression change from innocence to panic.


    She knew, oh fucking god how she knew. His little Jennifer was so smart, quick to decipher his change of behavior.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, little bunny?¡±


    He caught her leg just as she made to bolt out of the bed. He mped his viselike fingers around her ankles, the bedsheets twisting erotically around her body. There was no way in hell he would let her escape again.


    He tugged her leg forward and pinned her to the bed again, his heavy body on top of her. She fought him, struggling for her freedom.


    For a little wee thing, she sure had the strength of a tiger. Or had his little bunny turned into a tiger after all?


    Giovanni smirked. ¡°You¡¯ve had your fun, Jay. And since you¡¯ve regained your energy, now it¡¯s my turn to have fun. Time for my revenge. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not ready for your revenge. Let me go, boss.¡± She struggled against him some more, her body wrapped, twisted and molded with his. Her action only heightened his desire to unleash the dormant beast inside him.


    Her body, which was so soft and malleable against his, turned his mind to a pool of liquid. He wanted to do so many wicked things with her. And to make sure he could do that, he tied her up, her hands bound together to the bedpost.


    ¡°Boss. Boss,¡± she panted when her strength gave way. ¡°You said you¡¯d be gentle with me. Why are you tying me up?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jay. You¡¯ve got it all wrong.¡± He caressed her cheek again and unraveled that white bedsheet from around her body, revealing one breast, two, and then her wet pussy. He licked his lips. The taste was still too sweet in his mouth. He wanted more.


    He flipped his eyes to her again and pressed his forehead against hers. With a husky voice, he whispered, ¡°I was gentle with you, Jay. I have fulfilled my promise to you. But now it¡¯s my turn. I¡¯m going to gobble you up. Chomp you into little bite-size pieces, so not a single crumb is left.¡±


    ¡°You make me sound like I¡¯m your snack,¡± she rasped, every breath a choking effort on her part.


    Giovanni chuckled again. ¡°Yes, Jay. You¡¯re my midnight snack. Or more like, my midnight dessert.¡±


    ¡°Boss, please don¡¯t say things like that.¡± She shyly looked away. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed.¡±


    He chuckled again and teased her, and then he traced his finger all the way to her wet pussy, pushing one finger in.


    Jay jerked back from his touch, scooting her butt back by three inches.


    ¡°Boss¡­¡± She panted, surprised. ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­¡±


    He pushed a bit deeper, this time with two fingers. She was hot inside, like a furnace radiating heat.


    ¡°Boss¡­ ahhh¡­¡± She drummed against him.


    Atst. He¡¯d found her spot.


    ¡°Boss. Please¡­ ahhh¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ stop¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, Jay. Really good.¡± He whispered softly in her ear. ¡°More of that sound. You¡¯re making me so hard.¡±


    ¡°Please, boss. Stop it with those fingers. I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m feeling hot¡­¡±


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s the whole purpose, Jay. I want you to feel fucking hot so we can do it again.¡±


    ¡°Boss¡­ mmmm¡­ ugghhhh¡­¡± And suddenly he went in for the dive. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± she cried out in ecstasy. ¡°Not there. Please. Not there.¡±


    But it had to be there. He¡¯d wanted to taste her essence again. And now that she was fully awake, with legs spread out, revealing that soft, delicate pussy, he took action.


    Hepped at her essence, licking all her honey. She wedged her butt off the bed, buckling as each lick of his tongue sent another shivering sensation down her spine.


    Giovanni knew he was the one who had this effect on her, and he smirked, wanting to inflict more of this pleasure on her. So, he bathed attention on her breast, licking his way up her t belly, sucking and swirling his tongue along her hypersensitive skin. When he reached her breasts, he squeezed them. Taking one nipple into his mouth, he lightly grazed, then bit that small nub between his teeth.


    His little Jennifer arched her back again and moaned out his name.


    His Jennifer. She was his Jennifer. And there was no fucking way he¡¯d allow any other man to touch her. Not in this life or the next.


    She might not be experienced in the art of fucking, but he¡¯d sure teach her all the basic skills to please him. And he had his whole life to teach her, because Jay would belong to him for the rest of his life.


    Giovanni was so overjoyed by this thought he kissed the living hell out of her neck, to mark her as his woman. If he were a wolf, Jay would now be his mate. His scent was now on her. And he was pleased when he drew back to inspect his work, a dark-red spot was already evident. His mark, this hickey.


    What did she feel like at that moment? Was she bound by this explicit desire, too? Because he was stuck in a realm of passion. No longer could he differentiate where reality finished and fantasy started. He needed her to understand how he felt, too, this explosion of fireworks in his mind.


    His dick increased in size,rge and long, like a spear pointing toward her. He¡¯d had her once. But that wasn¡¯t enough. He needed more, wanted more. He wanted to bury his dick right in the crevice of her tight pussy, pushing and thrusting until the fire in his eyes ignited into sharp, white mes. He wanted toe inside her, spill his seed inside her, but he knew she wasn¡¯t protected. He cursed at himself, remembering he must wear a condom.


    He was lucky the first time he took her, he went slow and prepared a condom in advance. Now, everything was a haze in his mind. All he wanted to do was pound his cock deep inside her without a second thought. But he must remember that Jay wasn¡¯t one of those easy fucks. She was his precious little Jennifer, and he had to take it slow, even for their second time.


    Giovanni rolled off her and grabbed another package of condoms. Quickly rolling it on his cock, he stopped in mid-action when her soft voice floated into his mind. ¡°Boss. Please.¡±


    Giovanni flicked his eyes to her. She was begging him, her eyes ssy andrge like a little doe. Her legs were spread wide like a fucking goddess offering herself to him. Her essence leaked out of her pussy, that ce where he licked and fucked with his tongue and fingers.


    ¡°My sweet little Jennifer. You¡¯re driving me fucking insane.¡± He grabbed her face between his palms and crushed her lips with his kiss.


    ¡°Boss.¡± She mewed after he drew back.


    ¡°Call me Gio¡­ Gio, handsome boy, like before,¡± he asked her, desperation in his voice.


    She lolled her head around, mind in another realm, too far gone to understand what he asked. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t remember calling you that.¡±


    He brought her back to reality, shaking her and kissing her hard on those lips again. With lust-filled eyes, he said, ¡°You did. The first time I took you, you said my name. You called me Gio, handsome boy. Call me that again.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She shook her head again, eyes hot and bright. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    Maybe she¡¯d recalled something from their past. That was why she¡¯d used that phrase to call him. But even if she didn¡¯t remember, he wanted to at least satisfy his fantasy.


    ¡°Please,¡± he begged again. Giovanni never begged for anything. Even when Ro Bianca cursed him and kicked him out of the house, he didn¡¯t beg a cent from that man. But with Jay, for her to say ¡°Gio, handsome boy,¡± that was his lifeline.


    ¡°Gio, handsome boy.¡± She panted.


    Giovanni smiled, heart overwhelmed with joy, and he kissed her hard. Finally satisfied, he pulled back, wrapping the condom on his engorged cock. He milked it, readying it for the grand entrance.


    He managed to slip the head in before Jay cried out. ¡°Boss.¡±


    It was like that the first time, too. Jay was just too fucking tight. They¡¯d need to do it more often to loosen her up.


    ¡°Gio, handsome boy.¡± He reminded her. ¡°Say it,¡± he grunted, sweat forming on his forehead and he pushed in a little farther.


    ¡°Gio, handsome boy. Please¡­¡±


    ¡°My little Jennifer. Are you begging me to fuck you faster, or to go slower?¡± He teased her, licking the sweat forming on her upper lip. She was fucking beautiful and oh-so-fucking delicious.


    His cock grew evenrger as he went in deeper. He knew it hurt Jay to even breathe, so he smoothed her hair and told her to breathe through her nose. Jay obeyed, breathing slowly with shallow gasps.


    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No. You¡¯re just so full inside me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± he chuckled, and thrust another few inches into her.


    Jay softened against him.


    ¡°Jennifer. My little Jennifer.¡± It started slow, and then he mmed right into her. He couldn¡¯t control himself any longer. The dormant beast inside him, his savage self, came forth.


    ¡°Ungaahh¡­ ah¡­ hah¡­¡± she cried in response to his harsh fucking.


    Giovanni frowned, holding himself back once more. He slowed down, and petted her hair gently. Even after their first time, she wasn¡¯t used to this.


    Warm breath escaped her lips, fanning his face. ¡°Boss. God! Help!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all right, Jay. I want to give you pleasure. You¡¯ll feel the pleasure. I promise.¡±


    And soon Jay did feel the pleasure, as she brought her legs to wrap around his naked butt and rocked with him. Thrust after thrust, stroke after stroke, she synced her action with his.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ ummm¡­ ugghh¡­ I¡­¡± She shook her head again, mping her mouth shut. ¡°Please, boss. I can¡¯t hold on.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. Don¡¯te until I tell you to.¡±


    He counted to ten. One¡­ two¡­ three¡­


    The seconds ticked by. Faster and faster. Each stroke turned to lightning speed. He held her tight as they rode the wave together. Suddenly, they reached their destination, bright fireworks exploding in front of his eyes.


    Jay came first, convulsing beneath him. Giovanni took his time, watching his woman finally sated. Then he came, finally copsing on top of her as the wave hit him.


    Her essence leaked out of her after their intense climax. In a dash, he picked her up and carried her to the bathroom, straight into the shower stall.


    ¡°Where are you taking me, boss?¡± she asked tiredly, in her seductive voice.


    ¡°To wash you up,¡± he said quietly. His cock hardened as soon as he heard her speak.


    Fuck!


    Giovanni stood her up, but because her legs were so tired, she copsed in his arms.


    He sat her on the edge of the tub. Running a bubble bath, he settled her inside, resting her head onto his chest as he got in, too.


    ¡°Boss¡­¡± she murmured quietly, head lolled back to look him in the eye. Those eyes heated up, zed over with passion when his hands washed her sensitive skin, her nipples, her belly, and her pussy.


    ¡°You sure know how to drive a man crazy,¡± Giovanni let out. He spun her around and thrust his cock inside her again. He pounded into her this time, without reservation. Fierce and hot, like a panther chasing his little bunny rabbit. After another intense climax, she copsed in his arms again.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m tired.¡± Sheid her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Jay. I won¡¯t take you again. I¡¯m just washing you up. We¡¯ll sleep after this.¡±


    He quietly washed her hair and rubbed strawberry soap onto her body. Once done, he hauled her in his arms and gentlyid her on the bed, nestling her small body close against him.


    ¡°Boss, are we finished? I¡¯m so tired.¡± Sheined again, tucking her head automatically into the crook of his neck.


    He patted her hair, smoothing the strands with his fingers. ¡°Yes, Jay. We¡¯re finished for the night. Go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Boss,¡± she murmured quietly, eyes already closing. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could be your lover. I don¡¯t have the strength to keep up with your appetite. I¡¯m going back to being your maid. Forget about adding that lover bit to the¡­ contract.¡±


    Giovanni chuckled quietly as she fell asleep in his arms. ¡°You sure yack a mile a minute, Jay.¡± He caressed her softly. ¡°But it¡¯s toote for that now, my little Jennifer.¡± A single tear drop slid from his eyes. He quickly wiped it away. He hugged her close against him, feeling that warmth seeping into his bones again. ¡°I¡¯m already addicted to your warmth. I¡¯m not letting you go back to being my maid again.¡±


    And with this, he fell asleep, too, in the arms of the girl who thawed his cold heart.

 #2鈥擟hapter 18

    Capturing the Mafia¡¯s Heart


    I had a dream. It was the most amazing and delicious dream I¡¯d ever had. Last night, I ate that chocte cake I¡¯d always wanted. And it was beyond what I¡¯d expected. Delicious, addictive, and totally irresistible.


    But something didn¡¯t feel right this morning. I was nestled too closely, my body feeling too warm to be considered normal. And why was my bed so big? It almost felt like I was sleeping on a bed of clouds, my body floating in the sky.


    Actually, that might be the reason I felt sofortable. Warmth. Peace. And a sense of belonging, like I was meant to sleep on this bed.


    I fluttered my eyes open, slowly and carefully, just enough to get my first glimpse of my surroundings. And I started to screamed. But before the sound came out of my mouth, I mped it shut.


    I was totally dreaming. There was no way this handsome and totally captivating mafia boss was sleeping in my bed.


    I shook my head and blinked three times. The image in front of me didn¡¯t disappear. In fact, the more I blinked, the more the situation dawned on me. I was in bed, sleeping with Giovanni, my mafia boss.


    Holy cupcake! What was Giovanni doing in my bed? Or more urately, what was I doing in his bed? No wonder I had a wonderful dreamst night. Of eating chocte cake.


    Chocte cake my backside.


    Giovanni was fast asleep. His breathing was even. My curious hand had a mind of its own. It went to cup his cheek.


    What was I doing? I should get out of this bed pronto, before the boss caught me red-handed. But no, my stupid curious self just had to satisfy my curiosity.


    A small piece of my inner self wanted to know what it was like to touch his cheek, to feel his temple and heartbeat against my palm.


    A smile broadened my mouth as my fingers traced his jawline. It was slightly rough, but oh so manly.


    I¡¯d never been this close to a man before, sleeping beside one, feeling one¡¯s cheek. Crispin was close, but I never had the liberty to explore, nor had the desire to touch him this way.


    There was something about Giovanni that drew me in, again and again. I knew my heart was totally captivated by him. He was everything I¡¯d ever dreamed of.


    But I knew my dream was about to turn into a nightmare. A person like Giovanni, a mafia boss, the most fearsome man in the whole of New York City, the most captivating and alluring man in the state of New York-now why would he want to sleep with me, his maid? It didn¡¯t make sense. So, I had to leave, before he woke up.


    I crawled out slowly, careful as not to wake him up. I was so excited when my foot hit the carpet. But my excitement died a sudden death when my body was hauled back, mming into a wall-of-steel chest. Large, masculine arms then wrapped around my middle section.


    I screamed and floundered about, wanting to be released from this alluring man.


    A loud chuckle erupted from his chest.


    ¡°Boss. What are you doing? Let me go.¡± I gripped his fingers, trying to unsp them from me, but he was strong, holding me imprisoned until I was breathless.


    ¡°Holding you, Jay,¡± he whispered in my ear, paralyzing my body. ¡°So you won¡¯t escape again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Turning slowly, I took in his image.


    Big mistake. He was so raw this morning, his features all hard edges. When I first viewed him in his sleeping form, he was so subdued, but now, he was all man, virile, to the point it took my breath away.


    I inhaled a massive amount of oxygen to calm my nerves. It wasn¡¯t every day I woke up in the bed of a man I¡¯d been dreaming about. Not to mention he was also naked. And I was sitting on hisp.


    ¡°Boss.¡± I chuckled uneasily, trying my best to dissipate the nervous tension in my belly. ¡°You can let me go now. I¡¯m going back to my room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go back to your room.¡± He gripped me firmer. ¡°From now on, you sleep here, in my bed.¡±


    That deration took me by surprise.


    I must be delusional. That must be it. No way was Giovanni saying he wanted me to stay in his room and sleep in his bed. I was still dreaming.


    ¡°Please tell me I didn¡¯t do anything to you. Like tie you up to a bed, because that¡¯s what I remembered.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha-ha.¡± Giovanni chuckled again. ¡°You sure did more than that. Want me to give you a clue?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know. Just tell me I wasn¡¯t dreaming about me sleeping in your bed.¡±


    ¡°You did sleep in my bed,¡± was his blunt reply.


    ¡°Oh God. No. I was dreaming. It was all in my dream. How is it even possible? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± I was hysterical, randomly spouting out nonsense even my mind couldn¡¯tprehend. But the thought of sleeping in bed and doing intimate things with Giovanni, the mafia boss, that was beyond belief to a normal girl like me.


    Shift. Jerk. Shove.


    One minute I was sitting in hisp; the next I was beneath him, his eyes boring straight into mine. Giovanni had pushed me down, and now I was at his mercy.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t dreamst night, Jay. We fucked,¡± he said this sentence with a straight face. ¡°And I kissed you. Like this.¡±


    I was unprepared for that kiss. It was intoxicating. It was mind blowing. It sent electric pulses up my spine. My lips became numb after a while. I knew then I was poisoned by his kiss, wanting more when he gave me only a little.


    When he pulled back, I cradled his neck and exerted more force until his lips were sealed to mine again. I was a bad girl. A really bad girl who wanted to taste more of this mafia boss. After a short time, we separated.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn¡¯t look at him. Not after I¡¯dmitted that bold act. Also, I was afraid I¡¯d fall for him all over again. I was already in love with him. To fall for him even deeper would guarantee my heart a lifetime of misery.


    It was my own fault. If I hadn¡¯t wanted to taste the chocte cake so much, I wouldn¡¯t be stuck in this predicament, half way between his maid and possibly his lover.


    I fluttered my eyes open and saw him. He was still staring at me, his gaze prating deep into my soul. His fingers lightly caressed my lips, sending quivers of butterflies swarming in my belly.


    Giovanni was a wolf. He was one devilish wolf out to destroy my innocent heart.


    But the fact still remained. Why did he want to sleep with mest night? It would be okay if I were his lover, but what was I to him?


    I knew I was indispensable because of my coffee skills, but to make love to his coffee machine? Now that had me confused.


    I was still pinned under Giovanni when I asked him this question, ¡°Boss, what am I to you now?¡±


    I listened carefully to what he had to say, because from now on, my life-no, my future-would depend on that one single answer.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t speak. He was too busy curling his fingers around my brown locks.


    ¡°Boss.¡± I caught his finger and stilled his movement. ¡°Please tell me. I¡¯m dying to know.¡±


    ¡°Listen carefully, Jay.¡± He bent forward and huffed in my ear, making my pupils dte. ¡°You are one lucky girl to have captured the heart of this dangerous mafia boss.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I mouthed as he pulled back to look into my eyes.


    ¡°Do I need to spell it out? You¡¯re smart enough to figure it out for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me I¡¯m dreaming.¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake. I¡¯ve told you a million times already that you didn¡¯t dream it.¡± He sounded pissed. ¡°We fucked. I licked your pussy. We had sex three times. One of which included me taking you in the bathtub. What more do I have to tell you. You didn¡¯t dreamst night? It was all real. See.¡±


    He was mad. I knew that. But he didn¡¯t need to fling the nket off my body, revealing my naked self for his eyes to feast on.


    ¡°I kissed you here, here and here,¡± he said, pointing to my nape, my left breast and on my belly. I turned a ming shade of red.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ boss, please.¡± I screeched, grabbing the nket before it slid off the bed entirely.


    But Giovanni caught me and pinned me to the bed again. He pressed his body on my breasts until they were t against his chest.


    ¡°Boss, please, give me back the nket. I¡¯m notfortable in this position.¡±


    Giovanni smirked. ¡°Get used to this position, because that¡¯s where you¡¯ll be spending a lot of your time.¡± I was naked and warm, also feeling a little aroused with him on top of me. Giovanni chuckled, noticing my flushed face. ¡°Wanna fuck again?¡±


    ¡°Boss, please don¡¯t use that word. It hurts my ears.¡± I turned away from him, refusing to look in those obsidian irises.


    Giovanni spun my face around with a small jolt of his thumb on my chin. ¡°You¡¯d better get used to hearing that word, because from now on, Jay, you are deemed my lover. So be prepared to meet your fate.¡±


    I could only stare at him in disbelief.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your response, Jay?¡± he asked when I didn¡¯t return his reply.


    I was still silent, mind ying up countless scenarios of my life as his lover. I didn¡¯t know how to answer him. That question of me being his maid still gued my mind.


    ¡°What about my position as your maid and coffee machine?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m all confused.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be confused about,¡± he growled out, expression a bit annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re now my lover. But you¡¯ll still need to make me coffee.¡±


    ¡°So, I don¡¯t need to make your bed?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll be sleeping in it. With me.¡±


    ¡°So, I don¡¯t need to wash your bathtub?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll be bathing with me. Together.¡±


    ¡°So, I don¡¯t need to wash, iron, and fold your shirts anymore.¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll be wearing my shirts, after we fuck.¡±


    Oh God. I was not ready tomit myself to this kind of rtionship. Especially with this dangerous man who used the F-word in every single sentence.


    I gently pushed him back and got up slowly, stering the nket to my naked body. Looking at Giovanni once, I smiled and offered my sentiment.


    ¡°Thank you for the offer, boss. Even though it may sound tempting, I have to decline. I¡¯m more than happy to continue to be your maid. Plus, a normal girl like me, I¡¯m ill-suited to be your lover. You can find someone else. Maybe your Jennifer. Washing your shirts, cleaning your bathtub, and making your bed, now I can do all that. Making love every day of the week¡­ I don¡¯t have the strength for that. Now, because I have a long day ahead, plus school in about two hours, I¡¯d better-


    Oh shit!


    There was no winning with this man. Disliking my decision, he pinned me to the bed again.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Toote now, Jay. As I said, it¡¯s rare for any women to capture my heart, but now that you¡¯ve captured mine, I can¡¯t let you go.¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat, boss?¡± I snapped back.


    ¡°You can take it as a threat, or take it as a change in contract.¡±


    ¡°Whichever way, I¡¯m stuck.¡±


    ¡°I like you in this position. Stuck between me and the bed.¡±


    Giovanni leaned in slowly. I knew I was about to get poisoned by that kiss again. So, before he could poison me, I screamed out, ¡°What about your Jennifer? You said you¡¯re searching for your Jennifer. I¡¯m not her. Find her and make her your lover. Leave me to be your maid.¡±


    ¡°Jay. Jay. Jay. I¡¯ll repeat it again. You are my Jennifer.¡± He clicked his tongue and pulled back, tugging me along with him too, nestling me on hisp again, and patting my head onto his shoulder.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t remember,¡± I meekly replied. ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make you remember. I¡¯ll make love to you, again and again, until your memoriese back. I¡¯ll make you fall for me, be intoxicated by me, until you can¡¯t ever let me go, and want to stay with me forever. So, what do you say? Come be my lover?¡± He whispered these seductive words in my ear, making my body heat up once more.


    My chocte cake. My dream man. How could I refuse? Even if at the end of my journey as his maid, or lover, he found out I wasn¡¯t his Jennifer, even if he got sick of me, and pushed me away, or even when the time came for all my debt to be paid in full, I¡¯d happily pack my bags and leave his side. But before that time came, I could enjoy this one small moment of love. I wanted to experience it, taste it, be intoxicated by it.


    I pushed him gently onto the bed, my wild hair falling into a brown curtain around us.


    ¡°Boss. I¡¯ll answer you now.¡±


    His eyes lit up, waiting desperately to hear my answer.


    I inched forward, my lips hovering just above his lips. I didn¡¯t kiss him. I wanted him to know what it was like to feel the anticipation so bad that he could risk anything to be with me. This way, I¡¯d know what he said about wanting me to be his lover was real.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be your lover. If tomorrowes and you decide you¡¯ve had enough of me, then I¡¯ll go. As long as you agree to remove the three-million-dor debt off my Pa¡¯s name. This is my only condition.¡±


    ¡°You are one fucking smart rabbit, Jay.¡± He gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Will you, or will you notply with this use?¡± I barked back.


    Giovanni mped my face between his palms and pulled me close until my lipsnded an inch from his. My heart pumped three miles a minutes just with him being this close.


    Minutes ticked by, and still he didn¡¯t answer. All he did was gaze at me, deep into my green eyes.


    Would I be worth that three million? That was what he must be thinking. Even I couldn¡¯t believe what I¡¯d proposed.


    Giovanni squeezed my cheeks. Then ever so slowly, he cupped my chin and brushed my cheek softly. In a subtle, soft voice, he gave me his answer.


    ¡°You¡¯ve captured this mafia boss¡¯s heart, Jay. I don¡¯t think I could ask another girl to be my lover. You fit everything I could ever want. And for that, I¡¯llply. If I toss you out, your old man will be debt free. In return, you¡¯re to stay by my side until I¡¯m tired of you. But if you run away from me without my consent, I¡¯ll scour this earth for you. And your old man will not only pay back the three million he owes, but he will also give me his life.¡±


    I gulped down my fear. ¡°You don¡¯t mean death-¡±


    He mped my lips. ¡°I¡¯ve given you my answer, Jay. Now it¡¯s your turn. Do youply with this proposal?¡±


    I¡¯d made my decision. I knew the answer to my own heart. I was in love with this dangerous man, so there was no way Pa would sacrifice his life for me.


    ¡°Jay,¡± Giovanni prompted.


    I looked into his eyes, seeing the man who was going to be my boss and lover. My future shed before my eyes. Would I still make his coffee? Would I still be his maid? I didn¡¯t know the answers to these questions. But one thing I knew was that I was prepared to be totally intoxicated by this mafia boss, Giovanni Dente.


    ¡°This is my answer, boss.¡± With this said, I sank my lips onto his, sealing my fate as his lover.

 #2鈥擟hapter 19

    New Contract


    1) Make me coffee


    2) Cook my food


    3) Run my bath


    I flicked my eyes from the love contract document, back to Giovanni, who was rxing against his chair like he was the king of the castle. Well, this was his castle, and he was the king. He could do whatever he wanted. But this¡­


    What the hell is this?


    ¡°Boss, is this a maid contract or what?¡± I sent him the evil eye. ¡°Everything is the same as my old contract.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s different,¡± he casually said, reclining in his throne-like chair, fingers tracing his lips, like he¡¯d all the time in the world, unlike me, who had a gazillion things to do before heading off to the library. Exams wereing soon and I had to pass my midyear papers.


    Giovanni was watching me with keen interest. Probably waiting for me to go into a fit. Well, I¡¯d show it to him. I went into a hissy fit.


    ¡°Tell me the meaning of this? Right this instant,¡± I demanded. ¡°How is it any different from my previous contract.¡± My eyes scanned through the document again and all I saw was the same shit he¡¯d printed out in my maid contract. ¡°Everything is the same. There¡¯s no difference.¡±


    I thought by agreeing to be his lover, I could reduce my workload on the house work, and yes, maybe get to sleep with him on one or two asions. This way, I could sate my unbridled lust for him, as well as have some time to study. In my previous role as maid, I was running around like a headless chook, picking his shit off the floor, or run his bath. But now, I guessed there was no difference. Had I been deceivedst night?


    Last night, I was not myself. I¡¯d slept with him. I had agreed to his proposal. And now when the sun came up, reality dawned on me when he pped that piece of paper on my forehead first thing this morning.


    What lover? There was no sweet morning talk like those romance novels I read. He was a brute with nomon courtesy for the female gender.


    ¡°Read and sign it. Then you will be bound to me forever.¡±


    Bound forever? This wasn¡¯t the proposal I¡¯d heardst night. This was a prison term. I didn¡¯t want to be bound to anyone unless I loved them. And Giovanni¡­


    I licked my lips, heart thumping dramatically when I saw him in cks fit for the catwalk runway.


    When the bleep did he have the time to dress himself so fashionably when it was still dark outside? Did he have a meeting to go to this morning? Then why had he asked me to read this stupid contract, and demand that I sign my life away, right this moment?


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in signing it. It¡¯s practically the same as the other contract.¡± I waved the document aside and was about to walk out the door when Giovanni¡¯s next statement stopped me in my tracks.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same, Jay. Read use 22. Carefully.¡± He gently flicked his finger in my direction.


    What is he, a conductor now?


    Yes. He¡¯s conducting my life. I was just his little stringed instrument he manipted.


    I muttered something evil under my breath, sent him a death re, and picked up the document, eyes quickly skimming through the contents again, until I reached use 22. There, in bold writing, was the statement.


    22) Must be avable to satisfy Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss of New York City, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.


    What the bleep! What the bleep bleep!


    My eyes bulged out as soon as I finished that sentence. My mouth vomited out swear words that could burn his ancestor¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Boss, what the hell is this?¡± I marched to him, pping the document right in front of his face. ¡°Am I reading it right? Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jay. Your eyesight is truly excellent. I hope your smart brain is able to interpret the meaning of that statement too, without me having to exin it?¡±


    I was utterly astonished, to the point of flipping everything and just walking out. To hell with this mafia boss! To start off byplimenting me on my smart brain.


    I was many things to him. His coffee machine, his maid, sometimes his chair, just a mundane piece of furniture in his huge mansion, but I was certainly not a fool. What he was referring to had nothing to do with serving him coffee twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This satisfaction came only through matters of the flesh.


    Giovanni loved being sarcastic. He enjoyed seeing me all miserable and wound up. And I was wound up. More wound up than a cork screw.


    Screw him! Screw this mafia boss! I¡¯d had enough. I¡¯d been deceived.


    ¡°I¡¯m not signing it,¡± I shouted. ¡°I¡¯m going back to being your maid. At least I don¡¯t have to tire myself out by letting you bite me all night long. Last night was horrible. You bit me in so many ces. And it¡¯s still painful.¡±


    Giovanni smirked. That devil mafia boss actually smirked at me. What the devil was he thinking? Gosh, I was mad, I saw red.


    ¡°Stop smirking,¡± I demanded. ¡°You are not even that alluring.¡±


    Giovanni bounced off his chair, advancing toward me at a seductive pace, I was so mesmerized by him, I didn¡¯t realize he had me trapped against the door. Well, crap! Now I had nowhere to run. I was stuck.


    ¡°But you found me alluringst night, right, Jay?¡± He hypnotized me with his touch, gently grazing my temple, gently running feathery touches along my jawline, all the way to my lips. One touch, and electric nerves shot up my spine.


    Stupid nerves. Stop reacting to him. Control yourself.


    What the devil was with him, anyway? Gosh, he pissed me off big time. And why must he remind me ofst night. My face blushed pink from the memory.


    Last night, I¡¯d begged him for another round, because I had enjoyed it immensely. Who knew I was so easily seduced. Who knew I had this demonic lust hidden within me? And Giovanni was the devil who¡¯d unleashed it. Now my lust roamed free, not wanting to be subdued.


    ¡°Tell me, Jay. Tell me you enjoyed being fucked by me. Tell me you like my co-¡±


    ¡°Say no more, boss. I¡¯ve heard enough,¡± I cut him off mid-sentence, before he could say something embarrassing. ¡°Stop using that ¡®F¡¯ word. It grates on my ears. And don¡¯t expect me to sign the contract. I¡¯m off to make the guys their coffee. Find yourself another lover. I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Not so fast.¡± He caught my wrist and swung me around, my head went into a 180-degree spin. Once I got my bearings, Giovanni was already on top of me. And how the heck did I end up on the floor?


    ¡°I bet you won¡¯tst a week without me, Jay. Once you had a taste of me, you can¡¯t go back.¡± A wicked smile yed on his lips. Stupid lips. Stupid Giovanni.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t go back. I was stupidly and thoroughly addicted to those lips, extremely and purely intoxicated with his taste. What more must I suffer under the hands of this mafia boss?


    ¡°Wow, boss. You really think highly of yourself,¡± I snapped, challenging him with my own death re.


    Giovanni, thinking I wasplimenting him, started listing all his positive features. ¡°I¡¯m rich. I¡¯m handsome. Not many guys my age can boast of bing the mafia boss.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe him. His ego really had no limits. And why was he smirking like he was pleased with himself for being the leader of the mafia gang? He was a criminal, after all. And criminals should be loathed and feared.


    And what was I doing, getting myself involved with this criminal mafia boss in the first ce? me it all on my Pa, who¡¯d used me as coteral to get out of his $3 million debt. In exchange, I was to be this mafia boss¡¯ maid. Now, he wanted me as his lover. But not before I could negotiate to be in a better position.


    ¡°Give me a better deal, then I¡¯ll sign the contract.¡±


    ¡°What do you want in the contract?¡± He started ying with my hair, winding his fingers around the brown locks.


    It was damned distracting. I was surprised I was able to formte a sentence. ¡°Give me freedom.¡±


    m! Both of his fists hit the floor on either side of my head. ¡°Tough shit! Your old man owes me $3 million. Freedom is thest thing on the negotiation table.¡±


    What¡­ what did he say? My mind was not registering his words. All my focus was on him, as the distance between us closed.


    My eyes flickered from his cupid lips, to his straight nose, and finally to eyes like a canvas of those dark summer nights, where the stars were like sparkling jewels in the sky.


    Up this close, his scent invaded my nasal cavity. I was sucked in by his intoxicating scent. My heart was thumping at a hundred miles per minute in response to this.


    I was nervous. I shouldn¡¯t be, though, since Giovanni casually invaded my personal space on most asions. But this was not one of those asions. Giovanni had intention. And his intention was me.


    ¡°Then¡­ then I won¡¯t sign it.¡± My mind was somehow able to kick back into gear and articte those words.


    ¡°Then you die,¡± he announced, not aware of the affect he had on me.


    Yes, I was already dying from his pheromones. His scent was driving me crazy.


    ¡°No. I choose to go back to being your maid. And that¡¯s my final decision.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no longer an option, Jay.¡±


    ¡°I choose that option.¡±


    We were in a death match, each of us staring at each other until the other decided to give up. Giving up was not in my nature, even though I couldn¡¯t struggle much longer.


    ¡°Tsk!¡± Giovanni diverted his eyes first, got up, and ruffled his hair, finally releasing me from his pheromone trance. Thank god. One more minute and I¡¯d have lost my mindpletely.


    Giovanni sat at an angle, disying his longs leg for my view. Those legs were super sexy. I remembered what those legs did to mest night.


    Back to reality, Jenny. You are here to negotiate your new contract with Giovanni, remember? I blinked and knocked myself back to reality. Those legs were dangerous. Giovanni himself was dangerous. Staying this close to him was dangerous.


    I picked myself up off the carpet and moved about three feet away from him. A safe distance, especially if I wanted to retain my sanity.


    ¡°You¡¯re being stubborn, Jay.¡± Giovanni did the opposite, gliding across the carpet, folding himself into position, and sliding me between his legs, all in one smooth motion. He cupped my chin, lifting my face to meet his midnight pupils. Those wordsing from his lips resonated the true nature of my heart. ¡°Give up, Jay. You need me.¡±


    It was true. I needed him. But I couldn¡¯t tell him that. I still had my pride. And my pride demanded that I negotiate to get a better deal before settling to be his lover.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. I think it¡¯s you who needs me.¡± I yed the stubborn lover right off the bat. ¡°Or my coffee, to be exact.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Jay, you sly little bunny. Let¡¯s be civilized. It¡¯s not often I give in to the demands of anyone, but for you, I am willing to negotiate, so we can both benefit from our contract.¡±


    ¡°Good call.¡±


    And thirty minutester, we were sitting opposite each other across the table, removing and inserting uses in the new contract.


    ¡°I choose to only sleep with you on weekends. Weekdays I must study. How¡¯s that?¡± I bargained.


    ¡°No deal,¡± he said immediately. ¡°I need my special milk during my downtime.¡±


    ¡°Your special milk?¡± I scratched my head, not understanding his meaning. ¡°You mean the ones I put in your coffee?¡±


    ¡°No. Jay. Be a smart girl. It¡¯s the kind of milk you make when I fuck you.¡± He pinched my chin teasingly, and when the meaning sank in, I screeched and pushed his hand away.


    ¡°No way, boss. No way.¡± I waved my hands furiously. ¡°I refuse. It¡¯s three times a week or I scram. Deal, or no deal?¡±


    His fist mmed on the table, and I bounced in my chair. Was he mad? His nostrils red when he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t piss me off, Jay. I can¡¯t fucking control myself when I see you. I get hard. So, no deal. I propose five times a week.¡±


    I mmed my fist on the table, too, to refute his demand. And dear lord did it hurt, but I didn¡¯t let him know it. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± I said in a strong voice. There was no way I was backing down from this. ¡°Five times a week would be too much.¡±


    Giovanni chuckled, his eyes twinkled with delight. He extended his arm and cupped my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re young, Jay. I¡¯m sure you can handle it.¡±


    I pushed his hand off. ¡°No way. My body is not made to satisfy you every day. My body has other functions, too. I need to eat, study, and sleep.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get to sleep, Jay.¡± His voice resonated seductively into my ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about that.¡±


    Resting his face on the palm of his hand, he tilted his eyes at me. A ghost of a smile lingered on his lips.


    ¡°What are you thinking about, boss? I know that look.¡±


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m thinking about?¡± he asked in a yful tone. He was waiting for me to trip on my own words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to say it. Just know that I know what you¡¯re thinking about.¡±


    ¡°That brain of yours, Jay. I can¡¯t wait to get to know you better. I want to spend each day testing that brain of yours.¡±


    Was that a realpliment? Wow. I never thought Giovanni could sound genuine.


    But he did. I couldn¡¯t help suppressing my smile, so I jerked my lips upward. My whole face blushed under his cool stare.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Damn, where was my nerve. I cleared my throat and tried again. ¡°I propose four times a week, plus I get days off when ites to exam time. Do we have a deal?¡±


    Please say yes, please say yes. Oh Ma, up in heaven, please make him say yes. I closed my eyes and prayed.


    ¡°Five days a week, with off periods for exam weeks. And we have a deal.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    That statementing from Giovanni made my day. I was grinning with glee. Thinking about it a bit, I knew it was a good enough deal. I should just think of it as working five days a week to satisfy Giovanni. And the weekend I got time off. What more could I ask for. Starting out as a maid to capturing the attention of the mafia boss, that¡¯s not too shabby at all. Plus, exams wereing up, so that meant I didn¡¯t need to satisfy him until after my exams. Oh, this was fabulous.


    ¡°We have a deal, boss.¡± I smiled and nodded my head, moved the document back to my side and signed it.


    I was just finishing off my name when I was distracted by a hand cupping my chin. I blinked, looked up, and Giovanni took up my whole vision. My heart went into atrial fibrition mode again. Apparently, when my focus was on the document, he¡¯d closed in on me.


    ¡°Good choice, my little bunny.¡± He tilted my chin and traced my lower lip. ¡°Now then¡­¡± He moved in closer and I literally missed a breath. ¡°Let¡¯s seal this deal with a kiss.¡±


    Our lips met and we collided. Teeth, tongue, all meshed together. The world tilted and turned, I was spinning and flying. The world shifted again and this time I was in the middle of a meadow breeze, with cherry blossoms floating around me. Giovanni had transported me to another world, where only he and I existed.


    Our kissing ceased just as fast as it had started. But the atmosphere between us was still charged with sexual tension.


    ¡°Now, then, since you¡¯ve signed it, I¡¯ll be keeping it.¡± His voice was pure silk in my ears and I was literally sucked into a trance.


    He took the document right from under my hand, folded it into squares, and slipped it into his coat pocket. And all this time I was still stupidly fixed in my position, mouth longing for another taste of those lips.


    Leaning back in, I thought he was about to grant me my wish when instead, he took my chin in his hand and whispered softly in my ear, ¡°Tonight, Jay, you will serve me.¡±


    The word serve was like a bucket of ice water sshing me awake from my trance. I snapped back to reality.


    ¡°No can do, boss. I have my ounting examing up and it¡¯s starting in a week¡¯s time. So, as per the contract, the exam period use steps in.¡±


    Giovanni hissed, missing me by an inch when I bolted out of my seat and jetted straight for the door.


    I was quick like that. I could maneuver myself out of any situation. And this was one of those times. I could not be sucked into his alluring trap. Not right now. I needed full attention on my studies. Giovanni right now was a distraction to me.


    Across the room, Giovanni was sitting in his chair, throwing invisible daggers at me.


    Oh, he was pissed off all right. I, for once, was enjoying this moment immensely. So, I milked the situation even more.


    ¡°Sorry I can¡¯t satisfy you, boss, not until¡­¡± I looked at the calendar, my head peeking in between the door. ¡°One week from today. Do take good care of yourself, boss. Especially your banana. Chao.¡±


    And I was off, racing down the hallway, making sure he didn¡¯t catch up to me. But his voice caught me. I stopped and listened.


    ¡°You mark my words, Jay. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯lle running to me. Just you wait.¡± His deep baritone bounced across the wall and resonated in my ears.


    I chuckled. ¡°No way, boss. It¡¯s you who has to wait. Get ready for the one-week torture.¡±

 #2鈥擟hapter 20

    Tempting You


    ¡°A hh¡­¡± I blissfully sang under the shower head. The jet spray relieved my stress and I was lost for that small moment. Pa was gone from my mind. Amelia was gone from my mind. And the uing exam I was stressing about flew out of my mind. At that moment, it was only me and the shower.


    Who would have thought being the lover of the mafia boss could get you this much privilege. Last time, I could only shower in secret. Now, I got permission to use his bathroom at my leisure.


    After shampooing my hair and applying conditioner, I rinsed it. Feeling all fresh and clean after the wash, I wrapped myself in the big, white, fluffy towel.


    The mirror was slightly fogged after my shower. I wiped it with my hand and saw my own reflection. Me, this pale in girl with mousy brown hair was now the lover of this heartthrob of a mafia boss. What had fate bought me? Was I lucky or what?


    Running back through Giovanni¡¯s bedroom, I was pleased to see he wasn¡¯t in. Probably out and about with Bobby, Heath, and their business associates: making deals, breaking deals, or breaking necks, whatever those mafia people do.


    But at this hour, at eleven o¡¯clock at night?


    Dig my head in the sand-regarding what these mafia people do. Last time, I got roped into helping them collect cash from the people who owed them, and it was awful. I was d I didn¡¯t have to do that again.


    I wasn¡¯t really thinking straight. Thoughts of Giovanni abstaining from sex upied my mind and literally cracked me up, Iughed out loud, like a crazy loon. Approaching my bedroom, I turned the door handle and quickly slipped in when-


    ¡°Holy cow! What are you doing in my room, boss?¡± I screeched in shock, backing up against the door when I saw Giovanni sitting elegantly on my small bed.


    Was I dreaming? Was he just a mirage my mind somehow concocted, since I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him?


    I rubbed my eyes to verify the evidence right in front of me, and holy hell, he was still right there.


    ¡°Boss, what are you doing here?¡± I asked again.


    Of course, since he gave me the surprise of my life, I wasn¡¯t really focusing on holding my towel. The damned thing slipped. I shrieked and clumsily pulled it back up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to cover your breasts. I¡¯ve seen them already,¡± hemented drily.


    I just couldn¡¯tprehend this. I was still in shocked mode. Jenny, snap yourself out of this.


    I shook myself and snapped back to reality.


    ¡°Boss! Answer me this instant. What are you doing in my room?¡± I demanded answers a third time , but all he did was just casually smile at me in that stupid oh-so-alluring way.


    My knees were turning into jelly.


    Oh, dear. This was not good. I was reacting to him again. What the hell did he want from me, anyway? Especially at this this time of night. Especially when I just had a shower. Especially when I waspletely naked under this towel.


    Unless¡­


    Unless¡­


    ¡°Boss. You can¡¯t do anything to me,¡± I spurted out my conclusion. ¡°The exam period use is in effect. Until the exam is over, I can¡¯t satisfy you.¡±


    I was in a vulnerable state. I was not in a position to negotiate myself out of this situation. Full stop.


    ¡°Am I asking you to satisfy me now?¡± he asked me bluntly.


    ¡°Then¡­ then what are you doing in my bedroom?¡±


    ¡°Waiting for you to finish your bath so I can move your things to my room.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wait! What?¡± I tried to wrap my head around this new information. But my stupid towel kept slipping and I was losing concentration. I moved it back up and flicked my attention back to him. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because, as my lover, you are to stay in my room,¡± he said. And he swiftly got up off the bed, moving toward me with a fine feline grace.


    ¡°Umm. No. I¡¯m fine here. I¡¯m used to this room. So, you can go back now.¡± I waved him away.


    Not good. This was not good at all. He wasing closer and my heart was pounding faster. I backed even farther up the wall.


    As if this distance could separate us. He was closing in on me fast, I couldn¡¯t even blink twice before his hands shot out from nowhere and mmed against the wall. I was so stunned, I literally just froze in ce. With his body blocking me left, right, front and center, I was cornered. He leaned in close, until I could feel his warm breath on me.


    ¡°No fucking way am I letting my lover sleep in this tiny cot. So, you¡¯re moving all your things to my room. Right now.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts, Jay.¡± He shook his head as warning.


    ¡°But I have to get changed.¡± I stamped my foot to let him know I wasn¡¯t one to be pushed around. ¡°And you¡¯re in the room. Get out first, boss. Then I¡¯ll move my things to your room.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly easy to tame,¡± he said, not walking out the door, but farther in.


    Why am I even surprised?


    I watched as he sank down on my bed and folded his leg, a look of aplishment on his face.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I drummed, pointing to the door. ¡°Get out now. I¡¯m about to get changed.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± He urged me with a lift of his chin. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it all before. Your body. Your skin. Every single mole on your body. We¡¯ve fucked a number of times. You don¡¯t need to be shy. You can get changed in front of me. I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°But I mind. You, being here, is not good for me,¡± I was stressed out.


    ¡°Why?¡± He shot up and now was caressing my cheek.


    Damn this mafia boss. He moved like a panther. I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes on him.


    But he was tempting me right now, and I wasn¡¯tfortable. In fact, I was tempted. So damned tempted.


    But I will not break.


    This was his intention. He did say he wanted me to run to him. But I would not break. I needed to think of my exams. Now was not the time to y with Giovanni.


    ¡°Am I making you ufortable, Jay? Tell me, so I can help you,¡± he growled close to my ear, and all my senses fried.


    ¡°Stop it. Stop it.¡± I thrust his hands away and surrendered. ¡°If you are not getting out, then I will.¡±


    I had grasped the door knob, and had just turned it when the door mmed shut in front of me.


    I spun around to meet Giovanni¡¯s steel chest. I lifted my eyes and met his burning obsidian pupils. ¡°Boss, let me out.¡±


    Giovanni had the nerve to chuckle when he responded, ¡°Get changed, Jay.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t change in front of you.¡± I challenged.


    ¡°I give you three seconds to find your clothes and get changed.¡± With this said, he leaned back against the door, blocking my ess. He folded his arms and started tapping his foot. God he was irritating.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting, Jay. You know I get pissed if you don¡¯t follow my orders.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your lover, boss, not your servant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you know your role, Jay. So, get changed. A lover doesn¡¯t shy away from their lover.¡±


    I mumbled a curse and pushed him out of the way when he started his countdown, freaking the heck out of me.


    ¡°Three¡­¡±


    I was startled. ¡°Boss, what the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    ¡°Boss¡­


    ¡°Fuck it all, Jay. Forget about getting changed. I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± And he lifted me off the floor and into his arms.


    ¡°Ahhh, boss. Put me down. Put me down,¡± I screamed.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t listen. He cushioned me between his arms and chest. I hated to admit this, but I was warm, safe, andfortable. Until I realized his motive.


    I thumped his chest. ¡°Boss. Remember the exam period use. You can¡¯t demand I sleep with you.¡±


    He held me tightly in his arms, like I was someone special to him. At that moment, I stopped struggling and let him hold me.


    ¡°Who said anything about wanting to fuck you. I just needed a body pillow to help me sleep. And you are it.¡±


    With this, he walked to his bedroom. Once beside the bed, he ced me gently on it and nestled himself beside me. His arm was draped over my belly and his face found my nape. And there hey, like an octopus with four limbs, strangling my body.


    ¡°Read or study for your exam. I¡¯mfortable like this.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m notfortable,¡± I told him. When I should be, because this was the very bed I¡¯d dreamed of sleeping in when I first came to be his maid, a few months back.


    But he was sticking to me like glue. His manly body was molded against my own. I felt hot and bothered. And he was hard. These were not good signs.


    How could he fall asleep in this condition? I was so flustered I could barely breathe properly.


    Heck, I was naked beneath this towel and he was holding me like a tight glove.


    ¡°Boss, let go. I need to wear my pajamas.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need pajamas. I sleep naked all the time. So, you¡¯re fine like this. Your scent is perfect like this,¡± he muttered in his sleep.


    Was he really asleep? Or was he ying with me?


    Those fingers were ying with my skin, and my body responded with a hitch of my breath and the flushing of my skin.


    How long could I hold on when he tempted me like this. I had to be a statue if I didn¡¯t want to respond.


    I kept still, not moving an inch. This way, I was sure he¡¯d be annoyed at myck of response and let go. But it didn¡¯t work. His inner strength was tougher than mine.


    I tried closing my eyes, and just when I could finally calm my raging heartbeat, he swung his leg over me. Leg and arm surrounding me, I was cuddled like a soft bear.


    I was losing this battle fast. I had to do something, or else I¡¯d break.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I begged. ¡°Please let go. I can¡¯t breathe.¡±


    ¡°You agreed to be my lover, Jay,¡± he breathed seductively next to my ear. ¡°So, suck it up. Either let me take you tonight or stay like this until morning.¡±


    I whimpered. This was all too much for my body to take. He knew all my weaknesses and he¡¯d used them to his advantage. How could I have thought ofsting a week without his kisses, when those soft whispers already drove me up the wall.


    ¡°Oh, for goodness sake. Just kiss me, already. I can¡¯t take this anymore.¡± I snapped, and lunged on top of him. Except after that, I didn¡¯t know what I was supposed to do. I¡¯d never seduced any guy before. This was all brand new to me.


    ¡°Are you giving in?¡± He opened his eyes slowly and a ghost of a smile yed on his lips.


    I knew he¡¯d only been pretending to sleep. And now he¡¯d caught me. Hook. Line. And sinker.


    ¡°Mmmhmm.¡± I nodded, giving up to fate.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He tossed me around so now I was lying beneath him. ¡°From now on, Jay, I¡¯ll seduce you. I¡¯ll drag you down to my world. I¡¯ll intoxicate you until you can¡¯t think of anyone but me. Are you ready to be totally intoxicated?¡±


    My eyes glistened as he spoke this. I swallowed every word that came out of his mouth.


    What more did I want? Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss of New York City. He¡¯d already captivated me on first sight. He¡¯d been totally alluring these past few days, since I¡¯de back to Cory Mansion. And now, he wanted to drag me down to his world and intoxicate me with his love.


    I cradled his cheek and whispered lightly, ¡°Boss, I¡¯m ready to be dragged down to your world. I want to be totally intoxicated by you.¡±


    He smiled, the kind that made my belly quake. ¡®Good girl, Jay. Now, be prepared to be totally intoxicated.¡±


    THE END of book 2

 #3鈥擟hapter 1

    New Reality


    I gazed at the bed in awe. The two plump pillows caught my eyes next. Giovanni had slept herest night. I could smell his scent. And there was one other female scent lingering among the bedsheets.


    Mine. I¡¯d slept herest night, with him.


    I pinched my cheeks until I yelped in pain. Gosh. This was my new reality. I wasn¡¯t dreaming, was I?


    After signing the new contract, I behaved in a way I thought a lover should. Giovanni was busy having a bath, the very bath I¡¯d run for him. And now, here I was, waiting anxiously for his next move, holding this big fluffy towel, waiting for him to emerge from his bath.


    I bit my lip and waited. What¡¯s the next step? I was so nervous I couldn¡¯t think straight. This was even worse than my exams in high school.


    ¡°Jay!¡± A deep baritone came from the direction of the bathroom, and there he was, Giovanni, the very man who made my heart pound, the man who¡¯d totally captivated me at first sight.


    ¡°Boss.¡± I beelined to his side. He was like a blooming flower at that moment, freshly dripping with spring dew. His tanned skin was exposed to my hungry eyes, and I ate his image up, eyes slowly licking every droplet of water from his body.


    He really was sculpted to perfection. Tall, lean, but not too bulky, just what I liked in a man. Such a beautiful creature. I found it hard to believe he was even human. But human he was, with his foul mouth and his bad attitude. He was still a heartthrob, to all the female poption in this world, me included.


    Together, we were the perfect representation of beauty and the beast. He was the beauty, and I was the¡­


    I took a swift nce at myself in the mirror. Dressed in someme pajamas with my mousy-brown hair and fair skin, I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to call myself a beast. More like in. We were beauty and the in, but it didn¡¯t matter, because right now, he was all mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.


    Snap yourself out of it, Jenny. When had I be this lewd?All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    He was tall. Not gigantically tall, where I couldn¡¯t reach him. Just a stretch of my toe, and with the helpful bend of his neck, and I could reach his head. Holding the fluffy towel in my hand, I rubbed his hair dry. But I was very ufortable standing on tiptoe, so I led him to the bed, making him sit therefortably, while I stood on the side, doing my magic massage on his scalp.


    But Giovanni wasn¡¯t having any of it. He just had to have his own way. He opened his thighs and wedged me in between, tugging me forward until I stood stered to him.


    My face flushed to the color of cherry blossoms when I felt his naked skin against me. We were separated by only a thin cloth. My pajamas. Thankfully, under the low ent light of his bedroom, he couldn¡¯t see the effect he had on me. He faced forward, eyes in line with my breasts, giving me ess to his full wet hair.


    I was now his lover. We¡¯d slept together a few times. I should get used to this, I kept telling myself, because as his lover, I would be doing more than domesticate things for him, not just drying hair. So, this was easy. I shouldn¡¯t react to every little thing he did.


    Except I couldn¡¯t seem to help it. At that moment, Giovanni lifted his head up and smiled at me, azy smile, one that shot straight into my heart.


    Oh Lord, my legs were turning to jelly. When he smiled like that, he looked like a totally different person, a side I¡¯d hardly seen before.


    ¡°You are getting good at this,¡± he said, his eyes sparkling with mirth. ¡°How long have we been lovers?¡±


    ¡°Just over 48 hours ago,¡± I automatically responded. ¡°I strive to do the best in everything I do.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a good girl.¡± And I reacted again, his fingers crawling on my back, up and up my spine, making my nerves dance in a crazy fashion.


    Having zero experience in rtionships, I didn¡¯t know how to react to all this, so I just kept wringing his hair, ignoring the hot flush spreading through me. I was here to be his lover, and that¡¯s what lovers should do.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m about to do next, right?¡±


    His question drew me, and we locked eyes. His pupils glistened with something resembling love. Or was it lust? I wasn¡¯t sure. Either way, I was excited and pleased, because he found me desirable.


    I smiled, a bit awkwardly. In response, his fingers did all the talking. First one button, then two. Slowly, he unbuttoned my pajamas and exposed my naked breasts to him.


    ¡°Are you scared, Jay?¡± he asked, knowing I didn¡¯t have enough experience in this field.


    I didn¡¯t realize I was closing my eyes and holding my breath. Last night I was the enthusiastic participate. Tonight, I couldn¡¯t do anything right.


    ¡°Open your eyes, Jay. Look at me.¡±


    I flipped my lids open, and Giovanni was my focal point.


    ¡°Are you scared?¡± he asked again, his hand cradling my cheek.


    I nodded and bit my lip. ¡°A little. I don¡¯t really remember what happenedst night.¡±


    ¡°Tonight, Jay, I want you to remember everything.¡±


    ¡°You are more subdued than normal, Boss.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I know you¡¯re mine, my Jennifer.¡±


    My heart vibrated when he called me by this name. Somehow, I felt an attachment to it, even though I knew it wasn¡¯t mine. Still, I wanted to borrow her name, so I could spend an eternity with Giovanni.


    He kissed me, soft and subtle at first. This was no hard kiss like before. This was slow and melting. His lips lingered there, just hovering above mine.


    Secondster, he moved to my nape. I felt his hot breath on my neck.


    ¡°Boss, you okay? You sound like you¡¯ve run a marathon.¡±


    ¡°Jay. Be prepared. I¡¯m going to make love to you slow and long, then hard and fast, and the only soundsing from your lips will be moans and groans,¡± he murmured beside my ear.


    I drew a sharp breath and swallowed hard as his words took full meaning. His intention was clear. The image he painted was too vivid in my head, and my body throbbed in anticipation.


    ¡°Boss¡­¡± I managed to rasp out through my lust-fogged mind.


    That one word was the magic code. Giovanni frantically tore off my clothes.


    ¡°Boss, you ripped my new pajamas,¡± I yelped, fully wakening from my trance andpletely astonished at his change of behavior. ¡°I thought you said you were going slow.¡±


    ¡°And fast. I said slow and fast,¡± he corrected me before spurting out another attack on my pajamas buttons, yanking at them so hard, three flew across the room. ¡°Fuck, Jay, why do you even wear clothes to bed? You don¡¯t need them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a civilized human being. I don¡¯t sleep in my birthday suit. Unlike you. As for my pajamas, I want another set.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a hundred, a thousand sets, just so I can rip them off you again,¡± he boasted, a smug look on his face when his mission of removing myst article of clothing was aplished. Now I waspletely naked.


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting money, Boss. I only need one pair,¡± I retorted in annoyance, sliding to my side to face the wall.


    ¡°Jay,¡± hezily said, correcting my position and sliding on top of me. He pinned both of my hands beside my head. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡±


    ¡°No. I just feel sorry for my pajamas. I only got to wear it today, and now it¡¯s destroyed.¡±


    Giovanni offered a solution. ¡°How about next time I¡¯ll be more careful.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Agreed. Now, please kiss me.¡± I closed my eyes and pursed my lips forward, waiting for his kiss.

 #3鈥擟hapter 2

    And I was still waiting.


    When is he going to kiss me?


    I opened my eyes and was unprepared for the sight of Giovanni¡¯s prating gaze. His eyes were so intense. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever smile like that to another guy. Promise me, Jay. I won¡¯t take it if you do.¡±


    And then he kissed me, so hard my head was spinning. By the time I could grasp the situation, he was already positioning himself in me. I bit my lip when he entered, feeling his hardness inside of me. He ground and gyrated his hips, angling this way and that, making sure I enjoyed every bit of the pleasure, too.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    My eyes rolled over in lust when I felt his lips descend to my neck. He found the spot,tching onto my nape. Like a vampire to his victim, he sucked me clean.


    That¡¯s right. I was his victim. I waspletely at his mercy. He could do whatever he wanted with me, and I¡¯d be happy toply. I chose this. I wanted this. I wanted to be his lover. And I loved it. Every single minute he embraced me, every single breath he took when he thrust into me. I wanted it all.


    I was greedy, I knew this. But for once, I wanted to be selfish. Grab all the attention Giovanni offered me.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I puffed out, my eyes going ssy with lust. ¡°Please go easy on the neck. I don¡¯t want bruises. I have school tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°My favorite spot,¡± he husked, over and over, ignoring my request. ¡°My woman. My girl. You¡¯re mine.¡±


    I was pleased. I was happy. He said I was his. And that was all the assurance I needed. So, I let the sensation ride through me, because when sunlight hit, he might disappear. But for now, when both of us were cloaked in darkness, he was mine, fully mine.


    The sun had risen, peeking through the light curtains. I breathed in the scent of Giovanni, my mafia boss, nestling my nose at the crook of his neck. He smiled with his eyes closed and chuckled, folding my naked body around his until we were wedged together, all our body parts touching.


    We¡¯re so intimate. I¡¯m still not used to this, I thought to myself. Waking up in the arms of this most fearsome man, who controlled the underground world of New York City. This man was dangerous. I shouldn¡¯t be in this position, getting tangled up with him, with my heart and soul being captivated by him. His words alone consumed me, his touch, his taste, they were all imprinted so clearly in my mind. Thesest few days I¡¯d lived in a paradise. Whenever he said I was his Jennifer, I¡¯d always melt in his arms. I lost my sense of self, my own control in life. I wanted to be with him. I craved his touch. I craved his taste. This was my own choice. But still, each morning when I woke up, I stillmented about this subject.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I mumbled, ¡°I need to get up. Get off me, please.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for another round before you leave,¡± he mumbled in my ear, sending more shivers of desire down my spine.


    ¡°No, Boss. I have chores to do, plus I have an early start at school.¡±


    It¡¯d been close to three days since I¡¯d officially be Giovanni¡¯s lover. But my task as his lover was interchanged between lover and maid. And right now, I didn¡¯t know whether I should act as his lover or his maid.


    ¡°School, again, huh?¡± He peeked one eye open, rested his head on one elbow, and gazed at me with those dark obsidian eyes.


    I was awestruck by those amazing dark pupils. Whenever I looked at those eyes, they seemed to suck my entire soul out of me, and I entered this dream-like state, like I was intoxicated by some drug or something. I blinked, blocking this new sensation. My happiness must be kept to a minimum. Who knew when I¡¯d be reced?


    ¡°Yes, school again,¡± I replied.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ll support you forever, even if you don¡¯t want to attend school.¡±


    His words should¡¯ve reassured me about my future, but I wasn¡¯t the least bit reassured.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to rely on you.¡± I turned away from him. He was too beautiful for my eyes. I felt like being his lover was purely a dream, and soon I¡¯d wake up. ¡°What if one day you wake up, and you no longer want me, or what if you found the real-¡±


    Giovanni swung me around to face him and cut me off with a sulent kiss. He cradled my head, resting his forehead against mine, shutting off any negative thought I had of myself.


    He looked at me. No, his eyes literally burned my entire soul. ¡°Shut up, Jay. I told you already that you¡¯re mine. I would never let you go. You are my real Jennifer. So, stop thinking those stupid thoughts. You¡¯re mine. You hear that. Mine. And what belongs to me I¡¯ll cherish forever.¡±


    Even if the real Jenniferes along? I wanted to say. But I didn¡¯t. I let him take me, even though I was not convinced yet. I knew my time with him wasing to an end soon, but for the remainder of the day, I wanted to spend time with him. Maybe he was right. At least once in my whole, entire neen years of life, I wanted to gain some happiness. Even one small happiness would be fine, too. A person like me, who¡¯d never experienced love, even a shred of love, would take it and cherish it. Like Giovanni said, he¡¯d never let me go, he¡¯d cherish me forever. As for me, if he did let me go, I¡¯d cherish this love we had together. Until then, I was willing to stay beside him, and although I didn¡¯t know how long it¡¯d be, I wanted to be fully immersed in his world, be totally intoxicated by him.

 #3鈥擟hapter 3

    Gentlemen Discussion


    Giovanni stared at the pinot noir swirling in his wine ss. He took a sip of it. A light and crispy texture, it befitted his superior pte very well. Just what he liked.


    The taste itself reminded him of the first time he¡¯d dined with Jay on the night he¡¯d dered he wanted her as his lover. His eyebrows nted upward, a devilish grin curving his lips.


    Fuck! The thought excited him.


    His heartbeat drummed rapidly, his pulse speeding up at the memory of their first night together. Now he wanted to be back home at Cory Mansion, snuggling next to Jay, embracing her with his warmth.


    But he couldn¡¯t. This was an important meeting among his business associates and close friends. Although he was a mafia boss, he did have legitimate businesses outside of the dark underground circle.


    He was making his way out of that circle slowly. Even Giuseppe had said it. The world of the mafia would only end in bloodshed. Since he¡¯d found his Jennifer again, the idea of gangsters and fights revolted him. His future n¡­ he wanted to excel in the proper business arena, legitimately.


    Giovanni listened to the conversation around him. Something Dawson had said caught his attention. Swinging his eyes up, he said, ¡°Repeat that.¡±


    Dawson, his business partner and close friend, smiled calmly at him. ¡°You¡¯re looking happy today. Found yourself a new pet?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Giovanni replied. ¡°A cute pink bunny.¡± A smile decorated his lips again, and a look of delight passed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m keeping this one, though. Permanently.¡±


    His eyes snapped to the other two men in the room, Julian Devereux and Justin Valenti. Both also knew his current background as the mafia boss to the Dente Group. Their rtionship stemmed from the different businesses in which they coborated. Julian in the stock market and Justin in real estate. Not to mention Justin was also half Italian, like him.


    Julian smirked, cutting into his sirloin steak. He said nonchntly, ¡°Thought you had your other pet, Melena or something.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my pet. She¡¯s a pest,¡± Giovanni spat out, disgusted at having to even hear her name. The memory caused him to shudder.


    ¡°And here I thought this Melena babe was a gift from your underling, Leo or something, who, may I add, might be a mole working under the Lorenzo Group,¡± Dawson added amusedly.


    Giovanni knew all about the Lorenzo Group. Niks Lorenzo, his arch-nemesis. They were one of the mafia ns that were always at odds with the Dente Group. Considering they managed different sectors, he couldn¡¯t understand why they¡¯d been so zealous in taking down his group. If they kept to their own territory, Chicago, then there shouldn¡¯t be any problem, since his territories were Las Vegas and New York City.


    But what hit a nerve was the thought that maybe Dawson was right; Leo might be a mole working for the Lorenzo Group. If Leo knew the ins and outs of the Dente Group, who knew when the war between the two ns would start. He had to discuss this matter with Giuseppe.


    ¡°You¡¯re not worried about the Bianca Group taking over your territory?¡± Justinmented for the first time, his tone so cold it could freeze the room.


    Giovanni lifted his gaze to see his other close friend, Justin Valenti. Justin was one of the few who knew who he was and where he¡¯de from. Giovanni knew Justin didn¡¯t be a billionaire by magically snapping his fingers and asking for all this wealth. Justin was born poor, so fucking poor it wasn¡¯t even funny. That was what Justin had told him in the past.


    Yeah, his life was not that spectacr, either. After getting kicked out of the house by his stepfather for having a strong personality and a foul mouth, with only the clothing on his back, he lived on the streets until Giuseppe literally kicked his ass and brought him up in his n.


    He thanked the old man. Without him, he was sure he¡¯d be a corpse buried six feet under already. Now, though, he was the big boss, controlling hundreds of employees in the underground mafia world, and tens of thousands in the legit world.


    In fact, that was how he came to know Justin. He was in one of the fights his group had organized. He went to watch the man fight, and fuck, was it gruesome. Justin hit his opponent with no mercy, leaving the man within just an inch of his life.


    He had to admit, Justin back then looked like Thor, the Greek God of Thunder. If he hadn¡¯t looked Italian, Giovanni would have assumed he was Thor.


    Jet-ck hair tied in a ponytail and that soaring eagle tattoo on his chest¡­ Justin looked ruthless. No surprise there, since his body was built to fight.


    History had it that he¡¯d survived by earning money from boxing during his college years. These days, though, he managed Valenti Enterprises, a conglomerate in real estate and development.


    Justin was a mystery. Since the seven years they¡¯d been friends, the only clue he had to his past was that ring around his middle finger. He had a glimpse of it once when he took that ring off. There was a passage engraved on the inside of the ring.


    ¡®Infect me with your love.¡¯


    What the fuck was with that slogan? Sounded sick.


    Then again, Justin¡¯s love story was even sicker than that slogan. He¡¯d had a college sweetheart, only to break up because Justin was too fucking poor to support her shy lifestyle.


    Fuck! Nothing could top that.


    Imagine the pain he had to have gone through. All the times they¡¯d fucked. All the memories they¡¯d shared. Only to be a constant reminder of how poor he was. He couldn¡¯t imagine going through all that trauma. At least his story with Jay wasn¡¯t that dramatic.


    Thinking about Jay had his dick shooting up like a stick. Fuck! Got to tame himself. Now was not the time to show his manpower. He¡¯d get to Jay soon enough. Maybe tonight he¡¯d have her for dessert until he was sated.


    ¡°Bianca Group?¡± Giovanni calmly sipped his drink, reeling his mind back to their current conversation. ¡°Why should I worry about them? I could squeeze them between my fingers, and they¡¯d all be fucking dead.¡±


    ¡°Never underestimate them, Giovanni. They might slip through your fingers and sh your throat without you knowing.¡± Yeah, thatment came from Justin. Wouldn¡¯t disagree with that since the man came out with scars from his rtionship.


    ¡°I never underestimate anyone, Justin,¡± he calmly said.


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying that because of your mother?¡± Julian prodded.


    Giovanni scoffed and shook his sly head. Unlike Julian, who¡¯d sacrificed everything for the sake of his mother, even enticing a pawn into his dark revenge, he could never see himself doing such a distasteful thing.


    Julian¡¯s mother was a goddess who cherished and protected him. The woman Giovanni once called mother was nothing but a whimsical woman, choosing to stay with her second husband, Ro Bianca, instead of protecting her only son when he got kicked out of the house.


    Fuck, he didn¡¯t want to be reminded of the memory. Every time his mother¡¯s face surfaced, his mood always turned sour.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not saying that because of that woman. I¡¯m saying that because they are in debt. They borrowed twenty million from our lendingpany.¡±


    ¡°And they didn¡¯t know thepany belongs to the kid they kicked out all those years ago?¡± Dawsonmented.


    ¡°Possibly not.¡± Giovanni twisted his lips into an evil grin. His eyes lit up brightly, as if some evil thought were running through his mind. He leaned forward, then spoke quietly. ¡°Rumor has it my step-bastard of a brother has gambled away all their fortune; that¡¯s why they wanted to start fresh. What a fucking loser,¡± heughed, throwing back thest of his chardonnay before filling up another ss.


    ¡°You never want to see your mother or stepbrother again?¡± Julian asked quietly.


    ¡°Why would I?¡± he said, mming his ss down. ¡°That part of my life is dead. Now I¡¯m Giovanni Dente, not Giovanni Bianca.¡±


    ¡°If only Ro knew how far you¡¯vee. You could take over their territory,¡± Dawson chimed in, shaking his head in astonishment.


    ¡°Not interested in that swamnd. Ain¡¯t fucking making any money from that area.¡± Giovanni swallowed another portion of his wine.


    ¡°So, when do we get to see this new little bunny of yours?¡± Dawson asked, changing the subject.


    Giovanni was only too pleased with the new topic. His foul mood dissolved in an instant. The thought of Jay and her cute smile warmed his heart. Fuck. He couldn¡¯t wait to get home.


    ¡°You guys want to see her?¡± he questioned them with a smirk.


    ¡°Fuck, yeah.¡± Dawson was the first to respond. ¡°Always interested in your pets.¡±


    Giovanni thought for a bit, then smirked. Justin and Dawson were heading back to their respective homes in Singapore tomorrow. Julian was already nning to do a deal with one of his clients in Singapore next week, too. And he was sure Jay¡¯s mid-semester break was just around the corner sometime. This would make it the perfect opportunity to show Jay off to his friends. That¡¯s right. He¡¯d take Jay to Singapore.


    Yes! The idea was perfect. He was sure Jay would appreciate it, too. Though, he had to admit, he hadn¡¯t been the best boyfriendtely. He¡¯d neglected her mental health. After all, Jay was no longer his maid. She had been elevated to lover status. And a lover must be treated differently than a maid. Love and care. That¡¯s right. Jay was his prize, a gift he¡¯d been waiting for his entire life. What she needed from now on was love and care. Fuck! Just thinking about her had him all giddy again.


    He snapped his attention to his friends, who sat looking at him, smiling like they knew what was going through his mind. ¡°How about we all meet up in Singapore next week? I¡¯ll bring her along.¡±


    They all agreed. And their meeting came to a close.


    Giovanni stood up, dusting invisible lint off his Armani suit.


    ¡°Gentlemen,¡± he said to his friends. ¡°Have a good night. I¡¯m off. My little bunny needs me.¡±


    ¡°In that much of a hurry?¡± Dawson asked jokingly. ¡°Must be a very important bunny you got there.¡±


    ¡°Very important. And she¡¯s hungry. Got to feed her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hungry, or your little bunny?¡± Julian asked,ughing.


    ¡°We¡¯re both hungry.¡± Giovanni smirked before walking out the door.


    Heath and Bobby were waiting in the car. It took them thirty minutes to reach their private jet. It took them another thirty minutes tond in New York City. Another forty minutes was eaten up by traffic.


    During this time, Giovanni had hisptop open, eyes fixated on the little figure on his screen.


    It was a picture of his Jay, huddled up to her neck in the luxurious bed in his bedroom. After dering she was to be his lover, he¡¯d demanded she stay in his bedroom. That was the privilege of being his lover. At that moment, Jay was reading a textbook the size of a concrete block.


    Shit! College students these days must have it bad. Giovanni himself didn¡¯t go to college. He didn¡¯t have a degree like his other friends did. No, he went through the school of hard knocks, mentored only by Giuseppe. Stuff like textbooks did his mind in. He didn¡¯t read that crap. He only read the stuff real businessmen read.


    While Jay¡¯s focus was on that textbook, his focus was on her.


    Fuck!


    The more he stared at her, the more his mouth ran dry. She was turning him on, even when they were separated by hundreds of miles.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    His fingers touched the screen. He pushed one of the buttons on the keyboard, and the screen zoomed to her face.


    She was fucking beautiful. Those few freckles lightly adorning her nose and her soft brown hair scattering on the pillow made him wish he could jump through theptop screen and be transported to his bedroom. All for the sake of wanting to caress her hair and cheeks.


    But it was the sight of her reading so peacefully and unguardedly that had his body going berserk and his cock turning hard. Fucking hell! He almost couldn¡¯t stand it. She affected him more than any girls he¡¯d ever fucked.


    ¡°Step on it, Heath.¡± He barked out his order when the car moved to a slow halt. The car sped up again, and before too long, they arrived in front of Cory Mansion.


    Giovanni flew out even before Bobby opened the door for him. With hurried steps, he reached their bedroom, his hand turning the doorknob.


    The sight of Jay sleeping so blissfully suddenly pissed him off. He¡¯d imagined them romping around in bed, fucking through the night. But the damned girl was sleeping like a log, her mouth open like a flytrap.


    Damn! He just didn¡¯t have the guts to wake her up just for the sake of sating his lust.


    Then he smirked, shed his clothing, and got into the shower to wash off today¡¯s grime. After he was done, he stood beside the bed, gazing at the girl sleeping there.


    Fucking hot! He was so damned fucking hot again just from the sight of Jay sleeping. He¡¯d already sated himself in the shower, but that didn¡¯t bloody do him any good. There was only one way around it.


    Giovanni lifted the bedsheet and got in bed himself, his naked body nestling against Jay¡¯s. Skin against skin, every inch of their bodies was intimately connected.


    Giovanni gave thanks and burrowed his nose at the nape of Jay¡¯s neck. Even if he didn¡¯t get to have sex with her tonight, at least he got to embrace her. Although, he swore to himself that when light hit, he¡¯d sate his appetite.

 #3鈥擟hapter 4

    Morning Exercise


    Whoa! Whoa! What the hell is that? I felt something long and hard touching my backside. In my blissful sleep, my innate curious nature was still at full y. So, without even opening my eyes, my hand searched for that long, hard object.


    And found it. Slightly fleshy. Slightly long. Slightly hard. It reminded me of¡­


    ¡°You sure like touching my dick, Jay!¡± A deep growl resounded in my ear.


    Oh, gosh! Oh, crap! Oh, cappino crap crap!


    Boss¡¯ banana.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    My eyes popped open faster than a soda pop.


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re naked?¡± I screeched, when the awareness settled in.


    ¡°Yeah. Nowe here.¡±


    I bolted out of bed right before he grabbed me. And I almost seeded in escaping, until my foot got tangled with the bedsheet, and I went careening over the bed, bum tumbling over backward.


    Now Iy on the floor, eyes filled with only Giovanni¡¯s captivating face. His midnight eyes shed across my face and body, searching for signs of injuries, and when he didn¡¯t see any, he tossed his head to the side, smirking at me.


    ¡°You sure pack a punch early in the morning, Jay. Now get up. Time for morning exercise.¡±


    ¡°Morning exercise!¡± I scooted over backward, dragging the white bedsheet along with me, until Giovanniy in nothing but his birthday suit.


    My gosh! I almost had a nosebleed. His alluring aura was too much for my young eyes.


    ¡°I kindly decline the invitation, Boss,¡± I refused outright, spewing out random reasons to justify my answer. ¡°Never been a fan of morning exercises. Plus, it¡¯s only six in the morning. Too tired to exercise. So, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d rather get back to-¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even finish my sentence before Giovanni dragged me from the floor, tossing me onto the bed and yanking the white bedsheet off me.


    He pinned me beneath him. He roared andughed, his ck hair falling back in waves over his head. I was trapped under this alluring beast.


    At that moment, a tingling sensation settled in my belly, and I had this itchy need to feel my fingers running through his long ck hair. The feeling was so strong I bit my lip and just watched him through myshes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how long I¡¯ve been holding it in?¡± He grinned, shing pearly white teeth.


    ¡°Holding what in?¡± I asked, feigning ignorance.


    I was smart enough to know what he was talking about. I wasn¡¯t a prude in the world of lovemaking, even when I wasn¡¯t a participant. It was just recently that I¡¯d had my fair share of participating in this activity.


    Not that I¡¯d any say in it. This mafia boss, the man I¡¯d now agreed to be his lover, had decided all the rules. Whenever the need came for him to ravish me, he surely did it. As for me, I just went along for the ride.


    ¡°Boss, isn¡¯t it a bit too early to exercise?¡± I put in my opinion again.


    ¡°No excuses, Jay. Exercise is good for the body. Especially this early in the morning,¡± he said. ¡°Now, what do you want to do first? Stretches? Or shall we get straight to the hard-core exercise?¡±


    Giovanni was speaking in codes. Stretches were forey. Hard-core exercise was straight to sex.


    ¡°No. No stretches.¡± I shook my head. And a satisfied grin spread across his face.


    Oh crap! Why did I say no stretches? I was just ying into his hands. Now he was already kissing me.


    ¡°Okay, stretches first. Please, stretches first,¡± I quickly shouted before he did anything more than kissing.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made the right choice, Jay. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy our exercise session this morning,¡± he remarked. ¡°Would you like to participate?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll just be a spectator,¡± I mumbled, surrendering myselfpletely.


    ¡°Wise choice. Watch and learn, for now. Later, I¡¯ll ask for your cooperation.¡±


    And this sealed our deal. I closed my eyes and concentrated only on this feeling, this heightening, tingling feeling that refused to dissipate until Giovanni and I¡¯d had joined. And soon, time had morphed into one long continuum. I didn¡¯t know when one climax ended and the next one started, until I lost myselfpletely, lost in his ever-loving embrace.

 #3鈥擟hapter 5

    The room was too stuffy. I was too hot. I felt there was a massive stuffed bear enveloping me. And sure enough, as soon as my eyes fluttered open, the sight that hit me was of Giovanni¡¯s alluring face. Of course, I shouldn¡¯t say it was a bear. In fact, panther was the better word.


    Jet-ck hair clung to his cheeks while he slept; I could take a picture of his face and stare at it all day, and still I wouldn¡¯t get bored. Though he looked totally different when he was fully awake, with his hair sleeked back, personifying the ultimately ruthless mafia boss.


    In this peaceful state, he looked charming and tamed. But really, this was just his disguise. In bed, he was a beast, constantly consuming me until I melted. He was tempting, alluring, to the point I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    I inhaled fresh oxygen just to tame my heart when I thought aboutst night and the many times we made love. I had to count with two hands the number of times we did it, and that was only in the span of three days. Gosh, how my life had turned around.


    Three days ago, I became Giovanni¡¯s lover. He was convinced I was his Jennifer, though inside I wasn¡¯t so sure. I had amnesia from an ident when I was six. I couldn¡¯t remember anyone from my past. But Giovanni was not swayed by myck of memory.


    Then again, how could I refuse the chocte cake I¡¯d been dreaming about when it was offered right in front of me. Not that I was greedy or anything. When one hardly received the love from one¡¯s parent, then one would do anything to receive love. And that was what Giovanni was to me. He¡¯d given me this love. I would be stupid to run away from it.


    Just having him beside me was enough. Looking at him like this, staring at him while he slept, I was happy.


    Giovanni¡¯s arms and legs suddenly became animated, folding over my body and squashing me against the mattress.


    Gosh! He really was one heavy man. I could hardly breathe in this position.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    I shoved him off, having had enough of his overbearing weight on me. But crap! His arm had a mind of its own. It slung over me and now was enveloping my belly.


    What do I do? I really needed to get out of here. Pronto! Plus, with my full dder, I had an urgent need to pee.


    I gingerly pulled out of his embrace again. And just when I was about to break free, a hand hauled me back until I was crushed against his solid chest. A deep chuckle resonated beside my ear.


    Calm down my heart, I told myself, when I heard Giovanni growling in my ear.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, my little bunny?¡±


    Bunny? When did I graduate from lover to a pet?


    ¡°To the loo. Urgently need to pee.¡±


    He made a sour face. ¡°Why do you need to pee so often. Be quick ande back as soon as you are done.¡±


    Who was I kidding? Of course, I wouldn¡¯te back. Not when he was suffocating me with his bear-back hugs.


    I bolted out of bed.


    ¡°Be quick, Jay, or I¡¯ming after you,¡± he threatened me from under the bedcover.


    I poked my tongue out and quickly picked up a white shirt. Well, his white shirt to be exact. I couldn¡¯t find my clothes among this mess on the floor.


    Last night, due to our vigorous exercises, all of our clothes were scattered on the floor. Damn, Giovanni destroyed them all. He owed me another set.


    Donning his shirt, I rushed to the hallway bathroom and did my business, making ns already to creep back to my closet bedroom after I was done. There was no way I was going back to his bedroom. The beast was just waiting for his little prey to return before he would attack me again.


    As soon as I finished my business, I washed my hands and was about to exit when¡­


    Hell! I was gobsmacked by my personal appearance. I looked like a golden bride on the night of her wedding. I was literally covered in bite marks, kiss marks, or whatever marks Giovanni liked to imprint on my body. If he were a wolf and I was his mate, I would assume he¡¯d marked me so no other men could get a taste of me¡­


    Of course, this was just my fantasy talking.


    I stayed and examined my body further. God, what had he done to my face? I was glowing; a radiant aura I¡¯d never seen before in the mirror. It was almost like I was no longer stressed with life. Guess morning exercises really did have some benefits.


    Talking about stress, it wasn¡¯t like I was never stressed with life. It was just I didn¡¯t know how to show it. Who knew I was this good at hiding my feelings? When Pa and Amelia ran off with Giovanni¡¯s three million dors, I was up to my eyeballs in stress. Luckily, Giovanni took me in as his maid, or should I say his lover now, as coteral.


    ¡°Jay, are you done?¡±


    Giovanni¡¯s voice snapped me back to reality.


    ¡°Boss, is that you?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think it is? Do you have another lover hiding in the closet?¡±


    There he goes again. All he could think about were foolish thoughts. As if I could have another lover when my dream of having him in bed had alreadye true.


    ¡°Do you need to use the bathroom? I¡¯m almost done,¡± I said to the door.


    Although, thinking about it now, why didn¡¯t he just use his own bathroom.


    ¡°No, Jay. I want you out of that bathroom and into my bed. Now! Nopromise.¡±


    ¡°Then another minute,¡± I bargained.


    ¡°Thirty seconds. And that¡¯s all I¡¯m giving you. Or else, I¡¯m smashing the door down.¡±


    I giggled to myself, the image of the mafia boss smashing the door. It was so hrious I chuckled out loud.


    ¡°What are youughing at? Open the door, now!¡± Giovanni banged at the door again.


    I tsked at the door and shook my head. I quickly washed my hands and peeked my head out. From head to toe Giovanni was naked, and my gaze just happened tond on his banana. Or should I say, his male anatomy.


    ¡°You like my dick too much, Jay, so for that, let me give it to you.¡±


    ¡°No, Boss. It¡¯s okay.¡± I quickly brushed him off. But he wouldn¡¯t let me go. I tried to wiggle out of his embrace, but nothing I did could withstand his strength. The man was a legendary brute. He held on to me like a damned mp. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m serious. You¡¯ve already had your fill. Please let me go. I have an exam today.¡±


    ¡°Not beforepleting your morning duty.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t forget to make you and the guys coffee.¡± Face all scrunched up against his hard chest, my eyes looking upward just to meet his gaze, I gave him my million-dor smile. ¡°Now, if you could be so kind as to¡­ Ahhhhh¡­¡±


    I was jerked out of my sentence. Giovanni, that devilish mafia boss, actually touched me, in mydy spot.


    ¡°Boss, where are you touching me?¡± I screeched in surprise.


    ¡°Your-¡±


    ¡°No, Boss. I don¡¯t want to hear it. Now, let me go.¡± I fought him off. But my strength was no match to his. I was trapped, right in his embrace.


    ¡°No fucking way,¡± he growled next to my ear. ¡°You are one fucking adorable bunny, especially when you wear my shirt. From now on, that¡¯s your new pajamas. I¡¯ll fill up your closet with all my shirts, and you¡¯ll wear one every night for me.¡±


    ¡°No need, Boss. I don¡¯t want to wear your shirt.¡± With my legendary slippery eel technique, I¡¯d managed to squeeze out of his embrace, making a small sprint to my closet bedroom. But with his quick stride, he caught up to me in no time.


    Jerk. Snap. Shut. And I was right back in his bedroom, stuck between a rock and a hard ce. The hard ce was the wall behind me. And the rock¡­


    Well, the rock was his banana, right in front of me.


    ¡°It¡¯s your bloody fault for wearing my shirt. Now my dick is hard, again. Who¡¯s going to take responsibility for my state? You¡¯d better do something about it.¡±


    ¡°No more, Boss, no more. Let go¡­.¡±


    Why did I even beg for mercy? I already knew he wouldn¡¯t listen to me. He literally tackled me onto the soft fur mattress and made love to me again. This was our morning exercise. By the time we were done, I was totally fizzled.

 #3鈥擟hapter 6

    Calling for Attention


    There was an air of mystery and anticipation at the dining table that morning. I could sense it because the guys were eyeing me weirdly as they were sipping their coffee. Under their little pretense of chitchatting about nonsensical things, they were brimming with energy. But the one who was flouncing around with excess energy to spare was Giovanni. The reason was simple. He¡¯d literally sucked out all my energy fromst night and this morning. All under the guise of morning exercise. I was so exhausted right now; I didn¡¯t think I could perform well on my exam today.


    Three times, we did it. Three times!


    What else must I do as lover to the mafia boss?


    Cooking, cleaning, making coffee, I was an expert in these fields when I was his maid, but this¡­


    Damn! What had my life turned into?


    Just a few days ago, I was a virgin. I didn¡¯t even know what a kiss was, let alone experienced one. Now, not only was I kissed and grabbed in inappropriate ces, but I also was thoroughly made love to by the mafia boss, almost every morning and night. How long can my strength prevail?


    ¡°Haha. Looks like Jenny and Boss seem to be getting along fine.¡± I sent Bobby the evil eye forughing at me just because Giovanni had me sticking to his side like a freaking ham sandwich.


    ¡°I have an announcement to make.¡± Giovanni¡¯s baritone boomed across the dining hall, silencing us all.


    All four pairs of eyes were immediately on him.


    No. They were actually on me.


    I grew flustered and shrank back behind Giovanni.


    I¡¯d never really liked being the center of attention, and so, while Giovanni was busy announcing whatever announcement he was about to make, I took the liberty to flee from the scene.


    But Giovanni and me, we were like mas. The more I pulled back, the more he pushed into me. And that was essentially what happened. When he sensed me pulling back, he pushed forward, and I ended up colliding into him. In the end, Iy t on hisp.


    The guysughed.


    And I justpleted the perfect act of a fool.


    How embarrassing!


    ¡°Boss, what the hell. Let me off. Let me off.¡± I fumbled, trying to get off him. But I was literally caught. Hook, line, and sinker.


    ¡°Ah-hm! Now for my announcement.¡± Giovanni cleared his throat,pletely ignoring my request and instead, grabbing me and repositioning my body until I was sitting on hisp, like his perfect little lover. ¡°From now on, Jay is my lover. You louts can¡¯t demand her to do anything, and especially chores. Nor can you touch her. You got that? If I see any one of you so much as touch a single strand of her hair, you¡¯ll be dead meat.¡±


    I gulped back my fear. This wasn¡¯t some form of announcement. This was more like a death threat to the guys.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    But the guys seemed to take it in full stride. Theyughed and chuckled at each other, congratting their boss.


    ¡°About time, Boss,¡± Finnie said.


    ¡°I knew something was up when Boss went mental the other day when Jenny disappeared,¡± Jonny added.


    I switched my attention to Giovanni. ¡°Did you go mental when I disappeared?¡±


    p! Giovanni gave his love to Jonny with a p on his head.


    ¡°Sorry, Boss. Shouldn¡¯t have said that,¡± Jonny muttered and went back to his breakfast.


    ¡°Damned right, you shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Turning back to me, he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t go mental. Just pissed that my coffee machine ran off.¡±


    ¡°So, now I¡¯m your coffee machine again.¡± I watched him through shrewd eyes. I loved seeing his pissed-off face, because I knew in this little fight between us, I was winning.


    ¡°You sure know how to talk back, Jay. Let¡¯s make that mouth of yours do something useful.¡± He pinched my chin and inched forward.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Boss. Here, have some toast.¡± And with that, I jammed the toast in his mouth before he could do anything more embarrassing in front of the guys.


    Giovanni¡¯s eyes lit bright with ck fire. I knew he¡¯d have his revenge with me tonight for disobeying him. But at least I could have my fun with him now. No way was I presenting this mouth to him so he could chew it off again. This morning¡¯s kiss had left my mouth all swollen.


    ¡°Great. Jenny¡¯s been upgraded from maid to lover. Boss, when are we going to get upgraded, too?¡± Bobby asked.


    ¡°Enough, you numbnuts,¡± Giovanni barked at his underlings. ¡°Now, get moving. Time¡¯s ticking. Go make me some money.¡±


    The men scrambled out of their seats and out the door. This alerted me to my own problem, too.


    It was almost nine a. m. My exam started at eleven a. m. I had to get my butt moving or else I¡¯d bete for it. And who would be to me but me. I might even have to repeat a year if this kept going.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point, Boss. Well, then, I have to go now. Or else I¡¯ll bete.¡± I scrambled off hisp.


    He caught my hand before I trotted off, held it, and led me outside to his sports car. When I gave him a querying look, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll bete if you take the bike. I¡¯ll give you a lift.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how kind,¡± I said, getting into the car. He followed suit. ¡°But only up to the bus stop. Your car is too shy. I don¡¯t want to bring attention to myself.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you like attention, Jay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like attention, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t like that kind of attention. You know, the kind when all eyes are on you because you have materialistic stuff. Then everyone wants to be your friend. That¡¯s all fake. It¡¯s not real. I don¡¯t want that kind of attention.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my lover now, Jay. You¡¯ve got to get used to it. That¡¯s the privilege of being rich. It brings that kind of attention.¡±


    ¡°Like I said before, I don¡¯t want that kind of attention.¡± I emphasized my point again. ¡°I want to ride my bike to school like before, do all the normal things like before. Just because I¡¯m your lover, it doesn¡¯t change anything. Just because you¡¯re rich, it still doesn¡¯t change anything. I¡¯m still me. I¡¯m just grateful that I have a roof over my head and food to feed my belly. Living every day like this, getting to smell fresh air like this, it¡¯s enough for me.¡±


    Giovanni scrutinized my every word. ¡°So, you are saying that you¡¯re the kind of girl who doesn¡¯t seek attention, who doesn¡¯t thirst for money?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t seek attention and I don¡¯t thirst for money. Money is just a mary value, isn¡¯t it? If I have enough, I¡¯m happy. I don¡¯t need truckloads. There are other people in this world who need it more than I do. For me, I¡¯m happy with just having enough.¡±


    Giovanni leaned forward and cupped my face. With slow precision, he caressed my cheek and spoke. ¡°I have a lover who doesn¡¯t seek attention, nor does she thirst for money. Here¡¯s a question I¡¯d like an answer to, Jay. If you are none of those things, then what do you want? What kind of attention do you seek?¡±


    ¡°You. I want you and your attention.¡±


    Giovanni was taken aback by the simplicity of my answer.


    But it was true. Right now, nothing could make me happier than just having him by my side and basking in his attention.


    ¡°You want me and my attention?¡± he asked again, to confirm that this was what I wanted.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded.


    When he fully registered the meaning of my words, he grinned until he couldn¡¯t contain the joy anymore, then he threw his head back andughed.


    ¡°Oh, Jay. You sure have a way with words. Every day you grow more adorable. Do you know what I want to do to you right now?¡± he asked, his eyes intensely staring into mine.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to kiss you. I want to give myself to you. I want to give my full attention to you. Do you want that?¡±


    ¡°No. Not right now.¡± I jerked back to fasten my seat belt.


    ¡°Why the hell not?¡± He growled, disappointed that I had changed my mind. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want my attention?¡±


    ¡°I have a perfectly logical reason for my answer, Boss. So, don¡¯t go pissy on me.¡±


    ¡°What is your damned logical reason then? Care to exin?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because if you start to kiss me, then it¡¯s going to go on for ages, and then I¡¯ll bete for my exam. And I don¡¯t want to bete for my exam. So, no. I don¡¯t want your attention right now.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll make sure you get enough attention tonight,¡± I heard him muttering under his breath. He turned the ignition, pressed the foot pedal, and the car zoomed to life.


    Ten minutester we were stuck in a traffic jam. I was counting down the minutes. If the car wasn¡¯t moving soon, I¡¯d bete for my exam. Luckily, it started moving again, and by the time we reached the bus stop, a block away from my exam venue, I was happy that we had plenty of time to spare.


    ¡°Thanks, Boss. See you at home.¡± I grabbed my things and was about to bolt out the car door when Giovanni called out.


    ¡°Jay, wait. You forgot something.¡±


    I stopped in my tracks and turned back to him. ¡°What did I forget?¡±


    ¡°This.¡± And Giovanni kissed me.


    I was so dumbfounded; all I could do was sit there like a mannequin, with my backpack slung over my shoulder while he had his way with me.


    Teeth against teeth. Tongue colliding with tongue. His fingers thrust into my hair, while his palm cradled the back of my head like a precious doll. Then he manipted my head to angle our kiss even deeper.


    Oh my Lord. This was my drug. I was literally sucked into this spellbinding kiss which Giovanni had bestowed upon me. I clung to him for dear life, because, my God, I knew I¡¯d fall if I didn¡¯t.


    The kiss left me flushed and blushed, not to mention my lips were now all bruised.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you forgot, Jay. I¡¯ve given you my full attention. Now, get out of here. And make sure you pass that damned exam.¡± He pushed me out the door.


    That damned brute. Kissing me then kicking me out the door, leaving me all agitated and flushed. Now how was I to concentrate on my exam today? But I was still happy, because when I called for attention, I got it.

 #3鈥擟hapter 7

    Apology


    ¡± A hhh¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯vepleted my exam.¡± Iughed and looked up at the clear blue sky. ¡°Crispin, don¡¯t you love that feeling when you¡¯ve done the best in your exam? My God, I think I did well. Did you answer question three? That was a bit tough, but I think I did all right.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was all right,¡± Crispin mumbled quietly, walking straight ahead.


    Oh, what have I done! Crispin was still mad at me. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be this quiet. And Crispin being quiet was just odd. It didn¡¯t suit his character. I must have hurt him at the amusement park a few days ago when I took off with Giovanni without telling him.


    Who¡¯s to me but me? I should have texted him or something to let him know I was fine. I was such a bad friend.


    I watched as he got swallowed by the crowd of studentsing out of the exam hall. His shoulders drooped like a sad cat. Poor Crispin.


    Maybe I should say something. Anything to cheer up his awful mood. But what should I say?


    ¡°Crispin?¡± I ran after him. ¡°You still mad at me?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Look. I¡¯m sorry. Somehow, myndlord found me, and we came to apromise, and I went back to my apartment.¡± I spewed out my exnation before he could say a word. ¡°Can you forgive me?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything but kept walking farther.


    Something in my heart constricted. I felt guilty. Guilty for treating him like he didn¡¯t matter to me.


    But he does. Crispin means more to me than simply a good friend. We¡¯ve been together through thick and thin. More thick than thin, actually. He¡¯s like my brother from another mother.


    The longer I watched him walk farther away from me, the more my heart constricted, as if his heart and mine were linked by an invisible thread, the friendship thread. This thread was slowly breaking. I couldn¡¯t let this happen. Not between us. So, I ran after him.


    Backpack slung over one shoulder, I pushed through the thick crowd of students milling around the archway that intersected our main exam halls.


    I saw his brown head bobbing among the crowd. Stretching my arm, I caught him and pulled him to the side, to a quiet corner where we could talk without interruptions.


    ¡°You still mad at me, Crispin?¡± I asked pathetically.


    I was scared. I didn¡¯t want to lose Crispin. There were so many instances I had to lie to him to get myself out of situations. And it all boiled down to my rtionship with Giovanni.


    I didn¡¯t want Crispin to know about my other life. Well, not yet anyway. I didn¡¯t think anyone in my circle could ept my decision to be the lover of the mafia boss, the most fearsome man in the whole of New York City.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, looking away. His face held a somber expression.


    ¡°Look at me and tell me you¡¯re not mad at me, ¡¯cause otherwise, I¡¯ll think you¡¯re still mad at me.¡± Okay, I didn¡¯t want to cry, but at this point who was I kidding.


    ¡°Crispin¡­ please. Please tell me.¡± My voice begged as I pronounced those words.


    ¡°Hell! Jenny, don¡¯t look like that.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± I gazed at his hazy sight, trying to stop this awful lump from forming in my throat.


    ¡°Like you¡¯re about to cry.¡± He pointed out.


    ¡°Am I?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He dragged his fingers through his hair a few times until the strands spiked up like Sonic the Hedgehog, then gently held me at arm¡¯s length.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Jenny. It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± That was a surprise. I didn¡¯t expect that.


    ¡°I want to help you.¡± Another ¡®oh¡¯ escaped my lips. ¡°And right now, I don¡¯t have the necessary skills to help you¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t hear the rest of his speech. Or, more like I couldn¡¯t focus on what he said because that single phrase ¡®I want to help you ¡­ ¡± made that tiny muscle in my heart sing.


    Yes, he¡¯d helped me out when I ran away from Giovanni. He¡¯d given me a ce to stay while I escaped my own problems, but to hear him say out loud and clear he was mad with himself because he didn¡¯t have the ability to help me, astounded me.


    I was so ovee with this blissful feeling in my heart I somehow became teary-eyed again. I did not expect to react like this. Maybe it was because no one in my family had ever said they wanted to help me. But Crispin, he genuinely wanted to. Maybe he knew all along about all the tough shit I¡¯d gone through. He had just kept quiet because he didn¡¯t want to worry me.


    I was so happy, I couldn¡¯t stop the smile from forming on my face, and before I knew it, I had Crispin¡¯s body enveloped in my arms, hugging him with all my might.


    What took me by surprise was Crispin¡¯s reaction. He went stiff as a board.


    ¡°Crispin. Thanks for everything. You¡¯re one of the best things that has happened to me,¡± I said softly, slowinging out of our embrace. But before I could pull outpletely, he surprised me by lunging forward and giving me the hug of my life, almost knocking the breath out of me.


    Crispin didn¡¯t reply; he just hugged me for the longest time, squeezing me like I was a doll. I could hear his heavy breathing, like he was running a long marathon. Still, I kept quiet and let him hug me. If this was the way to redeem myself in his eyes, then I was happy to stay like this.


    Ever so gently, I felt his fingers thread through my hair.


    ¡°Jenny, thanks for letting me be one of the special things that happen in your life,¡± he said next to my ear, while his other hand continued stroking my hair, soft light strokes. It gave me the impression that I was a cat and he was stroking my fur tofort me.


    Wait? Shouldn¡¯t I be the oneforting him?


    I waited three heartbeats before I disengaged myself from his embrace.


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be someone special to me,¡± I said from where I stood. ¡°More than a friend. Like a brother.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been upgraded to a brother?¡± he teased.


    ¡°Yes. A brother from another mother,¡± I dered with triumph.


    ¡°Yeah, right.¡± And Crispin was all smiles and lopsided grin again.


    ¡°So, you forgive me?¡± I asked, waiting for his verdict.


    ¡°We¡¯re even,¡± he said, which made me smile like a dork. ¡°But just don¡¯t run off like that without telling me again. I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°Worried,¡± I finished his sentence. Taking his hands in mine, I gazed into his eyes, focusing all my attention on him. ¡°I know. And I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again. I won¡¯t run off somewhere without telling you. I owe you that much.¡±


    ¡°Well, just keeping me updated on your life once in a while would be fine,¡± Crispinmented, and I watched his face grow scarlet red.


    Crispin let go of my hand and started coughing.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I asked, patting his back.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He cleared his throat, then suddenly changed the subject. ¡°You hungry?¡±


    And right on cue, my stomach roared.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Iughed, holding my belly so it would stop with the embarrassing growl. ¡°Thought you were never going to ask. I¡¯ve been hungry since the exam. Food is definitely calling me. Crispin, dear, please take me to food.¡±


    I linked my arm with his, and we walked like when we were kids, back in the good old days, arms linked, faces smirking at each other.


    ¡°Food it is. I¡¯ll take you to a nice ce. Hope you like it.¡± He shot a smile in my direction.


    ¡°You could take me anywhere, and I would love the food.¡±

 #3鈥擟hapter 8

    Caf¨¦ Love Sick


    Ten minutester, on the far east side of campus, I stood in front of a historic building. This was the location of the caf¨¦ Crispin brought me. There was nothing special about this caf¨¦, but what caught my attention was the name. I¡¯d never heard of a name so peculiar before.


    ¡°Love Sick? They named this ce Caf¨¦ Love Sick?¡± I jerked my thumb in the direction of the signboard.


    ¡°Yeah. Come along.¡± Crispin led me to the front entrance, mounting two steps at a time.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s eager for food,¡± I joked as I followed closely behind.


    We were side by side by the time we reached the main entrance, and my golly, was it packed.


    Why didn¡¯t I know this ce existed?


    ¡°This ce just opened a few months ago,¡± Crispin answered as if he¡¯d heard my inner thought. ¡°It¡¯s gaining a reputation for the best pastry in town.¡±


    Crispin opened the door for me, and I walked in. The scent of pastry engulfed me and had my mouth salivating like a puppy.


    The ce was bustling, and the atmosphere was lively. Just my perfect ce. Checking out my surrounding, I was pleased to see that none of the furnishings were too modern. The building itself was solid and still retained that old charismatic aura from the 19 th century.


    I could see myself in this ce often, sitting at one of the tables during their downtime, doing assignments, a nice getaway from Giovanni¡¯s tempting seduction.


    A waitress came and led us to our seats. I scanned the menu as soon as she ced it in front of me.


    ¡°Do they make eggs Benedict here? I like those.¡± I threw my question at Crispin.


    ¡°Yeah, they do,¡± I heard Crispin say.


    Mind made up, I lifted my head and caught Crispin¡¯s eyes gazing at me. He shifted his focus as soon as my eyesnded on him.


    There¡¯s seriously something wrong with him today. I had to get to the bottom of it. I was about to broach the subject when a woman, who looked to be in her mid-twenties with whitish blond hair, greeted us with a charming smile and asked for our order.


    Golly! She¡¯s pretty! I had to blink twice to register her presence.


    I¡¯d lived in New York since I could remember, so I had seen my fair share of prettydies, but thisdy surpassed that. She had a presence which caught my attention, a bit like Giovanni¡¯s alluring aura. She was like a white angel descended from heaven. Just so pretty.


    Crap! How many times had I said the word pretty? I should stop myself.


    I quickly ordered my eggs Benedict with crispy bacon, as well as a cup of hot chocte and one almond croissant. Crispin ordered the pancakes. As soon as she left, I leaned over to him.


    ¡°Psssst,¡± I whispered. ¡°Did you see that waitress who just took our order? She¡¯s so pretty. Did you see her porcin skin? Heck! She should be a model. What is she doing waiting tables?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is pretty. But in a different way.¡± Crispin poured two sses of water, then slid the left one to me and took the right one to his lips. He started sipping.


    ¡°You like her?¡±


    Crispin went into a choking fit. I went around to rub his back.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I asked in concern.


    ¡°Yeah. Just entered the wrong passage.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± I went back to my seat.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t like her, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± he exined. ¡°I like someone else.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I grinned mischievously. An idea formed in my head. ¡°That was a quick denial, Crispin, dear.¡± Palm under my chin, I teased him some more. ¡°Someone else, huh? Howe I didn¡¯t know? Who is this lovely girl, or guy, who has captured your interest?¡±


    Crispin choked on his water again.


    ¡°Jenny, it¡¯s a woman. I like women. I¡¯m not gay.¡± He was quick to point it out.


    ¡°All right, just saying. ¡®Cause, you know, since we both like reading male-male manga romance and watching boys¡¯ love anime, I thought you might swing both ways. Either way, I¡¯m cool with that. So¡­¡± I tapped my finger on the table and whispered to him, ¡°Who¡¯s the girl who had you quick to deny your sexual orientation?¡±


    Crispin didn¡¯t answer. He just looked straight at me, eyes boring so intensely, I wondered if I had ground coffee on my face again.


    Hand swiping all over my face I checked for any residual ground coffee but found none.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing on my face, Crispin. Why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    He blinked twice and slowly shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    He smiled, probably relieved that I didn¡¯t push the subject of girlfriends onto him. He always got agitated when I asked him about these subjects. Must be his sensitive spot, or something.


    ¡°Say, I¡¯m free the whole day. What should we do? That is, if you want mypany,¡± I asked casually.


    ¡°Yourpany is always a breath of fresh air for me, Jenny.¡±


    ¡°d to hear that I¡¯m not just dust and mites in the air that suffocate your daily life.¡± I nodded. ¡°Anywho, where to after this? I¡¯m free until five p. m. We have about five hours to kill.¡±


    ¡°We could go check out the new bookstore that just opened up around the corner,¡± he suggested.


    ¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s go there after lunch.¡±


    The food arrived much faster than I¡¯d anticipated. Right in front of me was the hot chocte I¡¯d ordered, the eggs Benedict which had my mouth salivating nonstop, and the¡­


    Wow! Just wow!


    ¡°Crispin, did you see this?¡± I showed him the almond croissant on my te. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute. They made the croissant in the shape of a love heart.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s cute,¡± he smiled amusedly.


    Because it was too irresistible to resist, I took one bite and slowly put the rest of the heart croissant down.


    ¡°Well?¡± Crispin asked.


    ¡°Rest in peace, taste buds,¡± I recited seriously, like a minister in a church. ¡°Because my taste buds just flew to heaven.¡±


    And Crispin burst into aughing fit, along with me, too. Before the staff caught us giggling like a bunch of teenagers, we calmed down with a final giggle.


    ¡°Oh, Crispin. This is some damned good stuff,¡± I mumbled between bites. ¡°It tastes absolutely amazing. I coulde here every day.¡±


    ¡°Told you. You should try out their cinnamon roll next.¡±


    ¡°Next time. You know what I think they should do? Promote this croissant on Valentine¡¯s Day,¡± I exined, waving my fork around while I spoke. ¡°Then lovers cane here and eat these heart-shaped croissants. Actually, Crispin, just food for thought here; you know that girl you like, maybe you could confess to her by buying her this love heart croissant. How does that sound. Good? Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll buy it for you next time we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± I declined his kind offer. ¡°Buy it for your girl. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll like it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Crispin looked down, and something just looked a bit off.


    ¡°Crispin. You okay?¡± I tried to catch his attention, but he kept looking at the tablecloth. I grabbed his chin and took my fill of his face. ¡°Crispin, you don¡¯t look too good. Your color¡¯s a bit off. Are you okay? Want me to take you to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Jenny. I¡¯m fine.¡± He stered on a smile.


    I knew that fake smile from a mile away. But I couldn¡¯t do anything to help until he opened up to me about what was troubling him.


    ¡°Well, you just say the word, okay? We don¡¯t have to hang out if you don¡¯t feel like it,¡± I offered.


    ¡°No, Jenny. I want to hang out with you,¡± he quickly put in, just in case I¡¯d changed my mind.


    ¡°Okay. Good.¡± I nodded, still a little unsure. ¡°Just¡­ I¡¯m worried. If you¡¯re not feeling well, you tell me.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Jenny, for caring about me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I care about you. You¡¯re my only friend.¡± I smirked, then screeched when I looked down and saw what was left of my heart croissant. ¡°Not again. Here I go, yapping nonstop, and now I¡¯ve almost finished my croissant. I need to eat my eggs Benedict first. No finishing dessert before lunch. That¡¯s my rule.¡±


    ¡°You and your little rules,¡± Crispin chuckled, and the somber atmosphere lifted.


    I chomped down on my eggs Benedict and sent my taste buds to heaven again.


    ¡°Oh, golly! Why does everything here taste so good? It¡¯s food porn, I say. Food porn,¡± I yapped again. I was making a fool of myself in front of Crispin, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°What do you know about porn?¡± Crispin asked,ughing at my joke.


    ¡°Nothing. Just heard that term from one of our ssmates.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go using that word without the context of food in front; otherwise, it¡¯ll sound weird.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, captain Crispin.¡±


    Up next on my food porn list was a sip of the hot chocte. The smooth velvety texture was on my tongue before the bitterness hit my taste buds, and I almost spat the whole thing out. I quickly washed my tongue off with water.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± He burst intoughter while I was having a fit.


    ¡°Crispin, why didn¡¯t you tell me about their drinks?¡± I pped him on the shoulder when I managed topose myself again.


    ¡°Sorry. Just wanted you to taste it firsthand. It¡¯s pretty bad, huh? Their coffee is a bit hit or miss sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say bad, per se. More like the person who made this hot chocte should go back to barista school and practice more.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I went back to eating then, and to make sure I wasn¡¯t tempted to taste that hot chocte again, I pushed it away from me.


    ¡°Well, apart from the drinks, the rest is pretty good, huh?¡± he asked me.


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s their only downfall.¡± I agreed.


    ¡°Yeah. If only they could get someone who¡¯s consistent at making excellent tasting coffee, I¡¯m sure this ce would get even more lively.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± I nodded, ncing around at the people. The bustle was starting to die down, with people drifting out slowly. A lot of the patrons simply came for the pastries.


    The ce was already amazing as it was, but what Crispin said was true. If their coffee was also amazing, I was sure this ce would be abuzz all the time.


    An epiphany knocked me on the head. Maybe I could work here. Yes. Kill two birds with one stone. I could help them with their coffee and earn money for myself. What a bonus. Like an allowance. And also, something to save, just in case there came a time when Giovanni no longer wanted me.


    A sharp pain stung me when that thought surfaced. It hurt. I didn¡¯t want to think about it. I shook my head, pushing that grim thought into the corner of my mind somewhere, hoping it would never resurface.


    To distract myself, I took a sip of the cold water Crispin poured for me and wondered to myself if Giovanni had texted me today. He always texted me at random hours. The man had no respect for privacy.


    Pondering on this question, I took a nce at my phone while munching lunch, when God almighty, my hand slipped. It justpletely slipped, and now my phone was swimming in my ss of water.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± I screeched. ¡°My phone.¡±


    I fished it out of the water ss and checked the system.


    Well, crap! The thing just died on me.


    What did I expect? It was a cheap phone, anyway.


    ¡°You all right, Jenny?¡± Crispin asked when he saw me mourning my dead phone. ¡°We¡¯ll get it fixed after this. I know a ce. I¡¯ll take you there after lunch.¡±


    I lifted my eyes and saw Crispin looking extremely worried. I grinned at him and shook my head. ¡°No worries, Crispin. I¡¯m fine. Just sucks that I might not be able to receive text messages, is all.¡±


    ¡°Are you expecting a text from someone?¡± Suddenly, his voice turned angry. ¡°Jenny, is it yourndlord again?¡±


    Huh? Landlord? Whatndlord? And then it clicked. Oh, right ¡­ Giovanni. Myndlord.


    ¡°Um¡­ yes. Myndlord again,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m expecting a text from him.¡±


    Bad Jenny. Why do you keep telling lies to your one true friend? Sooner orter it¡¯s going toe spilling out, and it¡¯s not going to end with a happy love song. Better bring some cheese and crackers, too, with a bottle of wine if I were to confess when the time came.


    ¡°Damn, Jenny. If that old geezer is causing you that much trouble, why don¡¯t you just get out of there? I¡¯ve never seen andlord who demands their tenant¡¯s attention this much. What¡¯s up with him anyway?¡±


    I bit my lip and just focused on drinking my bittersweet hot chocte, knowing full well that if I uttered another word, I would roast in hell.


    I felt really bad, especially in this situation. How could I tell Crispin that my lover was Giovanni, the mafia boss of New York City? If Crispin knew, would he sever our friendship? I didn¡¯t want that.


    Crispin was a straight and honest guy. If he knew who I associated with, he¡¯d go berserk, mental, insane. The image in my head was not drawing a nice picture. I shivered at the thought.


    ¡°Your meal is getting cold, Jenny. Chow down,¡± he said, distracting me from my thoughts before I couldment any further.


    ¡°Delicious.¡± I couldn¡¯t stop saying. ¡°Who made this croissant anyway?¡±


    The taste of the almond croissant was nutty but very light and fluffy. But the heart shape, that was something else entirely. I was so lucky something this delicious didn¡¯t sell out fast.


    ¡°Lily made it,¡± Crispin replied.


    ¡°Lily?¡± I perked up at hearing the name.


    ¡°That¡¯s the owner¡¯s name,¡± he exined when he saw my confused face.


    I looked around the caf¨¦. There were about two staff running the front of house. The lovely blond model and an olderdy. I eyed the olderdy. She looked like the owner.


    ¡°That¡¯s Lily there.¡± Crispin pointed out, to my dismay. ¡°The waitress you thought was a model. She bakes, cooks, as well as takes care of the front of house business.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± That was all I could say.


    I was dumbfounded. Not only was she pretty and model material, but now she had been upgraded to a superwoman in my eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s my idol,¡± I told Crispin, to which he responded with a shake of his head.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask why? ¡®Cause she¡¯s achieved so much, that¡¯s why. And she¡¯s young, too,¡± I said, while I watched her work. She was running her feet off, smiling and greeting her customers, but there was sadness in her eyes that I could detect.


    ¡°She works hard. Did I tell you she¡¯s only twenty-five? And she went to our college.¡±


    ¡°Brooklyn College?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She didn¡¯t graduate though. Rumor has it that she went through some bad stuff. Had a kid, too, with some guy.¡±


    ¡°Geee! Some wrong decision, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Nah! Said she loved him. They broke up because of something.¡±


    ¡°Wow! That must be pretty tough.¡±


    ¡°Tough? Look at you,¡± Crispin lectured me. ¡°Your father and sister abandoned you, leaving you all alone to fend for yourself, and here you feel sorry for someone else.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say abandoned. They went to live somewhere else, is all.¡± I yed with the rim of the coffee cup, my eyes downcast.


    I was intentionally avoiding eye contact with him. Deep down I was embarrassed and disgusted with myself for not facing the truth. Why must I always make excuses for Pa and Amelia. Crispin was right. They had abandoned me. I should just forget about them and start living my life. With Giovanni. But somewhere in my heart I¡¯d hoped they¡¯de back to find me and apologize to me for what they¡¯d done. Even if Pa wouldn¡¯t, at least Amelia would. But even Amelia had disappeared into thin air.


    ¡°Well, I think she¡¯s in a worse state,¡± I said, trying to ease my own pain. ¡°At least I don¡¯t have a kid to look after. Twenty-five and with a kid, too; that¡¯s got to be tough. Say, how old is her kid?¡±


    ¡°Six years old. A boy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, cute.¡± I made a cute face before the information sank in. ¡°Wait¡­ back up a bit here. If her kid is six years old, that meant she had him when she was neen?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my age.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°She was pregnant at eighteen?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s pretty young. Must be hard.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But she¡¯s managing all right, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess.¡±


    And for that one small moment, my heart throbbed with delight because I had Crispin as my friend and Giovanni as my lover. What more could I want? Even without Pa and Amelia with me, I had people who cared for me. My world, at that moment, was rosy.

 #3鈥擟hapter 9

    Punish with a Kiss


    Giovanni


    ¡°Heath, do you have a lover?¡± Giovanni asked his underling at exactly three p. m.


    Heath looked up from his paperwork, his eyebrows crinkling. He shook his head. ¡°No, Boss.¡±


    Giovanni beamed and casually leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head, a blissful, serene look on his face.


    ¡°You should get one,¡± he suggested. ¡°They make you happy.¡±


    ¡°You happy, Boss?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell?¡± Giovanni spun to face his underling.


    Heath returned the favor, inspecting his face.


    Giovanni bared a grin that illuminated his entire face.


    ¡°Yep, Boss, you¡¯re happy,¡± Heath concluded, which satisfied Giovanni immensely.


    But by five forty-five p. m., Giovanni was an entirely different person. He resembled a twister, speeding back and forward across his office, with every few seconds checking his mobile phone.


    None. No return messages.


    How many had he sent? Ten, fifteen?


    Fuck! Where was she? And what the fuck was this feeling inside his chest? Like some bastard had ripped his heart out and was squeezing it like a stress ball. It fucking hurt.


    The realization dawned on him like a hot brick on his face.


    He. Was. Worried.


    The fuck! He was either pissed or mad, but never worried. This was an entirely new feeling. But this was the exact same feeling when Jay ran off a few weeks back, before they became lovers.


    Why did he never feel like this with his previous lovers? The answer was pure and simple. He was a heartless bastard. He¡¯d never loved anyone seriously. Not until Jay came along. And it fucking scared him when she wasn¡¯t home where she should be.


    He checked his mobile again. Nothing.


    Thrusting his fingers through his hair, he swore in agitation. ¡°Where the fucking hell is she?¡± Having his gutsful of worry, he yelled to his underlings. ¡°Bobby! Jonny! Get in here. Now!¡±


    Both came scrambling into the room and stood tall and straight, awaiting Giovanni¡¯s further instruction.


    ¡°Any of you louts heard anything from Jay? She¡¯s not home. And it¡¯s fucking six p. m.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Boss, it¡¯s only five fifty p. m.,¡± Bobby corrected him.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    The room went silent. Giovanni stood still and coldly red at his underlings. This only meant one thing. Giovanni was beyond mad. He was fucking furious.


    Giovanni stood eye to eye with Bobby. Staring down at him, he hissed, ¡°Are you fucking pissing with me? If you can¡¯t tell me where Jay disappeared to, then get out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Boss, are you worried Jenny is not here to make you dinner? We could get takeout.¡± Jonny, who couldn¡¯t read the dire situation, put in his two cents.


    Giovanni cursed his underlings to hell. ¡°I give you two to the count of three, before I knock your teeth out. Now get out,¡± he roared.


    His underlings couldn¡¯t get out the door fast enough.


    Fuck! How could his underlings have thought it was about food? Of course, it wasn¡¯t about the fucking food. Sure, Jay made delicious food, and he¡¯d admitted that he was addicted to eating her meals instead of dining out. Hell, he¡¯d even liked it more now that she¡¯d started cooking those foods that didn¡¯t contain that seafood shit, ¡¯cause after that seafood incident at that restaurant, she¡¯d learned not to mess with him and his immune system.


    She could cook for him and his underlings if she wanted to, but Jay was his lover now, not his maid. She was not obligated to do any of those chores like before. The only chores she was obligated to do was have sex with him and just make him happy.


    But now he was not happy. He was fucking worried and afraid. Afraid that bad things might happen to her.


    Giovanni knew well enough the people he associated with had some degree of power and reputation. A certain reputation normal people would be fucking scared to even think of.


    Fuck! Fuck this! What the hell was he supposed to do? In his mind¡¯s eye, a million scenarios were already ying in his head. Did Leo kidnap her? Worse yet, did Niks Lorenzo hear of his new rtionship with Jay? If he had, that meant he could no longer let Jay wander around the city freely, like before. Niks was always in conflict with him, and the bastard would do anything to cause a little stir between their two groups. And kidnapping Jay would result in more than a little stir. He¡¯d go in with guns zing.


    Fuck! There had to be rules when bing the lover of the mafia boss. And the first rule was to arrive home on time, at fucking five p. m.!


    Giovanni gnashed his teeth. He¡¯d made an ultimatum. If Jay failed to turn up by six p. m., someone was getting a bloodbath. If Jay did turn up by six p. m., she¡¯d be in for a nasty punishment. No one made Giovanni worried and got away with it. Lover or maid. No exception.

 #3鈥擟hapter 10

    Jenny


    My world, at the moment, was crumbling down faster than the Berlin wall. Dear Ma up in heaven, please help me.


    It was now six p. m., and I was homete. All because of my damned phone. Well, I really should me myself for being clumsy in the first ce. If I hadn¡¯t stupidly dropped the phone in the ss of water, then I wouldn¡¯t be one hourte. Or maybe it was because I lost track of time, since I was having fun hanging out with Crispin, checking out the new boys¡¯ love manga. Either way, I was dead meat.


    Why must I feel like this? Sneaking around the house like I was hiding something. Was I betraying Giovanni¡¯s trust by hanging out with Crispin?


    Surely not. Crispin was my friend first. Giovanni only came into my world just a few months back. There have to be priorities in a person¡¯s life, and Crispin was one of my priorities. Well, our friendship was.


    But Giovanni ¡­


    Ahhh. What should I do? Or better yet, what would he do?


    Ohhhh¡­ I knew what he would do. He¡¯d start by roasting me, then grilling me, until he found out why I was homete.


    That was his personality. No talking. Just straight to action. Kill before negotiation.


    All I hoped for now was that I¡¯d arrived home before he did. And maybe with a little peace offering, like this heart croissant I bought for him from Caf¨¦ Love Sick, we¡¯d be all sugar and spices again.


    Except my hope was dashed the moment I saw his Maserati parked in the front. I rushed into the kitchen, only to collide with Heath.


    ¡°Heath, so sorry,¡± I puffed out.


    Heath just stared down at me without so much as a flinch on his face. If I didn¡¯t know him any better, I would be afraid of him. But Heath was just a gigantic man who was soft as a teddy bear.


    ¡°Have you seen Boss around?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He is looking for you.¡±


    Five words. That was all he said, and I was already shivering in my shoes.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°In his office?¡±


    He nodded and walked off.


    I nodded, too, while trying my best to gulp down the fear that rode up my throat.


    I didn¡¯t know how to behave in this kind of situation. What was I to him at this moment? His maid, his coffee machine, or his lover? Depending on my status, the punishment would differ. And it was too damned early to know where I stood. I had been his maid and coffee machine for more than three months. I was his lover for less than a week.


    I left my gift on the kitchen counter, put on my brave face, and sauntered off to his study. Without waiting for an answer, I knocked three times and poked my head in.


    ¡°Boss, you were looking for me?¡± I asked casually, when inside, my heart was quaking like a scared mouse.


    ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± he snapped, his eyes ring at me.


    ¡°Sorry, I forgot the time,¡± I tweeted, frozen in ce.


    ¡°What were you doing at this hour?¡±


    Giovanni strode toward me and stood just a hair¡¯s breadth away. He red down at me. I lifted my eyes and stared back at him¡­ only for my breath to be knocked out of my lungs. Figuratively, of course.


    Up this close, I was reminded of how handsome a man he really was. He was the representation of a ck panther: angry, nostrils all red up, and eyes like a soundless ck pit, that if I fell in I could never get back up. But to me, he was so alluring and tempting, I wanted to be stuck in this ck pit forever.


    But he was angry. And I didn¡¯t want that. I didn¡¯t want my lover to be angry at me. We could talk. Exin ourselves, then kiss and make up.


    Or did he still see me as his maid right now?


    ¡°I went out for lunch with a friend, then we hung out,¡± I exined quietly, my eyes slowly glistening.


    One second ticked by. Two seconds ticked by. I just stood there, my eyes downcast, like a child waiting to be scolded by her parents. There was not a single word that came out of his mouth. All was silent. And it scared the hell out of me.


    When he was all loud and stupidly yelling at his underlings, I could handle him, but when he was like this, all silent and serious, I didn¡¯t know what to do. He must be really angry. He must be-


    There was a sh of action, then I was cradled by the head and pushed back until I was pressed up against the wall. It took only one second for me to grasp on to the situation that Giovanni was kissing me, with such force and passion, my toes curled upward.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing to me, Jay?¡± he said huskily beside my ear. Shivers ran down my spine the instant his lips touched mine. Then he kissed me again.


    This time, he took it further by dragging his lips to the corner of my jaw until he reached the nape of my neck. Slowly and gently, he sucked at that site. He grew aggressive, biting me right there, tempting me right there, seducing me right there, until I was throbbing inside.


    I was shaking all over, my legs unable to support me. I leaned onto him, using him as support.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I rasped against him. ¡°Boss.¡±


    I was quickly losing myself. I was quickly bing undone.


    Giovanni¡¯s kisses weren¡¯t real. This was only my illusion, morphed by my desire to end our argument with a kiss.


    ¡°Jennifer, I¡¯ll die for you, you know that,¡± he growled, cradling my cheeks on both sides, his eyes refocused on me. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking die for you if something were to happen to you.¡±


    That voice. His tone. Such strong sentiment in those words. This was all too real. He was too real to me.


    How could I have thought this was an illusion. The evidence was there in his eyes, deep pools of ck, so dark I was already lost in them. And those jaws, taut, clenching so tightly, the muscles contracted painfully.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I tenderly touched his jaw, causing them to rx. We were divided by an inch of air. The atmosphere between us rippled with sexual tension. I inhaled air into my oxygen-starved lungs and rested my forehead against his, pacifying him. ¡°Don¡¯t say stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°I can, and I¡¯ll fucking dere it now.¡± His left hand was cradling my face, his fingers gently stroking my tender cheek. I leaned into that palm, seekingfort I didn¡¯t know I craved. ¡°Don¡¯t ever run from me, Jennifer. I don¡¯t think I can bear it if you¡¯re not here beside me.¡±


    Giovanni sounded afraid. And he was never afraid. In fact, he only inflicted fear onto people. I, who stood here in front of him, had this much influence on him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Iforted him. ¡°Can¡¯t you see, I¡¯m still here? Beside you.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± He purred.


    He was the ck panther, orbiting around me, breathing in my scent, as if these actions could pacify his inner turmoil, reassuring him that I was here, breathing the same air as him.


    What had be of this mafia boss? How had I ever thought he¡¯d hurt me? Here he was, holding me so tenderly, like I was someone precious to him. I should feel ashamed for even thinking he was capable of hurting me.


    But he was a mafia boss, after all. How far would our charade go? How long before he woke up from this dream of his and found out I was no longer his Jennifer? But I was willing to y along, to pretend I was his Jennifer. Because, until my memory came back, I was not convinced that I was his.


    If only he would stop calling me his Jennifer. If only he would ept me for who I was now. If only¡­

 #3鈥擟hapter 11

    A Gift of Love


    Thirty minutester, Giovanni calmed down to the level of a toddler being handed a piece of candy. In this case, I was the candy. He licked and licked and licked in ces I was too shy to say. And my lips were all bruised. If I had a mirror, I would see that I resembled a blowfish. Cheeks all puffed, lips all swollen.


    ¡°Ow, Boss, that¡¯s enough.¡± I pushed him off and huddled my naked body within the bedsheet. Giovanni scoffed, tossed me around to face him, and did something so deliciously evil, I yelped. ¡°Ow, Boss. What was that for?¡± I tossed a re at him when he sucked the nape of my neck. I bet it¡¯s going to bruise tomorrow.


    ¡°You never answered me where you went.¡±


    ¡°For the hundredth time,¡± I sighed in irritation, picking myself off the bed and looking for my scattered clothing on the floor, ¡°I said I was out and about with my friend and had forgotten the time. And it was six o¡¯clock on the dot when I arrived home.¡±


    I gritted my teeth and gave Giovanni my version of his pissed-off face. He onlyughed, and it made my belly do floppy things.


    I gritted my teeth again, this time mad with myself for wanting to go for round two after having been quenched only a few seconds ago.


    I turned to more important matters, which was my bloody jeans. Now where the hell were they? More importantly, where were my bra and undies? Where did that bloody mafia boss throw them to?


    Damn, what had I turned into, wandering around Giovanni¡¯s bedroom wrapped in a white bedsheet?


    Three months ago, I would haveughed until my belly puffed if someone told me that, in the future, I¡¯d be the lover of the mafia boss. But now, even if I tried tough, it wouldn¡¯t sound real because the fact was, this situation was all too real. I was the mafia boss¡¯ siren.


    The thought caused a crimson color to appear on my twin cheeks. But I should be used to this by now. Giovanni liked to eat me at random times, and today was one of those asions.


    My, what a day. Thinking about it now, I sure had to deal with a lot of issues. First Crispin and his sullen mood, and now Giovanni with his PMS. What else must I deal with next, living in my new life as lover to the mafia boss?


    An arm appeared from nowhere and snaked around my middle, dragging me back to bed. Giovanni, the damned brute. My whole body copsed on top of his steel chest with an umph sound. Tossing me about until Iy t on top of him, he touched every bit of me. And I could feel every bit of him, too, pressing into my body in all the right ces.


    If he wasn¡¯t so damned delicious, I would be able to answer his question right away, but because I was intoxicated with his hot body, intoxicated by his baritone voice, he needed to shake me from my reverie before I could articte my speech.


    ¡°Answer me, Jay.¡± His face was an inch away from my face, his eyes solely on me. ¡°Who did you hang out with, this friend of yours. A boy or a girl?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°It damned fucking right matters.¡± He blew his fuse, tossing me beneath him. The air was knocked out of my lungs when he copsed on top of me, pinning my arms and trapping me beneath him. ¡°I ain¡¯t fucking letting another man touch my girl. So, tell me, Jay, is it a girl or a boyfriend?¡±


    I was his girl. I was his woman. I was his lover. Those words pierced deep into my soul, and I resonated with them.


    ¡°And what happens if I said my friend is a boy?¡± I smiled alluringly at him, testing the water.


    Was I sadistic? Had Giovanni influenced me so much these past few months that I had somehow be like him. But I wanted to see him blow his fuse. What happened if he found out I hung out with Crispin? How would he react? I wanted to know.


    Giovanni pinched my chin for emphasis again, an action I didn¡¯t expect. ¡°I¡¯ll hunt him down and-¡±


    ¡°Boss, please, no more threatening remarks. It¡¯s starting to soundme after the first hundredth time.¡± I cut him off and swatted his arm away. I sat up straight, pushing him off me, and got out of bed.


    This was the reaction I received after taunting him? How boring. I thought he¡¯d explode or do something crazy, like a mafioso does, but this¡­


    The more I knew Giovanni, the more I came to realize all the words he spouted out were empty threats.


    ¡°Jay. Come back here!¡± he demanded. ¡°We haven¡¯t finished our conversation.¡±


    I turned back to him and gave him the silent treatment. It was to show him I wasn¡¯t scared of his threat. It was to show him he couldn¡¯t boss me around. Yes, I was his lover, but that didn¡¯t mean I was his ve.


    Giovanni had always respected my freedom. Even after we¡¯d signed a renewal contract to say I was now his lover, he¡¯d still allowed me the freedom to roam around the city without a care in the world. And nothing would change that. I hoped.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me just because I became your lover I can¡¯t hang out with my friend,¡± I told him finally. Keeping him a little on the edge was good. That way, I could always negotiate my way out of things.


    Giovanni blinked at my sudden verbal attack. Now this, he did not expect. In return, he offered me his pissed-off face to view. ¡°So, you are hiding things from me,¡± he used, pointing his finger at me.


    I blew hot air and scratched my head.


    It really perplexed me how he didn¡¯t know about personal boundaries. Had he never been in a rtionship before? The me here, who had never been in a rtionship before, still knew about personal boundaries and freedom. What happened to him, though? I thought he had plenty of experience up this alley.


    ¡°Boss, when you¡¯re in a rtionship, you must allow your lover to have freedom,¡± I inserted, finally finding my undies and jeans under a messy pile. I squeezed into them and clipped on my bra before putting on my top. Giovanni justzed around in his birthday suit, rxing in bed, watching me dress. ¡°No restriction to hanging out with friends. That¡¯s what you call an equal rtionship. Spend time with other people, and when we spend time together, the spark will sizzle.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give some examples since you¡¯re a love guru, Jay.¡± He sat up straight, giving me all his attention. Either he enjoyed watching me dress, or he really was interested in what I had to say; I couldn¡¯t guess. Still, I walked to his side and sat on the bed, right beside his naked body.


    ¡°Well, if we see each other all the time, we¡¯ll get sick of each other¡¯s face, right?


    ¡°Wrong.¡± He smirked, pinched my chin, and gave me a light kiss. Whispering huskily next to my ear, he said,


    ¡°I never get sick of seeing your face, Jennifer.¡±


    My throat constricted, and my heart pounded again. Giovanni really was tempting me all day, every day here. I kept my cool and tried not to be affected by his intoxicating statement.


    ¡°Wrong, Boss,¡± I countered back. ¡°You¡¯ll definitely get sick of seeing my face every day. We need to spend time with other people, too, so that we get a chance to miss each other. And of course, when we see each other again, we¡¯ll care for each other even more. You know the saying, give me time alone so I can have a chance to miss you.¡±


    ¡°Who made up that stupid phrase?¡± he barked out. Yes, he was annoyed by my exnation, but I needed to exin to him the importance of a rtionship boundary.


    ¡°Me. I made that up. And it¡¯s not stupid. I think it just reinforces the foundation of the love you have with your partner.¡±


    ¡°And what should we do when we see each other again, after the, you know, fucking spending-time-away-from-each-other thing?¡±


    ¡°Well, we could be intimate.¡± I wiggled my eyebrows in suggestion.


    ¡°Like fucking each other?¡± he confirmed, using his foulnguage.


    ¡°No.¡± I interjected. ¡°Like going for walks on the beach, feeding each other grapes, eating ice cream in the park, watching the stars together. Those kinds of romantic things.¡±


    ¡°Howme.¡± He lost interest. ¡°Who does shit-stuff like that, anyway?¡± He scoffed, folding his arms in annoyance, and that mouth¡­


    Was Giovanni pouting? Heaven almighty, Giovanni was pouting.


    Each day that passed, Giovanni was showing me the side of him that he rarely showed other people. Outside, he was the mafia boss, fearsome, strong, an alpha male, but inside that pounding heart, he was a kid seeking attention, searching for love. And I was slowly bing intoxicated by him, bit by bit.


    ¡°Just because we kissed and made up moments ago, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not mad at you. You said you¡¯d be home by five p. m., and then you turn up at six p. m. What the hell am I supposed to do? My lover disappeared, and I¡¯m supposed to sit still and do nothing.¡±


    I saw rainbows and sunshine, right there in the room. I grinned from ear to ear. Taking him by surprise, I pinched his cheeks. ¡°Ohhh, Boss. You¡¯re so cute. Why do you have to say cute things like that?¡± I teased.


    ¡°Stop it, Jay.¡± He waved me off like I was a fly orbiting his alluring physique. ¡°Cute is not in my vocabry.¡±


    ¡°But you are cute. Like a little wee ck panther.¡± I was that annoying fly, following him around the room until he admitted that I was right.


    I couldn¡¯t help myself. He was so adorable like this. All angry, all sweet, all-


    Swift as a panther, his arm snaked around my middle, pulling me forward until my breasts were squashed t against his chest. ring down at me with deep, dark lust, he growled, ¡°Cut it out, Jay. Or I¡¯ll take you for another round and fuck you like there¡¯s no tomorrow.¡±


    This one sentence was not an empty threat. The pressure on my back indicated the truth behind those words. His fingers were already ying havoc on my nerves. I gulped back my burning desire and backed off. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll stop now.¡±


    After a minute of taming my heart to normal, I edged back to his side because he was a ma that kept attracting me. ¡°So¡­ you keep asking because you were worried?¡±


    Giovanni presented me with another version of his pissed-off face. ¡°I said I was pissed and worried.¡±


    I melted at his words. I had to exin my situation. I didn¡¯t want him to misunderstand the reason why I wasteing home.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss. My phone died on me. Or more like died at the bottom of the water ss,¡± I muttered. ¡°So I couldn¡¯t get in contact with you.¡±


    Giovanni slumped back in bed, as if exhaustion had hit him. Or was it relief? I wasn¡¯t so sure. He looked more rxed than half an hour ago.


    He roughly ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his jaw in agitation before pulling me on the bed and onto his chest. ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how fucking scared I was when you didn¡¯te home by five. I thought something had happened to you.¡± He wound his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder.


    ¡°What could happen to me?¡± I shrugged, twisting around to face him. ¡°I¡¯m just a nobody.¡±


    ¡°Not now, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re my lover. And I have enemies. If they know you¡¯re out alone at night, things might happen.¡±


    And if I¡¯m no longer your lover, I¡¯m a nobody? I was tempted to ask him that, but I couldn¡¯t. Instead, I said, ¡°You worried too much. See, I¡¯m fine. Nothing is broken. I¡¯m still in one piece.¡±


    I spread my arms out for his inspection. He nestled his face in the middle of my breasts and foundfort.


    ¡°You make me worry.¡± He grew ck against me. ¡°So worried, I was almost sick.¡±


    Damn this mafia boss. All his words were sweeter than any licorice of this world. And I was intoxicated by them.


    Of course, I could always get a second serving. And when he pulled back, I cupped his face and inched my lips forward, dipping them for one more go.


    After our satisfying kiss, I pulled back and grinned at him. ¡°Guess what, Boss?¡±


    I was face-to-face with him. At this vantage point, his midnight-ck eyes gazed right back at me, and my heart thumped in a synchronized pattern of love. This was love. I was totally intoxicated by Giovanni. If my heart were to break because he found out I wasn¡¯t the real Jennifer, I would cross that bridge when I got there, but for now, I wanted to enjoy this surreal feeling. I was his, and he was mine.


    ¡°What?¡± I watched his pissed-off face fade as a look of lust took over.


    ¡°I have a gift for you,¡± I whispered next to his ear.


    An arch of his left brow indicated he was interested in what I had to say. ¡°What gift?¡±


    I uced my fingers from around his neck and retreated out the door. ¡°Get dressed and I¡¯ll meet you in the office. You¡¯ll be in for a big surprise.¡±


    I waited a good five minutes before heading off to his office with that delicious gift in my hand. And there was Giovanni, immactely dressed in ck clothing, sitting in his office chair like a little boy waiting for his present. My words really held power.


    He was a dark angel. No, a ck angel. No, a ck devil, out to seduce my maiden¡¯s heart.


    I approached him and presented him with the gift. His eyebrow arched with interest. He opened the lid, took a brief nce, closed it again, and handed the box back to me. He only said two words.


    ¡°Feed me.¡±


    My mouth flew open. I was not expecting those words toe from Giovanni. Giving the gift to him was one thing, but feeding him was another matter entirely. I became embarrassed all of a sudden. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said, feed me,¡± he demanded again.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re my lover. And that¡¯s what lovers do. Isn¡¯t that what you told me a minute ago? So, feed me.¡±


    He was watching, waiting for me to do as hemanded. I couldn¡¯t deny it. I was the one who suggested this to him. I¡¯d dug my own grave, so I must go through with it.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    I tore off a piece of the heart croissant and fed him.


    Eyes fully focused on him, I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away until my finger was fully embedded in his mouth.


    Soft warm texture swirled around my finger. It was his tongue. My whole body warmed up again, and I was throbbing inside. I knew what wasing next, and I was prepared for it.


    What a whirlwind day it had been. I had expected him to yell at me from the start, not eat me like this. But I was his lover, and that was what lovers do, as per his contract. I cherished every moment of it.

 #3鈥擟hapter 12

    A Gift of Love in Return


    I was in a dilemma. Right now, I didn¡¯t know whether I should switch back to my role as maid to the mafia. My hand was itching to clean that vase. It stood at least three feet tall and I bet weighed more than ten pounds. And there was dust collecting on it.


    If I didn¡¯t clean it, who would? Was Giovanni going to rope some poor woman into bing his maid like I was? For a filthy rich guy like him, where were all his staff? I didn¡¯t see anyone today.


    Just as I was about to start on my task, Finnie called me to Giovanni¡¯s office. The dark lord had summoned his lover, and I must obey.


    But I was not one to neglect my task. I made my way into hisir, bncing the heavy vase with my skinny arms. I didn¡¯t stop until I found a good, stable bench to rest the vase on. And Giovanni¡¯s desk was that stable bench.


    ¡°Yes, Boss. You need me?¡± I peered over the side of therge vase to address him.


    Today Giovanni was chic, dressed to the nines with gray cks and a zer. His hair was slicked back, a contrast to his normal messy hair style. Yesterday, he was a bad boy. Today, he was the perfect gentleman.


    He was perfection in all forms and detrimental to my mental health. I was almost distracted from my task, if not for the cloth in my hand. I clicked my tongue and got to work.


    I took my job seriously. And my job was to polish this vase until I could see my reflection on it. I prided myself on all the work I¡¯d done. It¡¯s that one single trait I was not afraid to show off.


    ¡°I want to discuss your college break. You¡¯ve finished your exams, right?¡± He shot his questions straight at me.


    ¡°One more exam, Boss. Just in a few days, then I¡¯ll be done.¡± I kept working, scrubbing that dirtied vase until half of it was already gleamingly clean. ¡°I seriously hope I pass, though. If not, I¡¯m worried I might have to repeat the paper.¡±


    The worry must have shown on my face because Giovanniforted me somewhat. ¡°Jay, I¡¯m sure a smart girl like you, who runs her mouth nonstop, would pass with ease.¡±


    He leaned back and linked his arms behind his head, a look of rxedposure radiating from his body.


    At least one of us was rxed. When it came to exams, I failed big-time. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t have any distractions. Especially with this person in front of me. Always tempting me. Always making me want him.


    I shifted my focus to said person and eyed him with questioning doubt. I asked suspiciously, ¡°Is that meant to be apliment?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s apliment. You know I don¡¯t dish outpliments like Starbucks coffee.¡±


    ¡°Then I should say thank you, I suppose. At least I¡¯m somewhat relieved. But why do you ask?¡± I went back to my polishing.


    Sheesh! This vase was dirty. I put more effort into it.


    ¡°After your exam, Jay, I want to take you out. As a present.¡±


    I dropped the polishing cloth and turned my full attention to him. My eyes lit up like light bulbs. What he¡¯d said sparked my interest.


    Giovanni nned to take me out? I was in luck. The only other time I¡¯d been out was when he¡¯d tricked me into shopping for clothing for his lover, when in the end, it ended up being me.


    That time was so hrious, I giggled out loud just thinking about it. But I stopped myself before he thought I¡¯d turned stupid. Curiosity got a hold on me, and I asked him where we were going.


    ¡°Really, Boss. You¡¯re taking me out. Where to, Boss?¡±


    I didn¡¯t remember going out much when I was young. So the thought of going out excited me big-time. It would be super amazing if he¡¯d take me somewhere like Disnend. I loved theme parks. Who would have guessed I was still a kid at age neen?


    ¡°Singapore,¡± he replied nonchntly.


    ¡°Singapore? Singapore!¡± I hyperventted in excitement. ¡°Like the country Singapore? The Singapore that¡¯s all the way across the other side of the world?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that Singapore,¡± he confirmed, and I literally wanted to jump up and down like a little kid who¡¯s been given candy.


    Oh, dear Ma up in heaven, I¡¯m going to Singapore. Giovanni is taking me to Singapore.


    ¡°Boss, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re taking me to Singapore. Since I was born, I¡¯ve never been outside the States. If I wasn¡¯t dirty, I would jump up on yourp and kiss you like crazy.¡± I expressed my excitement.


    Giovanni shot up, leaned on his arms, and cooed softly into my ear. ¡°What¡¯s stopping you?¡±


    I stilled and fluttered my eyes in his direction. He was seducing me with those obsidian eyes, and it was turning my world upside down.


    My heartbeat shot up to the roof, and because I was literally pumped with adrenaline, I spazzed out the first sentence that came to mind. ¡°My hands are dirty; I don¡¯t want to dirty your new suit.¡±


    And I was still excited, smiling at him like a dork. I imagined myself hanging out in the cool ces in Singapore, like Marina Sand Bay or on Orchard Road, where the rich and wealthy hang out. Because I had an active imagination, my hands became active, too. They somehow stopped polishing the vase and started polishing the desk instead. Vigorously.


    Giovanni made a face like he¡¯d sucked on a sour lemon, exhaled, probably in irritation, and crashed down in his chair. The chair squeaked under his weight, and I squeaked, too, as soon as I saw his change of mood-I was very attuned to him these days-my manner changed instantly.


    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong? Gone sick all of a sudden? Want me to grab you some acetaminophen? Or a shot of morphine to stop the pain?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Jay. And stop polishing my desk,¡± he barked out, annoyance scratching his face.


    ¡°Sorry, Boss. It¡¯s hard for me to stop.¡± I triedplying with his wish, but my hands wouldn¡¯t stop with the swirling motion. That¡¯s what three months¡¯ worth of maid duty did to me. My hands were on autopilot whenever they grabbed a cloth. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m so used to being your maid, and now I have an obligation to be your lover, too. And it¡¯s hard sometimes, you know, to differentiate between the two roles.¡±


    ¡°Why is it so hard to stop polishing? Just drop that rag ande here.¡± He gestured for me toe to him.


    My legs obeyed him like the rest of my body did. I put the rag down and nimbly walked to his side.


    ¡°Sit.¡± He issued his order.


    ¡°Where? There¡¯s only one chair.¡± And he was sitting on it.


    He pointed to the space on hisp.


    I burst outughing. ¡°I was only joking before, you know. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    Giovanni wasn¡¯tughing. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking joking. Now sit.¡±


    My eyes immediately skittered across the room, making sure the guys weren¡¯t in the vicinity.


    Who knew if they were hiding behind a closed door somewhere? I couldn¡¯t trust those guys when it came to the boss and me being all cozy. They were even worse than a bunch of girls gossiping on Friday night.


    ¡°What if the guys see us,¡± I whispered as if they could hear our conversation.


    The thought of them seeing me in an intimate position with the boss was embarrassing enough, but for them to witness me sitting on Giovanni¡¯sp, now that would be pure mortification.


    ¡°At least I didn¡¯t ask to fuck you on the chair,¡± Giovanni said loud and clear. ¡°Now sit!¡±


    Was I a dog or what? But I did as hemanded. I gingerly crawled onto hisp, positioning my butt to make myself feel asfortable as possible, then folded my dirty hands together so as not to touch his immacte clothing. I waited patiently.


    Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to wait long. Giovanni drew out a small rectangr box from his drawer and ced it on the table in front of me. Gently and ever so lightly, he nted feathery kisses on my cheek. My face warmed up at that intimate contact, and I shyly turned to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± he said. They were only two words. but my heart melted.


    I peeked at him under myshes, then flicked my gaze back at the box. It was wrapped in white sparkling paper, with a nice blue bow toplement it. It was too beautifully decorated; I didn¡¯t want to spoil it by touching it with my dirty hands.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he prompted me when he saw me sitting there and staring at the box like I was possessed. ¡°What are you waiting for? Open it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to touch it. My hands are dirty.¡±


    ¡°Open it, Jay. I don¡¯t care if the box gets dirty. Unless you want to see me pissed.¡±


    True. I hated seeing him pissed. He went berserk and swore at his underlings all the time. It was just not funny.


    But what made me dislike his bad mood even more was his devilishly good looks and my reaction to him. He exuded elegance and an intoxicating drug that just sucked my essence out of me. I went all boneless and defenseless. And I didn¡¯t like that. Especially not at this moment, when I was sitting on hisp. I was already defenseless. Physically and emotionally.


    In order to prevent this ailment, I did as he suggested and carefully unwrapped the box, my dirty hands smudging the wrapping. But Giovanni really didn¡¯t care. All his focus was on me.


    He was watching me, watching my facial expression as the item inside that box was finally revealed. And I gasped. In surprise, in shock, and in delight.


    ¡°Boss, wow, it¡¯s a mobile phone,¡± I eximed. ¡°You know how much this gadget costs? I¡¯d have had to sell my arm and a leg if I wanted one. But how did you get a hold of it? It¡¯s not even in the stores yet?¡±


    ¡°I have my ways.¡± Giovanni practically beamed from ear to ear. His eyes sparkled with amusement at my reaction to his present.


    In all my life, I¡¯ve never held anything this expensive before. Only the wealthiest and the richest could get their hands on thetest edition that¡¯s not even out in stores yet.


    ¡°Go on. Turn it on,¡± Giovanni prompted me, grinning like a Cheshire cat. ¡°I¡¯ve input my number already. Just dial one.¡±


    ¡°How thoughtful of you.¡± I was very surprised by Giovanni¡¯s generosity. First Singapore, and now this gift.


    Giovanni caressed my cheek and then kissed the living hell out of my lips. I was sucked into a vortex, my whole body melting into him. I sucked back at those lips, and literally took up all the spaces in his body, meshing our limbs together. My moan spilled out in between kisses. After satisfying myself with his taste, I drew up for some fresh air.


    ¡°Thank you, Boss. I really appreciate your kind offer. I¡¯ll make sure to use it to its full potential.¡±


    ¡°Now there¡¯s no excuse for not picking up your phone. Got that?¡± I heard Giovanni say somewhere in the background.


    ¡°Aye, aye, Boss,¡± I mumbled back, my attention caught on my new phone.


    I checked out the new apps and even found a camera, too. The definition was definitely beyond HD. It¡¯s 4K. I got a feeling I would be starting a new hobby soon. And Giovanni would be my first model.


    Jenny Stone. Student. Maid. Lover. Barista. And now, photographer. I grinned at the thought.


    ¡°Jay, are you happy?¡± His voice resonated in my ear, making my heart thump dramatically, and I almost dropped my phone. Apparently, I was so busy ying with my phone, I didn¡¯t realize Giovanni was making a move on me.


    How could I have forgotten that Giovanni was beside me? I gently put the phone down on his desk and wrapped my arms around his neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m very happy, Boss. Truly, one hundred percent happy.¡± shing him a smile, he returned one to me with his pearly white teeth on disy.


    God, he looked magnificent when he smiled. His eyes crested a bit, like wee little crescent moons. He really should smile more often.


    ¡°You look really handsome when you smile, Boss,¡± Iplimented him. ¡°You should smile more to the guys, too. They are scared of you, you know that? They need to know this kind side of you, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the face I show to everyone who works for me. And this face right here, it¡¯s reserved only for you.¡±


    My heart swelled up at those simple words.


    ¡°I¡¯m so lucky.¡± I squeezed those words out through my smile.


    ¡°Yes, you are, my little bunny. A very lucky pet.¡± He patted my head and stroked my hair.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Once again, I was reduced to a pet. But I didn¡¯tment on it, just smiled at him, then turned back to explore my phone.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time I introduce you to my friends,¡± he decided.


    ¡°You have friends, Boss?¡± I shifted my focus to him, my interest piqued.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m a lone tree with no friends, Jay?¡± He pinched my chin as if he disliked my answer, so he was punishing me. But I thought it was more of a cute love gesture.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I always see you holed up here in Cory Mansion. Never seen you outside of here.¡± Tilting my head, his fingers let my chin go, and I went back to ying with my new phone, his conversation bing disinteresting again.


    ¡°Well, Jay, you¡¯re in for a big awakening.¡± He pinched my chin again, drawing my attention back to him. ¡°I¡¯m going to drag you down to my world; are you ready?¡±


    And this time, he didn¡¯t let go. But Iughed, throwing my head back until I couldn¡¯tugh anymore. I was going crazy, just like Giovanni was. Giving him the best beaming smile I could muster, I said, ¡°Are you kidding, Boss? I was ready since yesterday.¡±


    His eyes sparkled with mirth, matching mine. This was going to be an interesting adventure. Going to Singapore and having my own phone, too¡­ I was so ready for this. But first, I truly hoped I could pass myst exam.

 #3鈥擟hapter 13

    My Beloved


    Fuck that mobile phone. Giovanni had thought that by giving his lover thetest and greatest mobile phone, it could bridge the gap between their rtionship. They could be closer. Not just physically, but on an emotional level. He wanted to be closer to her, connected with her. But this¡­


    What the fuck was happening here? These past few days, Jay was on her fucking phone twenty-four seven. Did girls her age be obsessed with these kinds of gadgets? Or was he just too fucking old to appreciate them? Fucking hell, he was only twenty-seven. Technology was something to be used and maybe appreciated, but it shouldn¡¯t rule one¡¯s life. He didn¡¯t depend on it. But Jay¡­


    Fuck!


    This issue was doing his head in. He needed advice. Out of his four underlings, Bobby seemed the most likely candidate to offer sound advice.


    Giovanni dialed his phone and barked into the line. ¡°Come to my office. I have important matters to discuss.¡±


    Three heartbeatster, Bobby appeared at his door.


    ¡°Come in and shut the door. I don¡¯t want the others to hear about this.¡±


    ¡°Am I getting a pay raise, Boss?¡± Bobby whispered his question in excitement.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t the others hear?¡±


    Giovanni was having second thoughts as to whether Bobby was the best person to consult in his dilemma.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s about something else.¡±


    ¡°Is this about Jenny?¡±


    A light appeared in Giovanni¡¯s eyes. Maybe he¡¯d made the right choice after all. Bobby really was perceptive in these things.


    ¡°Bobby, what am I doing wrong?¡± heined to his underling, his body going ck all of a sudden. He had no energy to even think straight. How must he go about solving this problem?


    He could throw that phone away, but that would be fucking mean. He¡¯d already given that phone to her. He couldn¡¯t possibly take it back. Those ideas swirled round and round like uncooked soup in his mind, and now he was back to square one.


    ¡°What did ya do, Boss?¡± Bobby asked for more information, sitting downfortably on the settee, a good distance from him. A safe distance, in fact, since he might not know when he would explode when it came to Bobby. That one underling of his always managed to rub him the wrong way, but Bobby was a good source of information.


    Exactly how much information should he disclose to Bobby, though? He didn¡¯t want to look like a fool in front of his underling. Being a mafia boss, he had to uphold a certain reputation. No acting like a fucking teen with raging hormones just because his lover paid more attention to her phone than him. But this reputation of his got fucking exhausting sometimes. He just wanted to sulk, for once.


    ¡°Jay¡¯s not paying attention to me. She spends more time on her phone than with me.¡± Yep! He sounded like some poor jealous kid who just lost his delicious candy to another man.


    It¡¯s a fucking phone for fucking sake, he had to remind himself. Keep your cool, you loser.


    ¡°Herst mid-year exam ising up. She might be using the phone to do research,¡± Bobby suggested, getting up from his seat and moving toward him.


    Still, this didn¡¯t help solve his problem one bit.


    ¡°She coulde to me for research. I know shitloads of shit,¡± he boasted.


    ¡°Do you know anything about what she¡¯s studying?¡±


    His mind came up nk.


    Fuck! Did he really know so little about his lover? He remembered a conversation from way back when she first came to live with him. ¡°Something to do with numbers.¡±


    ¡°Not just numbers. ounting, Boss.¡± Bobby shot him down. ¡°That¡¯s why, sir, Giuseppe has his own ountant.¡±


    ¡°Bloody fucking ounting,¡± Giovanni spat out. He knew numbers. If he were this bad, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far.


    ¡°And have you even gotten a University degree, Boss?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need some fucking University degree to make a living. I¡¯m already living the high life.¡± Damned shit, he was pissed. Bobby was kicking too close to home. He knew he didn¡¯t have some University degree to make Giuseppe proud. But he had a good sound mind in his head. Plus, he wasn¡¯t one to dwell on the past. He was a man of the future. And if Bobby was smarter, he should move farther away from him, because any closer and he would kick the shit out of him. ¡°And if you don¡¯t stop spouting shit about me, in front of me, I¡¯ll kick your ass.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Boss. I was only stating my honest opinion.¡± Bobby moved swiftly back to his seat.


    ¡°Keep your honest opinion to yourself. It¡¯s not needed.¡± And now he was fucking annoyed. Fuck this feeling! How could he feel jealous of a damned phone? He was disgusted with himself. Jay was doing things to him he wasn¡¯t aware of. And he fucking hated it. This stupid feeling that he¡¯d never felt before. But she¡¯d intoxicated him, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling stupid when he was around her. ¡°And why the fuck are we talking about myck of tertiary education? We¡¯re swaying from the main topic here. It¡¯s Jay. Jay and that bloody phone.¡± Giovanni put emphasis on the main culprit, the mobile phone.


    Giovanni went quiet, carefully watching Bobby process the information. He sure hoped Bobby was processing that information and perhaps was already thinking of ways to help him deal with this problem. And he was pleased when, after a small moment, Bobby¡¯s head shot up.


    ¡°Boss, I got it.¡± Bobby rushed to his side.


    Giovanni moved in closer to his underling, hoping to hear a good solution. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°The root of the problem is you.¡±


    Giovanni blinked and swore three times. ¡°That¡¯s your conclusion, after sitting there scratching your head for five minutes?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Conclusion, my ass.¡± Giovanni swatted his underling¡¯s head. ¡°Just me me, go on. Bring it all out. Let me hear it all.¡±


    ¡°If you promise not to hit me again, then I¡¯ll say it.¡±


    ¡°Just fucking say it. I don¡¯t have all day,¡± he whined, folding his arms and crashing into his chair.


    Since he had given Bobby the all clear, Bobby poised himself against his desk and kicked off his narration with a bang to his gut. ¡°The whole problem stems from you because you¡¯re the one who gave her that phone. So, don¡¯t go ming the phone or Jenny. me yourself. Plus, Boss, you¡¯ve got to admit, it¡¯s a really cool phone. You can¡¯t beat that. Thetest edition and all. Who wouldn¡¯t go goo-goo-ga-ga over that? If you gifted me that phone, I¡¯d y with it twenty-four seven, too.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-four seven, my ass. Are you saying I¡¯m not as cool as the phone?¡± His eyes twitched. He didn¡¯t like where this conversation was heading.


    ¡°You are cool, Boss. Super cool.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a ¡®but;¡¯ I sense it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your behavior.¡±


    ¡°What the bloody hell is wrong with my behavior?¡± Giovanni gasped out, perplexed at his underling¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve been your boss for over a decade now, and you¡¯ve never had the guts to tell me this until now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to your moods, Boss, but Jenny, she¡¯s a sweet little thing. And you know, all that name-calling, that ain¡¯t cool.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s a rtionship expert.¡±


    Bobby positively relished his moment. ¡°I¡¯m not really one to toot my own horn, Boss, but I¡¯ve gone through my fair share of rtionships, enough to give sound advice.¡±


    And this was precisely why he¡¯d chosen Bobby. ¡°All right, then. Let¡¯s hear it, loud and clear, since you are such a rtionship expert.¡±


    ¡°For one, maybe you should stop calling her your coffee machine .¡± Bobby offered his two cents. ¡°Her name is Jenny, after all. If I have a boyfriend, I wouldn¡¯t want anyone calling me coffee machine all the time. That¡¯s just degrading. That¡¯s why she turned her attention to the mobile phone.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s lecturing me.¡± Giovanni clicked his tongue in distaste. ¡°To be named my coffee machine is a privilege, in my book. You know how I¡¯m obsessed with coffee.¡±


    ¡°In your book, Boss, but no one else¡¯s,¡± Bobby muttered under his breath.


    ¡°You wanna say that louder, Bobby?¡± Giovanni warned.


    ¡°Just saying, Boss, that¡¯s when she was your maid. Now she¡¯s your lover. Shouldn¡¯t you call her something endearing?¡±


    ¡°Get yourself a fucking boyfriend, Bobby, and stop bugging me with your suggestive undertones of sound advice. But on second thought¡­¡± Bobby paused at the door, waiting for him to borate. ¡°You really think I should call her some sort of endearment? It doesn¡¯t sound too cheesy, does it, if I called her like¡­?¡±


    Bobby opened his eyes wide, waiting for him to finish his sentence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know. What do you call your lover when you care for them?¡± Giovanni was totally fizzled. He¡¯d never had to think about these things before.


    ¡°How about darling, honey, or, this one is my personal favorite. Pumpkin.¡±


    ¡°Pumpkin!¡± Giovanni gasped in distaste. ¡°I ain¡¯t fucking calling Jay, pumpkin. She ain¡¯t some piece of vegetable.¡±


    If anything, Jay was more like a piece of something sweet, but he still couldn¡¯t fathom calling her ¡®Sugar.¡¯ That just soundedme as shit.


    ¡°You just have to sit down and think it through. What name would be suitable for Jenny? I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°You sure it doesn¡¯t soundme, if I say it?¡± Giovanni asked for reassurance.


    ¡°No, Boss. It¡¯ll be totally cool.¡±


    ¡°All right. You can go.¡± Giovanni dismissed Bobby with a wave of his hand and thought about his current dilemma.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Maybe Bobby was right. Who would appreciate having a lover calling them coffee machine all the time? Jay was more than a coffee machine to him. She was his¡­


    Beloved.


    Giovanni grinned. He¡¯d found the perfect endearment for Jay. And he couldn¡¯t wait to call her by that name.

 #3鈥擟hapter 14

    Something woke me. And by now I knew who it was. ¡°Boss, is that you?¡± I muttered in my hazy state.


    ¡°You¡¯re sleeping, Jay?¡± came his husky voice next to my ear.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I was aware of him lifting the bedsheet and nestling beside me, but I was just so exhausted I couldn¡¯t move an inch. My legs and arms were dead. It only seemed like a second ago that I¡¯d fallen asleep with a text book in hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, Boss,¡± I mumbled again, my eyes peeking open to check the time on my new mobile phone-eleven p. m. ¡°Ahhh,¡± I moaned, shoving my head into the pillow. ¡°Too tired. Going back to bed.¡± And my body grew ck.


    A rough growl resonated in my ear. ¡°Wake up, my beloved.¡±


    Beloved?


    My eyes shed open, and I bolted upright, smashing my head against Giovanni¡¯s.


    ¡°Ahhh, fuck!¡± he swore, rubbing his sore forehead. ¡°You hit my head.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Boss, sorry.¡± I bounced out of bed and soothed his forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to smash into you. You surprised me with that statement.¡±


    How did Giovanni progress from calling me coffee machine to his beloved in less than a week? I only became his lover a few days ago.


    Could our rtionship progress that fast? Amelia wasn¡¯t here to offer advice, and I didn¡¯t have any girlfriends I could consult on this topic. Crispin was my friend, but he¡¯s a guy. I couldn¡¯t talk to him about sensitive and personal topics like these. Plus, he didn¡¯t know I was in a rtionship with the mafia boss.


    ¡°What, me calling you my beloved?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It shocked me.¡± I told him the truth.


    ¡°Why? Want me to call you coffee machine instead?¡± He brought his face directly in front of mine, so all I could focus on now was his face, his damned beautiful captivating face. My mind was hazy before, but now I was fully alert.


    ¡°Well, no, I don¡¯t, but I¡¯m not used to being called beloved,¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°Get used to it, because from now on, you¡¯re my beloved, Jay,¡± he dered.


    ¡°Beloved. Beloved.¡± I tested the new name on my tongue. It had a nice ring to it. I could get used to it. Well, anything was better than coffee machine .


    I said the name a few more times until Giovanni started using that f-word again, and I was shaking like a leaf in excitement and anticipation.


    I grabbed my phone, my intention clear. Giovanni was distracting me. If I focused all my attention on my new phone, I wouldn¡¯t be tempted by him. But just as my finger touched the phone, he tore it away from me.


    I watched in horror as he threw my beloved phone across the room. Thankfully, itnded on the couch. I directed my evil re at him. ¡°Boss-¡±


    ¡°Hush!¡± He pressed a finger to my lips and shut me up, right before I could voice my anger. ¡°You don¡¯t need it. Tonight, you only need me.¡±


    Thump! That was the sound of my heart kicking against my rib cage.


    Tonight, you only need me.


    These were simple words I had read in those romance novels, but when they were directed at me, they held a totally different meaning. My body turned into a puddle of goo, and all I wanted to do was jump Giovanni and ride him.


    How had I be this captivated? Now I could fully appreciate how those heroines acted all mushy and sweet when the hero whispered obscene words into their ears.


    But I reined back my desire. This was definitely not the time to indulge in sweet sexual desire. I needed to have a good night¡¯s sleep, a minimum of eight hours; otherwise, I¡¯d perform badly on my exam tomorrow. And I didn¡¯t need a crystal ball to predict the future. This would be the oue if I followed this path.


    ¡°But Boss, I have-¡±


    Giovanni didn¡¯t listen to my protest. He was too cool for that. Instead, he sealed my lips with his own, kissing me with all the emotion he possessed. And his action spoke all. Fisting his fingers into my hair, he pinned me to the bed.


    He wanted me, just as I wanted him. Our bodies resonated against each other, just as our tongues collided and fought with one another, both searching for that nectar we craved. When our lips finally disconnected, my heart still pounded after our intoxicating kiss.


    His breathing grew heavy, and seductive lust spread through his eyes. He growled, ¡°No more words tonight. All I want to hear is the sound of your moans and the screams of my name on your lips. Can you do that for me?¡±


    ¡°Just once, okay? I have an exam tomorrow,¡± I told him, more so to remind myself that I was only allowed one serving of him. Any more and it would affect my exam performance tomorrow.


    Giovanni agreed. ¡°Just once, my beloved.¡±


    Hearing him say my beloved made my breathing hitch by another notch. I pouted my lips, waiting for him to kiss me again. Giovanni didn¡¯t waste a moment, quickly closing the gap between us. The second his lips touched mine, sensory fibers alerted every cell in my entire body. My toes curled up, and butterflies swarmed in my belly.


    How many times had he kissed me? Each time it only got better and better. Actually, it was better than better. It was addicting, intoxicating, and I was drowning. I couldn¡¯t get enough of this drug. I wanted more, needed more.


    My hands crushed into his hair, dragging his lips back to me when he descended to my throat. But only for a second. He drifted down to my neck again, this time nuzzling my nape.


    Giovanni enjoyed teasing me. He was taking his time, seducing me with his fingers, his lips, and whispering words of seduction next to my ear.


    ¡°Beloved. You are my beloved.¡± Those words echoed in my mind.


    I glowed under his touch. He made me feel like I was his treasure, his beloved. His hands continued to caress my sensitive skin, with light feathery touches. My body grew hot and flustered. My need for him grew urgent. I didn¡¯t know how long I could wait. I needed him now.


    ¡°Boss, please,¡± I begged. He answered me by sealing his lips to mine again, reducing my voice to moans and groans.


    He loved it, digging his fingers into my soft flesh. I returned the favor, my nails scratching his back.


    I was beyond the point of no return. My need for him grew more urgent, and I was whispering obscene words into his ear, asking him to do things to me I would never say when I was not intoxicated.


    A rumble escaped from his chest, and he growled, kissing me more urgently, too. He caught my eyes, locking our gazes together. Our fingers intertwined, and slowly he took me, entering me at a slow pace.


    ¡°Faster, please,¡± I begged him.


    And Giovanni gave it to me. Hard and fast. Just what I liked. My head spun; my world tilted. Sshes of light shed before my eyes, and I was chasing it, this feeling of euphoria, when finally, I reached it, this cliff edge.


    I fell, descending at a fast pace, down and down, then suddenly I was flying through the sky. This was euphoria, my euphoria. Nothing could beat this intoxicating feeling. I was in heaven.

 #3鈥擟hapter 15

    Wee to My World


    Oh, the sweet and bitter taste of love. But this was definitely love. I loved Giovanni, loved him enough to cross the ocean to be with him, where I would be immersed in his world.


    Right after my final exam, we boarded his private jet. Neen hourster, we arrived in beautiful tropical Singapore. I said tropical because they had beautiful colorful flowers everywhere. Not to mention the air was hot and musty, a different kind of heat to what New York City was during the summer.


    I had only managed to inhale threerge breaths full of air before Giovanni whisked me off to the hotel and into the spa clinic, not wasting even a second for me to recover. Not that I needed any rest since I had slept through our long journey.


    I had aplete makeover at the spa, with manicure, makeup, and hair done, then was put into a designer dress and now driven to this fancy French restaurant. Everything was just a blur. I hadn¡¯t a clue what was going on. And it wasn¡¯t until he whispered in my ear, that my world came into focus.


    ¡°Wee to my world.¡±


    Giovanni took my hand, leading me into the high-ss restaurant, with chandelier lights and glittering wine sses greeting me on the way.


    The hostess sh waitress-I wasn¡¯t sure what she was called-led us into a private room. Giovanni guided me in, his warm hand on the small of my back. I was nervous. I had told him so numerous times before, even before wended in Singapore. And now my nerves had increased tenfold.


    As soon as the door to the private room was open, I was met with three hot men and one beautiful woman. They all nced at us when we neared their table, but it was the woman who got up from her seat and approached me, extending her arms wide, bringing me in for a hug like I was her long-lost sister.


    ¡°Giovanni. Giovanni.¡± She clucked her tongue, shaking her long voluminous hair from side to side, smiling at me through her bright-green eyes and rouge-red lips. ¡°Finally, you have decided to introduce her to us. Hello,¡± she addressed me like I was a wee kitten. ¡°My name is Kimberly. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jenny Stone,¡± I answered back, in awe of everyone and everything around me. Never had I seen such beautiful people in one setting. For a minute there, I thought I was on a film set, surrounded by movie stars. Because that¡¯s what these people were like: hot, drool-worthy, morous people with movie-star good looks.


    ¡°Wow, Jenny. You are such a cute wee thing. No wonder Giovanni couldn¡¯t stop talking about you.¡± She surveyed me up and down, making me blush under her inspection.


    I felt a bit self-conscious actually, what with my measly self on disy. No way could Ipare to her. She was as beautiful as a goddess, as sexy as a siren, especially with the red dress she had on, and that revealing neckline, golly, it only enhanced her cleavage even more. No wonder she used the word cute on me. As for her, she was a total bombshell.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she a pretty wee thing, Julian?¡± she chatted away, and my eyes immediately lit up with recognition.


    ¡°Sir Julian, hello,¡± I harped excitedly. Finally, someone I knew amongst these beautiful strange faces.


    ¡°Hello, Jenny,¡± he greeted back warmly.


    ¡°Sir Julian¡­¡± Kimberly frowned. I watched her give the man a once-over before her gaze flipped back to me. ¡°You called him Sir Julian, Jenny?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded. ¡°He came to visit us at Cory Mansion a few months back.¡±


    Kimberly went into aughing fit.


    Did I say something funny?


    I turned to Giovanni, silently asking him for help. He responded with a shrug of his shoulders and a devilish grin to his face. The damned devil left me to fend for myself.


    What could I expect? I was minding my own business a few months back, and now here I was, dropped in the middle of a glittering room, rubbing shoulders among the elite. I had thought being presented to the queen would be a hard task. But this was way harder. I didn¡¯t really know how to behave or respond in this kind of situation.


    Kimberly stopped her miniughter and took me at arm¡¯s length. Like a big sister, she gave me her advice. ¡°Now, Jenny, you call him Julian. He¡¯s no sir. He hasn¡¯t been knighted by the queen yet. He is just an ordinary guy.¡±


    From across the room, I could hear Julian¡¯s voice. ¡°Am I really an ordinary guy?¡±


    I observed Kimberly throwing her gaze over her shoulder, and Julian caught it. Even from this distance, I could feel that electric pulsating tension between them. I sensed their rtionship was a special one. And it was confirmed when Kimberly mouthed, ¡°Definitely ordinary.¡±


    I knew it. They were lovers. No way would they lock eyes with each other-for what felt like eternity-if they weren¡¯t special to each other.


    Kimberly finally broke eye contact first and took me to my seat. But not before I ended up in a game of tug-of-war between Giovanni and Kimberly. Of course, I was the rope.


    ¡°Kimberly, who said you could take my girl?¡± Giovanni started the first round, reaching out and tugging me back into his arm.


    ¡°Oh, Giovanni, don¡¯t be such an ass. Jenny needs a friend. Look at this room. Four fully grown men. It¡¯s intimidating for her.¡± And Kimberly took my other arm, tugging me back to her side.


    ¡°Jay sits next to me,¡± Giovanni said, unrelenting, and I ended up being pulled back to Giovanni¡¯s side. If this carried on any longer, I would end up like a licorice, stretched to the maximum.


    I wanted to sit next to Kimberly, but before I could voice my opinion, she made her decision.


    ¡°Fine. I give up,¡± she said, letting my hand go, and I immediately bounced back into Giovanni¡¯s arms. ¡°No one can ever get in your way when you love something.¡±


    Love? Did Kimberly just say the word love? Did that mean Giovanni loved me? But he never really said that word in front of me. Still, after hearing Kimberly say that, I couldn¡¯t help blushing, because just maybe Giovanni did love me, and maybe I was not just his mere ything.


    I nced up at Giovanni at that moment, and he grinned, that devious one that always made my insides melt. Yes, maybe he really loved me. I hoped no one could see my red cheeks under this lighting.


    Kimberly walked to her seat. I felt a bit disappointed at that moment. She sounded cool. If I could sit next to her, I could learn a few tricks from her, especially on how to behave in this high-ss setting. And maybe, if I was lucky, we could be friends. How cool would that be.


    Of course, Kimberly surprised me once again when she pped her hands, grabbing the attention of all the men in the room along with myself. ¡°Boys. Move seats. I¡¯m sitting next to Jenny.¡±


    Oh, she was splendid. I had to give it to her. Before I could though, a blond-haired man sitting beside Julian beat me to it. He pped Julian on the back and said, ¡°Your partner is one sexy dynamite. How did you tame her?¡±


    ¡°Dawson,¡± she addressed the blond-haired man, ¡°Julian, didn¡¯t tame me. I tamed him.¡±


    Of course, this earned augh from the rest of us. That being said, they all stood up and shifted their seats like schoolboys per Kimberly¡¯s instruction, while Julian cleared his throat and tried to tame his girlfriend by saying, ¡°Kimberly,e sit down,¡± only to get pegged down by her.


    ¡°Okay. Okay. I¡¯ming,¡± she said, taking my elbow in her hand and leading me to the vacant seat beside her. She had such style when she walked, sashaying her backside and gracefully gliding into her own seat. ¡°Sit here. Let me introduce you to everyone. Giovanni, you¡¯re fine if I introduce Jenny to the others?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question of permission, merely a statement of intention.


    I agreed with Dawson. Kimberly really was dynamite. And I had expected Giovanni to make aeback since he always liked to be in charge. But he seemed at ease with it all, letting Kimberly take the lead while he casually poured himself a drink, sitting leisurely back against his chair, rxing, with one hand stretched out to cradle the back of my chair.


    ¡°Be my guest.¡± He gestured with his chin.


    Was this how he behaved with his friends? He was so different in this setting, as if he was in his element, unlike at home when he had to deal with all his business stuff. I now saw Giovanni in a new light.


    I waited for Kimberly¡¯s introduction. Would I be Giovanni¡¯s maid or his lover?


    ¡°Everyone, this is Jenny, Giovanni¡¯s girl.¡±


    Oh! I¡¯m his girl? Doesn¡¯t sound too bad, at all.


    I wanted to swat that smile off my face, but my heart was bursting at full bloom, and that smile of mine just stretched from ear to ear.


    ¡°We heard Jenny the first time, Kimberly.¡± Thankfully, Dawson drew everyone¡¯s attention, and my face was well hidden in the dim light. ¡°Now, sit down,¡± he urged Kimberly.


    But Kimberly really was a woman of the modern world. She simply reprimanded him like he was a little schoolboy.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, Dawson,¡± she scolded him. ¡°That¡¯s no way to talk to a woman. No wonder you haven¡¯t got a girl.¡±


    ¡°Who said I love girls? Men are more my thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dawson, how could I forget. Weren¡¯t you in the news the other day for jilting your male lover?¡±


    ¡°You pay too much attention to that news. And for the record, he wasn¡¯t my lover. Shouldn¡¯t you be introducing me to the little one?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Jenny, got sidetracked.¡± Kimberly cleared her throat, then put on her hostess voice. ¡°This man here is Dawson Kensington. His family are aristocrats, part of a noble family from Ennd.¡±


    ¡°Hello, little one.¡± The man named Dawson spoke, edging himself back into his chair and lifting his hand to wave at me. ¡°Don¡¯t believe Kimberly. I don¡¯t have any noble blood in me. And I¡¯m no aristocrat. If anything, I¡¯m just an ordinary American citizen. Although, I mainly live here in Singapore.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. He was so cheerful and friendly, detailing all his life in that one speech, so I just said hi.


    ¡°This is Justin Valenti.¡± Kimberly gestured to the ck-haired man sitting beside Dawson.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I said, smiling at the man with the angr face and eyes as blue as the ocean.


    The man was quiet and demure, the total opposite to Dawson¡¯s cheerful personality. In fact, if Dawson was the light, Justin was the dark. He¡¯d barely spoken a word since our arrival. Of course, his greeting was a slight nod to the head.


    ¡°And of course, the man sitting beside me here is my partner, Julian Devereux, which you already know.¡±


    My eyes shifted to Julian, and I smiled.


    ¡°How are you enjoying Singapore so far? Have you been to Garden by the Bay, yet?¡± he asked.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No. Not yet. We just arrived today. I think we are going there tomorrow, right bo¡­ ah¡­ I mean Gio.¡±


    Phew! That was close. I almost spilled out the word ¡®boss¡¯ in front of his friends. Giovanni did say not to call him ¡®boss¡¯ while we were here.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Giovanni confirmed, smiling warmly at me, one hand rubbing my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll go to the Flower Dome, too. You¡¯ll like that, Jay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Kimberly chimed in. ¡°You¡¯ll love it. Don¡¯t forget to take lots of pictures as souvenirs.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I will. Gio bought me a new phone. I¡¯ll be sure to take lots of pictures.¡±


    ¡°You do that, little one. Take pictures of Giovanni, too. He hates that.¡±


    ¡°Dawson-¡± Giovanni started before Dawson cut in, offering me his precious advice.


    ¡°And make sure Giovanni doesn¡¯t annoy you too much. Singapore is a romantic city, especially at night. You don¡¯t know where it might lead you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Giovanni managed to let his words out this time. ¡°This is definitely a holiday for Jay. I¡¯ll be sure she enjoys every second of it.¡±


    I understood what they were implying, and my face blushed an even darker shade of pink. Giovanni saw it this time, and he grinned, slowly caressing my arm, rapidly making the heat radiate all the way up to the tips of my ears.


    I knew what he was thinking. But this was not the time for that. I swatted his arm away. Thankfully, he diverted his attention elsewhere, and I had time to calm myself down.


    A whileter, the topic of our conversation shifted to business talk. Kimberly was also deep in conversation with Julian. This gave me ample opportunity to survey my new surroundings. My eyes flicked around the room.


    Everything was beautiful and amazing. If only I felt the same way. This just wasn¡¯t my territory. I didn¡¯t sign up for this elegant setting and these shy drinks. In fact, I was satisfied with just staying at home, back in Cory Mansion, New York, serving Giovanni his coffee and kissing him good night before going to bed. This was way beyond my world. But this was his world, full of bright lights, men in tuxedos, and expensive wine. And I¡¯d better get used to it if I were to continue to be his lover.


    A sudden thought struck me. Giovanni was mafia. Did that mean his friends were mafia, too? I couldn¡¯t picture any of them meeting in shady ces though, selling drugs and killing people, especially with their impable outfits and waxed back hair. If anything, they resembled people in the high-ss elite, like those reality TV shows of multibillionaire business owners I used to watch on television when I was younger.


    ¡°Boss,¡± I whispered into Giovanni¡¯s ear when the opportunity presented itself. ¡°Are your friends mafia, too?¡±


    Giovanni burst into a chuckle the second those words spouted from my lips. He rubbed my head affectionately and said, ¡°Yes, they are my friends, and no, they are not mafia.¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡®mafia,¡¯ Dawson sputtered on his drink, and Justin simply fixed his gaze on me. Kimberly joined Giovanni¡¯s chuckling fit, and Julian shook his head.


    ¡°Little one, we are not like Giovanni,¡± Dawson said after recovering from his coughing fit. ¡°Although, we do deal in some shady business, but nothing that could get anybody killed. Giovanni, why don¡¯t you tell little one exactly what you do.¡±


    That¡¯s right. All my previous knowledge of Giovanni had revolved around him being of the mafia, but what precisely did he do? I couldn¡¯t imagine Giovanni going around shooting people. Since the beginning, while I was still his maid, I had only been induced to collect money. In a way, I thought he was more of a loan shark, loaning people money with high interest rates. And if they didn¡¯t pay him back on time, there would be consequences. As to the actual consequences, I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of punishment they would be getting. But surely it would never amount to death. The thought of dating a mafia man who killed people made my stomach queasy.


    I pushed the thought out of mind. I had lived with Giovanni for a while now and saw his many personalities. He may have a foul mouth and act spoiled most of the time, but he wasn¡¯t the type to execute people with his bare hands. That, I was sure of.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jay.¡± Giovanni took the time to address me. ¡°I haven¡¯t killed anyone¡­ yet. Just as long as they don¡¯t encroach on my turf.¡± He turned to his friends and announced, ¡°Why don¡¯t we toast to our friendship. It has been over five years now. Jay, what do you want to drink? Orange juice? Coke?¡±


    My eyes were scanning the drinks menu when Dawson asked me, ¡°Little one, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°Dawson!¡± Kimberly pped him on the shoulder. ¡°A man shouldn¡¯t ask a woman her age.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m curious,¡± he responded.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t mind,¡± I said to them. ¡°I¡¯m neen.¡±


    Dawson grinned from ear to ear. Moving to Giovanni, he teased, ¡°Wow, Giovanni. You sure bagged a young one.¡±


    ¡°What can I say,¡± Giovanni answered proudly, leaning back in his chair and threading his fingers behind his head, acting like the arrogant mafioso that he was. ¡°Lady luck is on my side. I finally found my beloved.¡±


    My eyes sparked, and my heart swelled as soon as those words left his lips. Despite hearing the name many times in the past, it still sounded sweet and different every time, especially when said in front of his friends.


    ¡°You indeed are very lucky, Giovanni. Not everyone could say the same.¡± This was the first sentence I heard from Justin. I watched as he fixed his gaze on the ss of champagne. I sensed a sad vibeing from him. Although, I hadn¡¯t a clue what. Maybe being rich was not all it was cut out to be. They all had their own problems, too.


    ¡°Jenny, do you drink?¡± Kimberly¡¯s question prompted me back to the situation at hand.


    ¡°Mmm. No. I don¡¯t drink.¡± I shook my head in the negative.


    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t drink, or you don¡¯t know how to drink?¡± she emphasized the question again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to drink,¡± I said honestly.


    ¡°Good. Then I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Kimberly was about to pour me a ss of red wine when Giovanni stopped her.


    ¡°Kimberly. Don¡¯t go corrupting my little bunny.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Giovanni.¡± Kimberly put the bottle back. ¡°Who would risk their life to do that?¡± But she winked at me as soon as his eyes left us, and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll teach youter. Just the two of us.¡±


    I nodded, dly taking up her offer. A waiter brought my c and together we made a toast. sses clinked and we chugged down our drinks.


    Ahhh, tasty. But I really wouldn¡¯t mind getting a taste of liquor.


    My tummy growled, which reminded me I hadn¡¯t had food since lunchtime, after a small shopping spree with Giovanni that morning.


    I scanned the menu. And only ended up with a headache. Everything in this fancy restaurant was tooplicated for me. Why was the entr¨¦e before the main course? Wasn¡¯t an entr¨¦e supposed to be the main course?


    Giovanni sensed my uneasiness. He quietly rasped in my ear. ¡°Want me to order for you?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    He smirked, leaned closer like he had some secret to share, and whispered, ¡°Remember to say please, too, after I give you my dessert, tonight.¡±


    That devil mafia boss. Surely, he must have other thoughts in his head, not just sex all the time.


    The food soon came after. I was so famished, I wanted to throw my manners out the window and just gobble the food down right then and there. But I had one major problem. Laid out in front of me were various pieces of cutlery. Which one should I use first? More importantly, why would anyone need more than one spoon and fork to eat? Oh, why does eating at a fancy restaurant have to be thisplicated?


    Then again, maybe I was the only one finding itplicated. Everyone here seemed to be at ease.


    I really was out of ce. And that feeling only intensified as the night grew longer.


    Do I have the right qualities to be Giovanni¡¯s lover? Was I even suited to be in his world?


    The answer came to me straight in the face.


    I wasn¡¯t. And it hurt, somehow.


    I really was inadequate. Just simple things like these I couldn¡¯t master, so what right did I have to be his lover?


    I looked down, disgraced with myself. What did Giovanni see in me? If he didn¡¯t think I was his Jennifer, I wouldn¡¯t even be here, in his vicinity, in his very world.


    I observed Kimberly interact with Julian, and they seemed like the perfect couple. She was beautiful and seductive and sexy. He was hot and handsome and mysterious. They were a perfect match. Giovanni and I, we were a mismatched pair. I was the in brown, mousy-haired girl whose lover could rival any hot-ass movie star.


    I really shouldn¡¯t feel this down. In the past, I used to not care about my looks. What mattered more was personality. But these days, I felt Icked in so many things, and especially when put in this situation under bright lights and beautiful people, I couldn¡¯t help but think of my all my ws.


    Kimberly suddenly pushed back her chair, got up, and announced to everyone, ¡°Boys, we girls are going to hang out at the bar. You guys are so boring, talking about business all the time. Come, Jenny, let¡¯s go.¡±


    She grabbed my hand in the midst of the confusion and dragged me to a secluded ce at the bar. It wasn¡¯t until she sat me down that I knew she meant business.

 #3鈥擟hapter 16

    Confiding in a Friend


    ¡± W hat¡¯s wrong?¡± was the first question Kimberly asked.


    I watched her nkly. She couldn¡¯t have sensed my uneasiness back there, could she?


    ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Iughed awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. If I didn¡¯t look at her, maybe she¡¯d change the subject.


    Damn, I was stupid. Who was I trying to fool? Kimberly could detect my mood from a mile away.


    ¡°Oh, Jenny.¡± She lifted my chin so our eyes met. With kind words, sheforted me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend you¡¯re fine. I could tell you were notfortable. Did I embarrass you somehow?¡± she asked, trying to find the root of the problem. Before I had the chance to speak, she spoke again. ¡°The boys are a rowdy bunch. But they are all good guys. Was it the food, then? I don¡¯t like French, either. Too many forks and spoons. If I had my pick, I¡¯d eat Chinese any time.¡±


    ¡°I like Chinese, too,¡± I said.


    ¡°Especially with chopsticks.¡± We chorused in sync, and somehow, we ended up chuckling along, too, like we were the best of friends.


    ¡°You¡¯re smiling now. Are you feeling better?¡±


    I nodded. After that littleugh, I did feel a bit better.


    ¡°Thank you for cheering me up. And I¡¯m sorry I spoiled the mood,¡± I apologized to her. ¡°This was such an amazing evening, eating delicious food and getting to know all of Giovanni¡¯s friends, but I kind of blew it.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Those guys are like a species of emotionless blocks. They can¡¯t detect us when we have our PMS.¡± Kimberly really had a way with words. Iughed again, and when I finally managed to calm down, she took my hands in hers, and spoke. ¡°I know we¡¯ve only known each other for a bit over two hours, but I really think we could be friends. So, you can talk to me about anything.¡±


    Gosh! I was frustrated with myself. I prided myself as the quick-witted, smart-mouthed girl, but for this one time, I was at a loss for words. I couldn¡¯t structure my thoughts in a cohesive manner. So I said the one thing I could think of. ¡°Could you help me?¡±


    Kimberly looked at me quizzically. ¡°You want me to help you? In what way?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ I feel inadequate, somehow. I mean, look at you.¡±


    She blinked in rapid session. ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°Come on. You should know it yourself. You are beautiful, smart, confident.¡± I pointed out her positive points.


    ¡°And you are not?¡± she asked back, her eyebrows frowning in confusion.


    What was there to be confused about? Couldn¡¯t she see the difference between us? We were so simr, but yet so different in many ways.


    She was refined; I was all rough around the edges. We both had brown hair. No wait. Mine was brown; hers had a chocte hue, with hints of red-gold, entuated even further under the rays of light. The color of our eyes reflected each other, but hers were of emerald green, the crystal everyone prized and valued. Mine, moss green, which everyone stepped on and abused.


    My gaze flicked to our hands. We both had our manicures done. Mine from this morning, though no amount of hand creams or cosmetic products could erase the evidence of chapped skin caused by endless hours of washing dishes and cleaning toilets. My short, stubby fingers could never measure up to her long, lean ones. Those hands spoke of a woman who was well-bred and had lived a privileged life. Being in her vicinity only highlighted the sore points Icked as Giovanni¡¯s lover.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Jenny. Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Kimberly said when she saw I had paid too much attention to our hands. ¡°You are perfect the way you are. Isn¡¯t that why Giovanni picked you as his girl?¡±


    Maybe Kimberly was trying to console me. I didn¡¯t think it would work since my mental state was at an all-time low, but I listened to her anyway.


    ¡°You know,¡± she carried on talking, ¡°I¡¯ve known Giovanni for quite some time now. That guy is really picky. Like I said before, he¡¯s an ass. Especially toward women. If he didn¡¯t like them, he wouldn¡¯t even give them the time of day. I¡¯m sure there is something about you that he likes.¡±


    Of course there was. I was merely a substitute to his little friend Jennifer, whom he knew in the past. But I couldn¡¯t tell her that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I mumbled, my gaze flicking anywhere else but at her.


    ¡°I can see you are struggling to tell me. Why don¡¯t we change the subject?¡±


    ¡°To what?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± She thought for a bit. ¡°How about you tell me how you met Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°How I met Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± She nodded, her hand under her chin, looking rxed and poised, ready to take in my story.


    I shifted in my seat, clearly ufortable with the topic.


    ¡°Um,¡± I mumbled, ¡°my story is boring. There¡¯s really nothing interesting to tell, at all. What about yours?¡± I diverted the subject back to her. ¡°How did you meet Julian?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± She drew back, clearly surprised by the turn of events. But she wasn¡¯t ufortable like I was. She smiled, closed her eyes, and leaned into her palm. Her eyes held a look of nostalgia when they opened up, as if her mind was traveling down memoryne once again. ¡°Mmm. Let¡¯s see. Where do I start?


    ¡°Julian and I¡­ our rtionship is really turbulent, has been right from the get-go. You could almost say it¡¯s more of an adult love. I¡¯m not saying that your love life with Giovanni isn¡¯t one, but I think your rtionship feels more innocent and sweet. If my story were to be made into a film or TV series, it would be rated R. Contains strong sexual reference and lots of sexual situations.¡± Sheughed, giggling about whatever memory she¡¯d dug up. ¡°Julian and I, we both had our ups and downs. We went through many situations filled with betrayals and maniptions. But somehow, in the end, we still stuck together.¡± Kimberly shook herself out of the past and smiled at me. ¡°But that¡¯s all in the past now. We learned from our mistakes and vowed to make a better future together.


    ¡°But enough about me, though. Let¡¯s talk about you. Tell me, what kind of help do you need? Seducing Giovanni? Roping him into bed? I¡¯m an expert in these fields. Julian and I had many sexual adventures together. I would be more than happy to help you out with a few techniques.¡±


    ¡°No, no. Not that. Not that at all.¡± I blushed, waving away the idea as one already formed inside my head. Although, one side of me did want to tell her I sucked at seducing Giovanni, but that wasn¡¯t the root of the problem today. The problem was me and my inability to be his ideal girlfriend.


    ¡°I want you to teach me how to drink,¡± I said.


    ¡°To drink?¡± Kimberly asked, doing a drinking gesture with her hand.


    I confirmed again with a nod. ¡°Yes. You did say you were going to teach me how to drink, remember?¡± I reminded her.


    Kimberlyughed. ¡°Oh, Jenny, you are so cute. Of course, the offer will always be open. You havee to the right teacher. I could drink for days without getting drunk.¡±


    A bartender walked past, and she snatched his attention, ordering two shots. The bartender poured the shots into two small sses and passed them to her. She slid one across to me.


    I picked up my ss and surveyed it. ¡°What kind of drink is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gin and tonic. Very intoxicating. And delicious,¡± she added.


    I didn¡¯t need a gin and tonic to make me intoxicated. I was already intoxicated by this whole atmosphere, this environment, and most of all that guy over there, sitting across the room from us, my mafia boss, calmly discussing his business affairs, while Kimberly and I talked girly things and drank intoxicating liquids.


    I took a sip and almost spewed it back out.


    Sheesh! I sucked at this.


    ¡°This tastes awful.¡± I hung my tongue out like a dog.


    ¡°The taste is unique. But you¡¯ll soon learn to love it. Trust me.¡± She lifted her own ss and chugged it all down in one go. ¡°Ahhh. That was good. All this talk of boys is getting me thirsty. Another ss?¡±


    Even though it tasted disgusting, I nodded my head for another round.


    I had to do this. Mastering the art of consuming liquor was the first step to bing Giovanni¡¯s ideal girl.


    Maybe Kimberly loved drinking and she simply wanted someone to drink with, or maybe she was trying to get me drunk so I could spill out all my problems to her. Either way, it worked. My mouth was like a broken dam, pouring out all my inner feelings for her ears.


    ¡°You know how I met Giovanni?¡± I started my story, the memory bubbling up to the surface, that moment when I first met Giovanni still fresh in my mind. ¡°I delivered a letter on behalf of my Pa to him. Didn¡¯t realize the letter was actually a contract. In exchange for my Pa¡¯s debt, I was the coteral. In the end, I became Giovanni¡¯s maid.¡±


    Kimberly stayed silent, listening to every single word I spoke. There was no stopping me now. The lid of my bottled-up feelings had been broken. I carried on talking.


    ¡°It¡¯s pathetic, Kimberly. Every time I think about it, it pisses me off. I¡¯m hurt inside that they chose to abandon me, when together we could have thought of a solution. It still hurts now, because I just can¡¯t understand why they would do something like that. I mean, we were flesh and blood.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jenny. I¡¯m so sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked you that question.¡±


    ¡°No, not your fault. I wanted to tell you. I¡¯m okay now. I don¡¯t think of them much anymore. When I think back, it was like a blessing in disguise, because in a way, Giovanni has been my savior. Without him, who knows where I might be. You know, I used to dislike him when I first worked as his maid. He can be really scary when he¡¯s mad, but once I got to know him more, I realized he¡¯s such a soft kitten.¡±


    ¡°You seem happy when you talk about him. Do you love him?¡± Kimberly asked that one question I dreaded.


    But somehow, the words that came out of my mouth didn¡¯t surprise me, because I¡¯ve known for a long time now that what I was feeling for Giovanni was love.


    ¡°I love him, Kimberly. I don¡¯t know when it started, but I love him. Maybe it was ever since I was his maid. He totally captivated me. Just his presence alone allured me. And now, he¡¯s intoxicated me. He¡¯s like my air, my oxygen, that substance I need to survive. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m so scared of the future.¡±


    ¡°Why, Jenny? What are you scared of?¡±


    I chugged another shot down, the liquid burning my throat, but it also boosted my confidence, and I carried on confiding in her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll leave me when he finds out I¡¯m not the real person he thought I am.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He thinks I¡¯m a girl from his past,¡± I mumbled, feeling sad and depressed again. ¡°He keeps on saying I¡¯m his Jennifer. I keep wanting to tell him that I¡¯m not, but I¡¯m scared that if he finds out, he will kick me out. Not only that, but I¡¯ll have to pay him back the three million dors that Pa owes. And I¡¯m sure my heart will be broken. No, I¡¯m positively sure it will be shattered into smithereens. I¡¯ve never been in love, Kimberly. He¡¯s my first love. That¡¯s why I¡¯m acting like this. It¡¯s horrible, this feeling of insecurity.¡±


    ¡°So, he thought you were his long-lost friend,¡± Kimberly concluded after listening to my verbal garbage.


    ¡°Did he tell you about that, too?¡±


    ¡°No. Julian mentioned it all the time whenever Giovanni visited us in Miami.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I bet the whole world knows he¡¯s looking for his childhood friend, and when he saw me, he proimed to the world that he¡¯d found her.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think you¡¯re his childhood friend?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have memories of us together. I have amnesia, you see. I can¡¯t remember anything from when I was a kid.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say you didn¡¯t know him. It¡¯s because you have amnesia, that¡¯s why you can¡¯t remember.¡± Kimberly was all up and slurring her words now, too. We were like two drunken fools, conversing about our sordid love lives.


    ¡°I did think about that possibility, too, but he mentioned giving me his dragon ne, and I don¡¯t have it.¡± I pointed out thatck of evidence, my eyes beginning to go hazy.


    ¡°Mmm. You do have a point there.¡± Her hazy finger waved in front of me. ¡°Here¡¯s my advice.¡± She slumped her head on the counter. ¡°Enjoy the moment. You don¡¯t know what the future holds. Live life now. If you keep thinking about the past, and how you¡¯re not the one for him, then who knows. You might end up losing him for real. He loves you, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I hope he does. He calls me weird names, though, like coffee machine. And now I¡¯m his beloved.¡±


    ¡°I would consider those as pet names. I believe he loves you, Jenny. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t bring you to meet us.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Hope raised in my eyes.


    ¡°Yes. Really.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so nice and kind. If only I was as beautiful and confident as you, everything would be great. I don¡¯t usually concern myself with looks, but since bing his lover, I am more conscious of myself. On second thought, is it because I¡¯m so in, that¡¯s why Pa and my sister abandoned me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jenny, don¡¯t think like that. You are not in. And confidencees from within. You have got to be confident in yourself. This insecurity won¡¯t do you any good. Fuck whoever says you are not. Whether it be your father or sister or Giovanni. You show the world what kind of girl you are. If Giovanni has enough of you,e to me. I¡¯ll help kick his ass for you.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Iughed, spilling my drink on the counter. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely tell you first if that happens.¡± I took another gulp of liquor and felt my head spinning. Suddenly, my world tilted. I toppled, blinked, and right there was Giovanni¡¯s captivating face.


    ¡°Boss, is that you?¡± I slurred, wrapping my hands around his face and falling right into his arms.


    ¡°Kimberly, you corrupted my little bunny,¡± that deep, hot, sexy voice said. Yes, it was him.


    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s Giovanni, the ass mafia,¡± I heard Kimberly say. I turned and saw her struggling to get up. If not for her boyfriend¡¯s strong arms supporting her, she would have fallen already. But Kimberly didn¡¯t like to be helped; she struggled to break free from his hold. ¡°Let go, Julian. I haven¡¯t finished talking yet.¡± She pinched and swatted his arms away until he let her go. She staggered to us then, Julian still lightly holding on to her waist to prevent her toppling over. Directing a finger at Giovanni, she pointed at his face. ¡°You. Don¡¯t go breaking Jenny¡¯s heart, now. She¡¯s a precious little thing. If I know she¡¯s hurt because of you, I¡¯ll have Julian kick your ass.¡±


    Ahhh, Kimberly. She¡¯s a good friend.


    ¡°Kimberly, that¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s go,¡± Julian said, a certain dangerous tone to his voice. Kimberly relented then, melting her soft body against his as he captured her waist and cradled her away like something precious.


    ¡°Okay. Bye for now, Jenny. See youter.¡± She waved at me from behind Julian¡¯s shoulder, right before they both disappeared out of the restaurant.


    ¡°Bye bye. See youter.¡± I returned the wave, flinging my floppy arm backward and forward, until Giovanni caught my wrist.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Jay. Let¡¯s get some air.¡±


    ¡°Boss!¡± I mouthed, squeezing his cheeks. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Outside.¡± And he hauled me up in his arms as well, carrying me like I weighed nothing.


    ¡°Am I precious, Boss? Are you going to carry me like a precious bundle, Boss?¡± I mumbled, stupidly rubbing my face against his soft whiskered cheek. ¡°You need to shave, Boss. Your cheek is all rough.¡±


    Somewhere in the distance I heard Giovanni sigh. ¡°You are really drunk, my beloved.¡±


    Like the Sun and the Earth and the Moon


    It was supposed to be cold in New York, so why was the weather so warm and musty tonight? Oh, right, we were still in Singapore. When did we arrive? I was so lost right now. A second ago, I was with Kimberly drinking gin and tonic, and now here I was, seeing the billions of stars brightening up the night sky. My head toppled, and the next instant, a hand cradled my head to rest on strong shoulders.


    ¡°You are very drunk, Jay. How much did you drink?¡± A far away voice drifted into my ear.


    I turned and locked eyes with that very person who always made my heart pound.


    Giovanni. My mafia boss, my lover. Oh, how I loved him.


    Through my mushy brain, a burning question emerged. ¡°Do you like me?¡±


    I watched those midnight eyes erge. They were so dark, they sucked out my entire soul.


    After what felt like an eternity, he answered. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Did he say yes? Or was it my imagination?


    I shook my head to clear that fog, but everything just looked so blurry. I wound my arms around his neck and dragged him to my level. I imed his face with both hands, squeezing it until his lips popped out like a goldfish, then smacked my lips against those pouts. He was delicious. He intoxicated me. Or maybe it was the alcohol talking.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute, Boss. I love you a lot. I hope I get to stay close to you forever and ever and ever. Will you stay beside me forever and ever and ever?¡±


    He wound his arms around my naked shoulders, pressing me against his solid chest. He smiled, his eyes sparkling like those midnight jewels up in the sky. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll stay beside you.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re lying.¡± I pouted, turning away from him.


    ¡°Why would I lie?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I know when the real Jenniferes along, I would be nothing but your little toy.¡± I grabbed his hands and wound them around my body, nestling my head at the crook of his neck, searching for his warmth. I needed his warmth. I wanted his warmth.


    ¡°Jay, you think too much.¡±


    ¡°Do not.¡± I tilted my head and pointed to the stars. ¡°Look at those stars¡­¡± The alcohol must be ying in my system because the whole scenery just looked so beautiful. Thousands of bright, colorful lights illuminated the ck background. Red, orange, blue, various colors blending together to form one giant orb. ¡°Can you see it, Boss?¡±


    I waved my hand in the air, directing his eyes to those stars.


    ¡°Those are city lights. Up there, those are the real stars.¡± He tilted my chin up and up until I saw the few stars twinkling against the night sky.


    ¡°Oh, hahaha.¡± Iughed. ¡°Those city lights sure fooled me. But those real stars, though, aren¡¯t they beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess so. What about them?¡±


    ¡°They are like you, Boss. You¡¯re as beautiful as those stars, hot and mesmerizing, just like our sun.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t deny I¡¯m hot material.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my whole point, Boss. You¡¯re too beautiful for me. My eyes hurt when I look at you. I feel so in standing next to you. Why couldn¡¯t we be morepatible? At least make me look like those movie stars. They¡¯re beautiful. You know I envy them.¡±


    ¡°They get stic surgery.¡±


    ¡°Not all of them. If only I was a bit more beautiful, then maybe we could at least stand shoulder to shoulder.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we could stand shoulder to shoulder. You¡¯re shorter than I am. Your head only reaches up to my chest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± I was about to thump him on the shoulder when he caught both my arms and kissed me on the lips, stilling me into shock. And somehow, my head became a little clearer.


    ¡°I know what you mean, Jay,¡± he said, his eyes going soft, devoid of that usual yfulness. He asked, without his usual trace of arrogance, ¡°Did Kimberly spout some shit into your ear? Why are you suddenly like this?¡±


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t say anything.¡± My eyes became a little teary, and in that instant, he let my hands go.


    ¡°Ahhh, fuck!¡± Hebed both hands through his hair in frustration. ¡°I thought it was a great idea to let you meet my friends, but this has turned out to be a fucking disaster.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss. I ruined your evening.¡± Somehow, the pressure was too much, and I didn¡¯t know what had ovee me, but my eyes started brewing with tears.


    Giovanni saw the damage he¡¯d done and tried to stop it in time, but it was toote. Large teardrops fell from my eyes like twin broken dams.


    ¡°God damn. No. No. You didn¡¯t ruin anything, Jay. Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s me. It¡¯s my fucking fault. I didn¡¯t consider your feelings.¡± He wiped my tear-stained cheeks and kissed each side softly, hugging me so tightly until my tears finally stopped.


    A whileter, after collecting myself somewhat, I apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss. I don¡¯t mean to be this emotional.¡±

 #3鈥擟hapter 17

    ¡°Are you on your period?¡±


    I looked up at him with quizzical eyes. ¡°Yes. How do you know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very much more sensitive than normal.¡±


    ¡°Were you monitoring me?¡±


    ¡°I live with you. Of course, I can sense when you¡¯re not yourself.¡± He was back to his usual teasing self again, flicking my forehead with his finger. I winced and rubbed the sore spot before he took my forehead and kissed the pain away. Then he enveloped me with his big teddy bear hug.


    He rested his chin at the nook of my shoulder, then pondered, ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is, what made you think you are in? I get that you are more emotional than usual because of your period, but that doesn¡¯t really hold water. There must be something else that caused you to be in this emotional state. If it¡¯s not Kimberly¡¯s doing, it must be the alcohol. How much did you drink, Jay? You¡¯re more honest than usual.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe a few.¡±


    ¡°Why did you drink?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to be your ideal girl.¡±


    Giovanni threw his head back andughed. All at my expense. The big doofus!All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡±


    ¡°What kind of pathetic excuse is that? What made you think you¡¯re not my ideal girl?¡±


    ¡°Because like I said before, I¡¯m in. You¡¯re like the mesmerizing sun, whereas I am more like the Earth. I orbit around you. But in the end, that¡¯s all I will ever be to you, your admirer, your fan. I could never fully stay beside you. Throughout eternity, I can only gaze at your aura as you provide me with sunlight and warmth. It¡¯s the kind of love andfort I could never call my own.¡±


    ¡°The fuck, Jay, why are you being so poetic?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°Jesus fucking Christ! I feel like since living with you, I just can¡¯t keep up with your little stories and analogies. But since we¡¯ll be living together for a long time anyway, I¡¯lle up with my own analogy, too. You say I¡¯m like the sun and you orbit around me, right? Well, I say I¡¯m more of the moon. See that moon right there?¡¯


    He directed my gaze, and right there was the moon.


    ¡°Wow. So big and bright. Howe I didn¡¯t see it before?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t. Your eyes only focused on those tiny miniscule stars. Like when you keep spouting on about how beautiful and hot I am,paring me to the stars, and how in and boring you are,paring yourself to the Earth. That¡¯s one of your traits I find annoying. You only see what you want to see, not what¡¯s really in front of you. If I didn¡¯t direct you to see the moon, would you havemented on how bright it is?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°See. My point exactly. If you have a problem with something, say it out loud. I don¡¯t y the fucking mind game. I¡¯m a guy, Jay. I think more with my cock. I can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking. Until you start acting weird like this. Sad like this. And it makes me fucking mad that I just can¡¯t understand you better. Mad that I just can¡¯t do anything in my power to make you smile again. Especially like now, when you¡¯re on your period. I should have taken more care of you. Instead, I fly you across the ocean so you could meet my friends. How fucking amazing is your lover, huh?


    ¡°But I can¡¯t do anything now to change the past, so let me try to make you feel better by rifying a few misunderstandings here. Listen up well, Jay, cause I¡¯m only saying this once. You say I¡¯m the sun and you¡¯re the Earth. Well, you¡¯re wrong. That moon there is me. Do you know why I say this? Because that moon can¡¯t get enough of this Earth. It orbits around the Earth every twenty-seven days. Over and over, again and again, until eternity. You say you¡¯re the Earth that orbits around the sun; well, I say I¡¯m the moon that orbits around you. Don¡¯t you dare say you¡¯re not beautiful. You are the that produces life. You are the gravitational force that pulls me in to you. You draw me in until I can¡¯t orbit around the. You think you are in and boring and a guy like me wouldn¡¯t notice you?? Well, to me you are the most beautiful and interesting human being to exist in this world. If you didn¡¯t have that charisma, that spellbinding effect on me, I would have kicked you out by now. I wouldn¡¯t even let you be my maid.¡±


    ¡°What if in the future you find out I¡¯m not the real Jennifer? Would you kick me out? You, yourself, know I don¡¯t have that memory from the past.¡± I still needed answers for that particr question that brewed in my heart.


    ¡°Jay. Is that the root of the problem? Is that what made you so upset?¡±


    I nodded, meekly replying, ¡°Yes.¡±


    His hands came to cradle my cheeks. I lifted my eyes to see his concerned face.


    ¡°Jay. Why do you constantly make me worry? Why do you always make my heart race? You break my wall little by little until I don¡¯t have a protective barrier around me anymore. My soul is bare to you. You¡¯re the only one who gets to see my real self, so I¡¯ll tell you this now, so you don¡¯t have to think about those stupid silly thoughts again. Jennifer may shape my past, but you are my present and future. You are what captures my attention now. You are what¡¯s most important to me now. Even if Jennifer happens to be some other random girl, then it¡¯s toote anyway because you have totally captivated my heart. You are the one who has totally intoxicated me, and you are the only one I will be totally devoted-¡±


    I took his mouth, stopping him mid-sentence, kissing him with all I had. That was enough. He had dered his love for me. I didn¡¯t need to hear anything further.


    His scent was so consumingly intoxicating, I inhaled it and went high. He definitely was my drug. And I was so high up in the sky, I didn¡¯t know what hade over me. I started tracing my lips down his neck until I reached that piece of flesh where his pulse hid. Right there was where I sucked, while mumbling words of delicious croissants and hot chocte.


    ¡°What the fuck are you spouting again, Jay?¡± I heard his deep raspy voice ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, Boss. You taste like those sweet croissants from Caf¨¦ Love Sick. I want you, Boss. I want to taste you again. Feel your skin against my tongue. Lick you up like those frothy bits from the top of my caf¨¦tte. Why do you have to be so delicious? Why do you have to be so intoxicating, saying those words that makes me want to love you more and more?¡±


    His voice rasped into my ear again. ¡°You silly girl. Why do you have to spout thatme shit? My heart is already melting because of you.¡±


    And he devoured me then, bringing my lips back to his mouth. Licking. Tasting. Teasing. My nerves went haywire, my body writhing in response. Then I was tipping, slowly at first, until my worldpletely toppled. And then¡­


    I cked out.

 #3鈥擟hapter 18

    Reflection


    Giovanni


    Giovanni had many ns running through his head that day. He¡¯d nned to make love to Jay until the early hours of the morning, both their bodies writhing in the act of lovemaking. But it came to a surprising halt when Jay suddenly fell asleep in his arms, like afortable wee baby in a cradle. Not to mention that she was on her period.


    Fuck his n! Fuck himself, too, because right now, he was so turned on, his cock was already standing at half-mast.


    This girl was really ying with his heart and body. Then again, Jay wasn¡¯t just any girl. She was his beloved. And she could do whatever the fuck she wanted with him. But what to do right now about the massive tent in his pants?


    The thought of Bobby making out with his boyfriend, substituting said boyfriend¡¯s face with Heath, had his cock deting instantly.


    Tugging Jenny into afortable position, he carried her like a precious bundle back into their penthouse on the top floor of the hotel,ying her ever so gently at the center of the king-size bed. He sat on the edge, watching her sleeping face and worrying himself silly.


    Jay, his beloved, what the fuck was she thinking, drinking herself stupid like this? Did she think he would find her desirable if she got herself drunk? He might have to have a word with Kimberly about corrupting his girl.


    Could she even drink, though? He¡¯d never seen her drink before. She was so bloody innocent. His beloved had been a virgin, for fucking sake. No girl was a bloody virgin these days. Although it was pretty amusing seeing her drunk. She had been purring like a feline cat, nipping at his throat, wanting to get a good taste of him.


    Jay shouldn¡¯t let other people affect her self-esteem. What she verbalized was pure garbage. Comparing him to the sun,paring herself to the Earth, saying how in and boring she was, saying how they were notpatible because of their looks. Everything was just pure garbage. Didn¡¯t he tell her that beauty was in the eye of the beholder? And to him, Jay was the embodiment of beauty. Yeah, she had freckles, but who wouldn¡¯t find that adorable and cute.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    A mafia like him, who oozed of danger, shouldn¡¯t use the word cute in his vocabry, but who fucking cared. Jay was adorable and cute, and if he had to choose between a sexy siren and an adorable, cute person like Jay, he would choose cute anytime of the day.


    Thinking back to the dining table, he sensed she wasn¡¯tfortable in her surroundings. He saw her nce at Kimberly a few times. He hoped she didn¡¯t think he found Kimberly desirable.


    Fuck! Was that why she decided to drink herself silly? Did she even know Kimberly could never hold a torch to her?


    Prior to meeting Jay, he had to admit Kimberly was hot as fuck, but she never really made his blood boil. But Jay. She did that. Especially to his cold heart. And that was what made her so special to him.


    Never before had he felt this thrill running through his veins. She unleashed this pheromone that intoxicated him and consumed him, and he thought he could never live without her again. Shepleted him in ways no other woman had ever done before.


    Did she know she was beautiful in his eyes?


    Fuck! Bobby was right. Maybe all the name-calling, like coffee machine, had cemented those negative thoughts in her head. Of course, she would think she was undesirable and in when he constantly called her coffee machine all the time. He was the one who had caused Jay to have these negative feelings.


    This was all wrong. Jay was everything to him. No, she was more than everything to him. She was the oxygen he needed to survive. She was the heart he needed in order to stay alive. She was the soul that brought life into his being. Without her, he would be nothing but an empty cold shell.


    Did she know how special she was to him?


    Maybe he didn¡¯t show her enough how special she was to him. Well, he had better show her, because to him, action spoke louder than words.


    He got up, shifting his feet, and walked to the bathroom, bringing back a bowl of warm water and a cloth. He moved a chair, edging it beside the bed, sat, and dipped the cloth into the water, wiping away the dirt and makeup from his lover¡¯s face.


    She was sweaty from the musty air outside and her drunken state. She was already asleep; he hadn¡¯t the heart to wake her up to wash herself. He did the deed for her, cleaning her up with the warm towel.


    She had an innocent face without makeup. So delicate and youthful-looking. By ming Kimberly for corrupting his lover, was that just his guilt speaking out loud? Because it was he, in fact, who had corrupted his lover. She was a young girl from nowhere, but he had brought her into his underworld, forcing her to wear makeup and clothes that she didn¡¯t feelfortable in, and pushing her to meet his friends. Was that who she wanted to be? Did she really want to be in his world?


    What was her life like beforeing into his world? Did she have friends, and what of her family now?


    The thought of her family brought a sour taste to his mouth. Whatever happened in the future between them, he¡¯d never wished for her fucking family to return. They had abandoned her, and he had saved her from the brink of poverty. Even if they were to offer him back that three million dors in exchange for Jay, he would never give in. Because Jay was worth more than three million dors. She was a true gift that her shitty family would never value. It was only a person like him who was capable of distinguishing this gift. She was the jewel among the rocks, his precious emerald stone.


    After finishing cleansing her, he put the bowl away, took a shower, and settled down beside Jay in bed. He reached his arm out and positioned her at the crook of his neck. He closed his eyes, her breathing lulling him to sleep.


    His lover was tired. It was his fault. He didn¡¯t even give her time to rest since their arrival this morning. Instead, he took her straight to the salon, followed by a shopping trip, and then straight to their gathering.


    He was such a bad lover. Maybe because he was too excited to show her off to his friends, he had neglected her essential need. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.


    Tomorrow, he promised he¡¯d be a better lover. Tomorrow, they¡¯d go to the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest in Garden by the Bay. They¡¯d enjoy the full day without any interruption, because Jay deserved all the happiness in the world, and he¡¯d use whatever power he had to make it happen.

 #3鈥擟hapter 19

    Illusion


    ¡± G et up!¡± A loud boom crashed into my ear.


    What was that sound? So loud. And soon came the mini earthquake, my body tremoring in seismic activity as something shook me.


    It must be a natural disaster. I should get up and find safety. But I was too groggy, and my head felt like it had been thoroughly grazed through by a bulldozer. Instead, I dug myself deeper under the nkets and pillows, in the guise of finding safety.


    Bad move. The drill only shrilled out louder, and this time even closer to my ear.


    ¡°I said get up, Jay!¡±


    I¡¯d had enough! ¡°Ahhh. Go away. Go away. I¡¯m safe here.¡±


    I floundered about in bed, picked up a pillow, and used it to smack the shit out of the object that made that awful sound.


    ¡°The fuck! You hit me with the pillow.¡±


    Boss! I registered that voice and leapt out of bed like a zombie awakened from the dead, eyelids wide open to see the damage I¡¯d done to Giovanni, when bright sunlight stabbed me like a million sharp knives jabbing into my pupils.


    Ping! Ping! Ping!


    Oh, the pain¡­


    This was no natural disaster. This was me experiencing a hangover for the first time. It wasn¡¯t pleasant at all, and I fell back onto the bed again. What was I thinking, drinkingst night?


    Last night¡­


    What happenedst night?


    All I remembered was asking Kimberly to teach me how to drink. And then I drank a few shots. And then I told my sob story to Kimberly. And then¡­


    Nothing!


    My memory bank was nk after that episode.


    Crap¡­


    How did I get into bed? Did Giovanni bring me here?


    Thinking about Giovanni, I slid open one eye. And immediately shut it again, but the imprint of Giovanni¡¯s spectacr face early in the morning kind of cured me of my hangover a bit.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Get up,¡± hemanded, looking pissed ¡¯cause I¡¯d identally smacked his head.


    ¡°Morning, Boss.¡± I smiled cheekily at him to repent for the damage I did earlier. ¡°You sure look handsome today.¡±


    And it was the truth.


    Gosh, he looked so sexy. Where was he going, dressing up to the nines like that? Some business meeting, perhaps?


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to please me. Now get up. Now.¡± He tugged at my arm, and somehow, I ended up getting pulled up and up until our noses came so close to touching each other. He stopped there, and we locked eyes. At this distance, I got a close-up shot of his midnight pupils. Oh, my¡­ I was feeling all jelly-like again. Sheesh, what beautiful soulful eyes, and a handsome man, overall. I was one lucky girl to have him as my lover. ¡°Spacing out again? It¡¯s past eleven already. You haven¡¯t had breakfast yet. Are you going to skip lunch, too?¡±


    ¡°Past eleven already?¡± I somehow managed to articte those words, even though my mind was half dazed from the hangover, as well as from inhaling Giovanni¡¯s intoxicating pheromone. ¡°How much did I drinkst night? I feel awful.¡±


    ¡°You should. For what you put me through.¡±


    ¡°How mean.¡± I pushed him away and massaged my forehead. ¡°If I¡¯d known I would get these symptoms, I wouldn¡¯t have drunk so much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your own fault for not doing your research first.¡± He berated me, flicking my forehead as punishment.


    ¡°Ow. I¡¯m already in pain, and you do this to me?¡± I flicked him the evil eye and rubbed my sore forehead. ¡°Evil person. Evil mafia man,¡± I muttered under my breath.


    ¡°I heard that.¡± He swatted my hand away and massaged my forehead instead. ¡°Does it really hurt?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, feeling a whole lot better when he applied pressure on my temple.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do stupid things like that. If you can¡¯t drink, you shouldn¡¯t force yourself to. Nothing is more important than your health.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯m sorry to make you worry.¡± Although I was feeling so blissfully happy inside.


    What a divine feeling, having your lover massage your temples. A perfect start to the morning, minus the hangover, of course.


    ¡°And another thing, stop spouting out poetic crap about stars. It¡¯s fucking annoying.¡±


    ¡°Stars? Poems?¡± I turned to him, confused by what he meant. ¡°Did I recite some poems about starsst night? Was it movie stars or gxy stars? Can you be more specific?¡±


    Giovanni stared at me, bbergasted. ¡°You don¡¯t remember what you saidst night?¡±


    ¡°What did I sayst night? My entire memory bank fromst night waspletely wiped clean after that one shot.¡±


    Giovanni face-palmed himself. He glowered at me. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten what we talked about, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯ve forgotten what I told you, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten it. It¡¯s just I don¡¯t remember it. Was it something important? What did you tell me?¡± I went into panic mode, trying to remember what we spoke aboutst night, but nothing came to mind. ¡°Boss, tell me what it¡¯s about.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s not important,¡± he finished off sarcastically.


    ¡°When you put it like that, I feel like it must be important. I feel guilty now for not remembering.¡±


    ¡°You should. If you hadn¡¯t drunk yourself silly, you would have remembered what I said. Now, get up. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to go to Garden by the Bay, today? It¡¯s gettingte. There¡¯ll be fucking loads of people by the time we get there.¡±


    ¡°Are you mad at me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not mad at you.¡±


    ¡°Then can you tell me what you saidst night?¡±


    ¡°I said forget it. I¡¯m not going to tell you again. It¡¯s your own bloody fault for drinking yourself stupid. That opportunity onlyes in once in a lifetime, and now you¡¯ve lost it. Now, get up and go take a shower. I¡¯ll wait for you in the dining room.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bossier than usual, Boss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been bossy. It¡¯s you who has changed.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Maybe Giovanni was right. Before I was his maid, and now I was his lover, so maybe how I react had changed too. I decided to be a little rebellious, to see what his reaction was. ¡°If I don¡¯t go, what will you do with me?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll take you in there myself. I¡¯ll have mindless sex with you in the shower, both of us naked.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. I have my period.¡±


    ¡°There are other ways to have mindless sex, Jay. I could use your mouth while-¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m going. Don¡¯t make me all giddy early in the morning. I¡¯m already half dazed as it is now. I don¡¯t need to expend my energy on those activities,¡± I muttered, throwing him a backward nce, annoyed at seeing his smug look, before walking off to the bathroom.


    I went for a quick shower and felt fifty percent refreshed. After donning some casual clothing-jeans and a white top-I hurried out to the dining room and saw a sight that made my eyeballs almost drop to the floor. Giovanni was busy setting up the table.


    Now that was a first. Back home in New York, I was always the one to set up the table. But boy, was I going to enjoy this. I wasn¡¯t going to ask any questions. Not at all.


    Take it as ites. Enjoy it as it passes, is what I say.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I took a taste of the porridge, and my face immediately lit up in delight when that soft texture touched my tongue and the infusion of the berries¡¯ vors melted in my mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s porridge.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s porridge, but it¡¯s not the regr porridge I used to eat at home. There must be some sort of special ingredient in it. Like nuts. I can taste the nutty vor. It¡¯s super delicious, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Damned right it should be super delicious. It¡¯s not often I go into the kitchen.¡±


    I dropped my spoon, and my mouth hung open.


    ¡°No way,¡± I said. ¡°No way,¡± I said again, this time with more emphasis. There¡¯s absolutely no way Giovanni could make this dish. I mean, he¡¯s the mafia boss. He¡¯s so well refined, so well made, so put together. Setting up the table was already hard to imagine, but cooking porridge too¡­ Now that was definitely unimaginable. ¡°You made this porridge, Boss?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m only good in bed?¡±


    I went into a hacking cough, my face bright red as soon as he said those words.


    I asked about the cooking, and he had to insert the word ¡®bed¡¯ into our conversation. Why did he always manage to inject our sex life into every conversation. Just because he knew I had a vivid imagination. Was he trying to make mebust this morning?


    ¡°Thank you for the meal,¡± I said once I¡¯d scooped all the porridge into my mouth and finished the bowl. ¡°I enjoyed it very much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±


    ¡°You should go into the kitchen more often,¡± I suggested. ¡°The guys would love to taste your cooking.¡±


    Giovanni cleared his throat and slyly grinned at me. ¡°That porridge was a limited edition. Only a select few will get to taste it.¡±


    ¡°Oh. So, it doesn¡¯t happen often?¡± I feltpelled to ask.


    ¡°Once in a blue moon.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I guess I must be one of the lucky ones, then.¡±


    ¡°You are.¡± He smiled at me, and suddenly he extended his hand to wipe the corner of my mouth clean. My heart mmed against my chest, and I froze. ¡°You had a bit of porridge stuck on your lips.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said breathlessly.


    I love him. Oh, dear Ma up in heaven, I love him.

 #3鈥擟hapter 20

    I love it. I love it. I love it. This was so much fun. We¡¯d been through the Flower Dome. I took countless pictures of all the flowers and nts, not to mention a few selfies of myself, and now we were entering Cloud Forest.


    The first sight that greeted me was of the gigantic waterfall, at least three stories high. The sight was spector.


    Just when I tried to find more adjectives to describe this man-made waterfall, a fine mist shot out of nowhere. Now the waterfall was even more magnificent. It was mesmerizing. The mist made it look like the waterfall was on a cloud. No wonder they named this ce Cloud Forest.


    A perfect opportunity like this wasn¡¯t going toe twice. I¡¯d better capture all the memories I could for future storage. I found a nice vacant spot and took a selfie of myself in front of the misty waterfall.


    Giovanni was some distance away, leaning against the railing, watching me. He was giving me space to do my own thing, and I was grateful for that, but now I needed him here, in the picture with me. I waved at him.


    ¡°Boss,e take a selfie with me, quick, before the mist disappears.¡±


    ¡°No. You go ahead. I¡¯m good here.¡±


    ying nice just didn¡¯t work for him. He needed to be dragged here. And so, I did just that, dragging him to my perfect spot, and before he knew it, I stered my cheek next to his, and snap! The picture was taken.


    Iughed at the image of Giovanni¡¯s squashed cheek next to mine. Both of our faces literally filled the whole screen, with just a small amount of waterfall showing in the background. It was a great picture. I was happy with it. But Giovanni had a totally different opinion.


    ¡°That¡¯s an awful picture of me, Jay. Delete it.¡±


    ¡°No. You look cute in it. I¡¯ll cherish it forever.¡± I teased him, pinching his cheek.


    ¡°Delete it, Jay.¡± He swatted my hand away and tried to snatch the phone off my other hand. Too bad my reflexes were better. I moved and escaped into the oingrge crowd,ughing to my heart¡¯s content.


    There were many people here. It would take him a while to find me, enough time for me to admire his picture. He looked so hot and cute in it. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t tease him too much. I should go find him and make up for running away like this. I lifted my up gaze to search for him¡­


    When I saw her.


    Just a quick glimpse, walking past me.


    My heart pounded.


    Dark brte hair, so simr to mine. A beautiful smile that would make any guy fall for her.


    My sister. Amelia!


    I dashed after her, following that beautiful slim figure from behind. But there were just too many people between us. I shouted her name to try and stop her. ¡°Amelia!¡±


    The figure paused.


    Oh my God. It was Amelia. She paused. Oh, dear Ma up in heaven, it was Amelia.


    Atst, I had found her. Those important questions that had been pounding in my head would now have answers. I¡¯d get to know where Pa is. I¡¯d get to know why he had left me with that three-million-dor debt. And most of all, I¡¯d get to know why she had left me without saying goodbye.


    I wedged in between people to try to get closer to her, but there were still too many people between us. I didn¡¯t give up though, squeezing my way through.


    Just a bit more. I could see her back now. Just a little bit more. If only she¡¯d turn around. I wanted to see her face.


    ¡°Amelia! Amelia. It¡¯s me. Jenny. Your sister,¡± I shouted. But she didn¡¯t turn around.


    Suddenly, some big bulky guys from somewhere blocked my path. They were like brick walls; I couldn¡¯t bulldoze through. I prayed my sister was still on the other side. Finally, when they broke apart, she still stood there, as if waiting for me. I was so happy, I rushed to hug her from behind.


    ¡°Amelia. Amelia. It¡¯s me. I missed you so much.¡± I wept into her back. ¡°Why did you leave me? Why did Pa leave me? I missed you guys so much.¡± I just couldn¡¯t stop my tear ducts from producing salty water.


    I hugged her so tight, I didn¡¯t want to let her go. But something was wrong. She felt wrong. She didn¡¯t behave like her usual self. She wasn¡¯t touchy like before.


    She turned her face slowly to meet me.


    My heart dropped.


    She¡¯s not her.


    ¡°Did you lose your sister?¡±


    She¡¯s not my sister.


    ¡°You should go to the front desk to ask for help.¡±


    She¡¯s not Amelia.


    ¡°They can make an announcement there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for mistaking you as my sister,¡± I apologized.


    She nodded her head and left. I stood there feeling empty and lost.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    What happened? Was the event that transpired just a product of my imagination, an illusion that I had conjured up because I missed my sister too much? I highly doubted I could mistake her for someone else.


    It must be an illusion. If I think about it carefully, why would my sister, who had disappeared in America, be here in Singapore, and of all ces at Garden by the Bay, a destination site for tourists.


    Pa was already in debt, and if she were to be with him, they would be poor, and Singapore was such an expensive city to live in. So there¡¯s no way that was her. I concluded that this was an illusion.


    Still, the feeling of despair had taken root in my heart, and before I could process it, bile crept up my throat, and nausea overtook me. I felt faint, my knees going weak. I flung about, trying to grab hold of the railing, when a hand caught me from behind, stabilizing me from the fall.


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    ¡°Boss.¡± When I knew it was him, I wrapped my arms around him, takingfort in his warmth. He was my security nket. He was my safety.


    ¡°What the hell, Jay! You almost fell!¡± he yelled at me, but the strength of his hold and the strongfort of his warmth told me he cared for my safety. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jay? Are you unwell?¡±


    ¡°I feel a bit sick. That height scares me,¡± I told him, holding him tightly.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s you get out of here.¡± He took my hand and led me out of Cloud Forest.

 #3鈥擟hapter 21

    The Ice-cream Trap


    Once outside, we found a secluded spot. Giovanni told me to sit there and wait for him while he disappeared off somewhere.


    I didn¡¯t get toment long when he came back a minuteter with a warm cloth in hand and started wiping my face.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Better. Thank you. Where did you get the cloth?¡±


    ¡°I asked at the desk,¡± he said, then his tone turned serious. ¡°What happened?¡±


    I nced at him, my eyes crinkling in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I know something happened in there, Jay. You were not yourself.¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened,¡± I denied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You think I can¡¯t tell by your face. You wear your emotions on your sleeve, Jay.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t deny that fact. I was always too expressive with my feelings.


    I didn¡¯t know what to tell him. Do I say ¡®Hey, Boss, I think I saw my sister here. But no. It wasn¡¯t her. Just my faulty eyesight. Should I make an appointment to get my eyes checked once we get back home?


    Home¡­


    ¡°I missed home.¡±


    ¡°You missed home?¡± Giovanni was bbergasted at my answer. ¡°Jay, I can¡¯t fucking believe this. I brought you all the way here to Singapore, and you say you missed home.¡±


    ¡°Because the guys aren¡¯t here,¡± I retorted.


    I did miss home. I missed Jonny, Finnie, Bobby, and Heath. And especially Crispin.


    ¡°Fuck! I can¡¯t keep up with you, Jay. I thought you¡¯d be happy here.¡±


    ¡°I am, Boss. I¡¯m really happy I get to create all these happy memories with you,¡± I reassured him. ¡°Your effort in making me happy did not go to waste. See, I have so many memories stored in my phone.¡±


    I flicked through the many pictures I took and showed it to him, when suddenly an idea popped in my head. ¡°But I want to make one more important memory with you.¡±


    ¡°What? You wanna have sex out here in the open? Not my style. I prefer to do it in the privacy of-¡±


    ¡°Boss.¡± I mped his mouth shut. ¡°I want to eat ice cream.¡±


    Giovanni had to blink a few times. He yanked my hand off to speak. ¡°You want to eat ice cream?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Ice cream.¡± I linked arms with him and gave him my doe eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s have ice cream together, okay?¡±


    ¡°Ice creams are for kids,¡± came his adult answer.


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m a child?¡±


    ¡°Are you not acting like a child? For fucking sake, asking for ice cream.¡±


    I stood up, standing my ground. ¡°Oh, you must be so old then, to not like ice cream. Let¡¯s see, when is your next birthday?¡± I pretended to count with one hand, then put on my surprised face, just to see his reaction. ¡°Oh, are you over thirty already, Boss?¡± Giovanni¡¯s reaction was to die for. He was literally bursting at the seams.


    ¡°I¡¯m only twenty-eight.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-eight? Gee, that¡¯s almost a ten-year age gap between us. See, I¡¯m only neen. No wonder¡­ I¡¯m still a kid. And you¡¯re almost thirty. No wonder you are so mature. You are right, Boss. It makesplete sense. Old people don¡¯t like ice cream.¡±


    Giovanni bolted to his full height, blocking out my sunlight.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, grabbing my arm and walking.


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°To get ice cream.¡±


    Oh, he fell right into my trap. I hid my smile.


    Giovanni red at his ice cream, and as if those eyes of his contained mes, it melted the ice cream. Now the damned thing was starting to make its way down his arm. He¡¯d better start eating it soon or else it¡¯d stick to his hand.


    Fuck! That¡¯s why he hated ice cream. That crappy stuff just sticks to everything.


    It was all Jay¡¯s fault. She had conned him, using reverse psychology to get the ice cream.


    He directed his gaze at the culprit, watching her flick her tongue out, making an effort to lick the white cream before it melted off the cone.


    He¡¯d better get started on his, too, before that cream made a mess of his clothing. He did a little lick.


    Vani. Tasted all right.


    He did another lick. Then another and another.


    It wasn¡¯t too bad at all. In this hot weather, it really felt quite nice to be eating ice cream together. He was quite smug. Until Jay had to ruin it all.


    ¡°See, Boss, it¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it? Ice creams are meant to be enjoyed by all ages.¡± Oh, the look on her face. He just wanted to kiss the crap out of her. ¡°You know, I¡¯m d we got to eat ice cream on our date.¡±


    This had his attention. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you watch Korean dramas? They all eat ice cream in the park, especially when they are out on dates.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to watch dramas. There¡¯s already too much drama in my life.¡±


    ¡°Still, isn¡¯t it nice to create happy memories together? You don¡¯t know, the next time you might end up eating ice cream alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll never happen.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t like ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are so sweet. Only eating ice cream with me. I¡¯m so happy. Let¡¯s take a photo of us together eating ice cream as a memory.¡±


    ¡°No. Not another one of your photos.¡±


    ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t you want to make memories with me? Who knows when we¡¯ll be able to eat ice cream together again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made lots of memories with you in bed, Jay, eating your cream.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Boss. Not that again.¡±


    But this time he did relent. He gave in, doing whatever he could in his power to make her happy. She leaned in close to him, stering her cheek next to his, like that time before in Cloud Forest.


    But he was not going to be surprised like before. He had a n up his sleeve. Just as she was about to snap the shot, he used his free hand to angle her face, and captured her lips, rendering her speechless with his kiss.


    He tasted the sweet vani vor of the ice cream on her mouth and felt the cold melted ice cream dripping down his arm. He didn¡¯t care about the damage. She was too delicious for him to care about anything else.


    ¡°Boss, you kissed me in public,¡± she said breathlessly.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you dislike public affection?¡±


    ¡°Kissing is one thing; disying the sex act is another.¡±


    She turned back to her phone, inspecting the image she¡¯d taken. ¡°The image is too blurry. We have to take it again. And make sure you hold your ice cream this time. It must appear in the photo.¡±


    Giovanni smiled. Jay was really like that ice cream. She hadpletely melted him, heart, body, and soul.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

 #3鈥擟hapter 22

    The day didn¡¯t turn out as bad, nor as stressful as he had anticipated. Not having his underlings here had made their whole experience feel more normal, like they were just an ordinary couple going on holiday.


    Even though his underlings were back home, there were still Dawson¡¯s bodyguards who had apanied them, even though he hadn¡¯t a clue who they were. He just knew he¡¯d be safe here with Jay.


    But something did happen in Cloud Forest. He¡¯d had this niggling feeling since the moment he saw Jay almost falling off the rail. The problem was, he didn¡¯t know what.


    Dawson¡¯s bodyguards should have gotten the memo by now. He¡¯d used the opportunity to call their boss when he went to collect the wet towel from the front desk.


    He checked his phone. Almost four. They should have found some answers by now. He dialed his friend¡¯s number. On the third ring, the answer came through.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Did you find anything,¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best if youe over to my ce. It¡¯s something we should talk about in person. I¡¯ll call Justin over, too.¡±


    ¡°Is it that serious?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in an hour.¡±


    Fuck! Giovanni was furious with himself. If only he¡¯d caught on earlier. Jay was not safe here. They needed to move out of here fast.


    He searched for his girlfriend and found her at a spot among the flowers.


    His heart calmed down a bit.


    Jay, his lover. He thought he had to employ massive power to make her happy, but just small, simple things like the act of smelling the flowers and taking pictures of nts put a smile on her face.


    She was beautiful to look at, so natural among the flowers. She caught his eye and waved at him.


    There it goes again. His heart was acting like a fucking teenager whenever he was with her.


    But more so because he was afraid to lose her.


    He needed to get to the bottom of this, but without scaring the shit out of her. The best way would be to ask her about it.


    In the distance, he could see Jay running back to him.


    ¡°Tired?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m exhausted.¡± She sat and rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Wanna see the pictures I took?¡±


    She didn¡¯t wait for his answer. She flicked through and showed him all the different ones she took. All he could do was smile while trying to calm his shit down.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he interrupted her.


    ¡°Yep. Famished.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Dawson¡¯s house. He just ordered some Chinese. You like Chinese, right? Let¡¯s have dinner there tonight.¡±


    ¡°Really. That sounds cool.¡±


    Dawson was there to greet them at the door when they arrived. That was what he thought, though. His friend rushed past him and crushed his girlfriend with his massive bear hug.


    ¡°Little one, you came to see me.¡± Heughed, swinging Giovanni¡¯s girlfriend around. If he didn¡¯t know Dawson was gay, he would have smashed his face already for touching his girlfriend like that.


    ¡°Hello, Dawson,¡± he heard Jay say. Shaking his head at their idiotic interaction, he went inside and was d to see Justin.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Hey,¡± the quiet man replied.


    ¡°So, what did Daw find out?¡±


    ¡°Best if we talk about thister. Your girlfriend is still in earshot.¡±


    They grouped at Dawson¡¯s kitchen, silently downing beers.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the States,¡± Justin said.


    Giovanni looked up at his friend. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to go back home.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Thought it¡¯s high time I should quit running.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Giuseppe would be d to have you back home. He missed you a lot. How long has it been now?¡±


    ¡°Four years. I missed the old man, too. Don¡¯t see enough of him.¡± Justin stared at that ring again.


    ¡°You miss her?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The girl who gave you that ring.¡±


    There was no answer.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t probe further. Every time the subject was brought up, Justin would stay silent. He was a stubborn mule.


    Talking about stubborn mules, where was Jay? Thest time he saw her was with Dawson. Where the hell did his friend take his girl? Justin and he had been sitting and drinking their beer for over fifteen minutes now.


    At that moment, Dawson came around the corner, minus his girlfriend.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Busy exploring my anime man cave,¡± Dawson exined. ¡°I thought we should have a bit of time to talk before Mindy brings her back here.¡±


    Jay was into those Japanese manga and anime series. Dawson was smart to distract her with his massive collection. His friend had too many faces to count. In public, Dawson exerted his superior rich power as a billionaire man. Behind closed doors, he fiddled away his free time by being a fanboy of Japanese culture.


    ¡°So, tell me. What¡¯s the status report?¡± Giovanni asked his friend.


    Giovanni did not expect to hear the next words that came from Dawson. But when he did, it made his heart drop. ¡°It¡¯s Lorenzo. He¡¯s here in Singapore. More specifically, he was there with you guys in Cloud Forest.¡±

 #3鈥擟hapter 23

    Confession


    I was beaming with excitement. School had started back up, and I was super psyched to see Crispin again, after our weeklong midsemester break. He had texted me numerous times, wanting to meet up, but because I was in Singapore, I couldn¡¯t.


    I was only away for a few days, but still, what are best friends for, if we didn¡¯t annoy each other with text messages.


    What made my heart even giddier was the look on his face when he opened the present. Dawson had given me the toy figurine of Misaki and Usagi-san the minute he saw Crispin¡¯s picture. He said since my best friend liked that couple so much, he¡¯d offered him one of the limited-edition figurines as a gift. I was so stoked. At the door, I saw him waiting for me. I ran, halting just in time to stop myself from crashing into him.


    ¡°Jenny, you¡¯re excited to see me?¡± he asked, his eyes sparkling. ¡°You look super excited today. Did you miss me that much?¡±


    ¡°Totally. I haven¡¯t seen you for a whole week.¡± I leaned into him and said cheekily, ¡°I got a special gift for you.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡± He blushed all the way to the tips of his ears. ¡°What kind of gift?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s a special one. Shall we find a seat first?¡±


    ¡°Sure. After you.¡± Crispin let me take the lead. I found one next to the window and sat down, waiting for him to settle into his seat first before offering his present.


    ¡°So, where¡¯s my gift?¡±


    I took the present out of my backpack and slid the ck box across to him. The ribbon with the name ¡®Junjou Romantica: Pure Romance¡¯ tied to the box was a dead giveaway.


    ¡°Jenny¡­. Don¡¯t tell me this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, it is, my friend. Open it,¡± I urged.


    And his eyes said it all. They opened wide and softened as he took in the figurine of Misaki and Usagi-san embracing each other.


    I was truly happy to see his smile. Or so I thought.


    ¡°Where did you find this figurine?¡± he scolded me.


    ¡°A friend I know recently gave it to me. He said to give it to you since you liked Junjou Romantica so much.¡±


    ¡°A friend? Who?¡±


    ¡°No one special.¡±


    He carefully put the figurine back in the box, closed the lid, and slid it back to me. ¡°I can¡¯t ept this, Jenny. This is a limited edition. On the inte it costs more than a thousand dors. Where did this friend of yours get it? What if they stole it and gave it to you? I don¡¯t want any association with them. You shouldn¡¯t associate with them, either.¡±


    I slid the box back to him. ¡°My new friend is not an art thief. Plus, he has shitloads more of them. The guy practically owned a whole gallery full of art. Figurines, posters, mangas. You name it, he¡¯s got it. Even our favorite yaoi series, Junjou Romantica. He owned the first edition, too.¡±


    ¡°Jenny, who is this friend of yours?¡± Crispin was skeptical. He was right. How could a girl like me, who couldn¡¯t even pay for her rent before, suddenly find a rich friend like Dawson. Of course he would be suspecting something was off.


    ¡°Look. Just know that he¡¯s a good person. Just like you. You know how I don¡¯t go and make friends with random people. And I really mean it. He genuinely wanted you to have this gift.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t even know him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not some stranger. I got a picture of him. Wanna see?¡± I took out my mobile phone and showed him the image of me and Dawson inside his collection room back in Singapore.


    But Crispin wasn¡¯t even focusing on the picture. His attention was on the phone in my hand.


    ¡°Jenny, when did you buy that phone?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°That phone. It only came outst week. How did you get ahold of it?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t know? That phone costs over two thousand dors. I wanted one, but all I do is dream about getting it. Don¡¯t tell me that your friend gave it to you, too?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Crap, I was in a pickle. How did I tell him that Giovanni bought it for me, without telling him about Giovanni at all? ¡°Yeah. My rich friend gave it to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust your rich friend. He must be manipting you for something. Tell him I don¡¯t want his gift. Take it back.¡±


    ¡°But Crispin. He wanted you to have it. Look, he even gave one to me. Except mine is of Nowaki and-¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Jenny. Take it back. Unless I physically see him and know him face-to-face, I don¡¯t ept gifts from strangers.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell him that.¡± I reluctantly shoved the gift back in my backpack. Turning to other matters, I asked, ¡°So, what did you want to talk about? You kept messaging me nonstop during the break.¡±


    ¡°Um.¡± He was suddenly flustered. A second ago he was all macho and angry, and now he was reduced to a whimsical boy who couldn¡¯t even say a word.


    No, I was wrong. Maybe he needed to pee. He was fidgeting nonstop in his chair.


    ¡°Crispin, you all right? You need to go pee? The bathroom is over there. We can talk after you¡¯ve done your business.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to pee, Jenny.¡± He fidgeted again.


    ¡°You look like you do,¡± I said. ¡°Go relieve yourself.¡±


    ¡°Would you stop talking about peeing?¡± He gasped in exasperation. ¡°I just peed before I got here.¡± He took out his handkerchief and patted his perspiring forehead.


    ¡°Now what? Why are you sweating like that? Is the room too hot? Should we move closer to the air conditioner?¡± I swung my head around to locate their air conditioner.


    ¡°I¡¯m really fine. We don¡¯t need to change seats. I¡­ I want to talk about something.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening.¡± I waited.


    And still nothing. Instead, he drank his water. He put his sses down, then picked them up and drank some more.


    ¡°Look, are you going to talk or keep drinking water? Drink any more, and you really might need to go pee.¡±


    ¡°Jenny, please.¡± He sounded desperate.


    ¡°So, tell me then. Don¡¯t leave me in suspense. Is something troubling you? I can help.¡±


    ¡°Can you really help me?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s something within my capability, of course I¡¯ll help.¡±


    I sat up straight, giving him my full attention. I was prepared to help him out in any way I could. Crispin had been my good friend since day one. He¡¯d helped me through some tough times. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d turn my back on him and let him suffer alone.


    ¡°How long have we been friends?¡± Okay, where did thate from? I thought it might be some exam problems. I wasn¡¯t expecting that one.


    ¡°Um¡­ Let¡¯s see now. We met in middle school, and now we¡¯re at first year university. I¡¯d say about five or six years now, give or take a few months.¡±


    ¡°Seven years, four months, eleven days, and eight hours.¡± He reeled off the number from the top of his head.


    My eyes danced like sparkly stars. ¡°Wow, you even counted the hours. What a good memory you have. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get one hundred percent on your exam results, for sure. Now I don¡¯t have to worry about consoling you when our resultse out.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the first day of middle school?¡± he asked again, bringing us back to that subject. I was curious. Why was he talking about how we first met? ¡°It was during spring, and the cherry tree was in full bloom. I was standing next to that cherry tree.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Iughed, scratching my head and feeling embarrassed when that memory struggled to flood back. ¡°Now that you say it, I do remember. You were that tall, gangly boy. I thought you were a female model, posing for the school magazine. You were so beautiful with your long legs and lustrous wavy hair. I went to say hi, thinking you were a girl. That was so silly of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you came to say hi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you weren¡¯t a girl, ¡¯cause, man, those girls in middle school sure were bitchy.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, Lily walked by and ced a love heart croissant on the table beside Crispin. I eyed the delicious pastry with interest.


    ¡°You ordered a love heart croissant?¡± I asked him, and suddenly my curiosity kicked up a full notch.


    It finally clicked. The reason why Crispin had asked me out was because he was about to confess to the girl he liked, and that girl was sitting right here inside this very caf¨¦. Of course. How stupid of me.


    I almost squealed, doing a three-sixty spin to check out all the girls and guys in the caf¨¦. A majority of them were people our age. That was a good sign. They were all so pretty and handsome, too, so that was a bonus. But most importantly, they must be faithful and love Crispin to the bone.


    Goddammit, which one was it? And was this person a girl or a guy? The suspense was killing me.


    ¡°Jenny, you know I like someone, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It just only urred to me now.¡± I nodded, getting giddy again. ¡°So, tell me, who is the person? I checked out most of the girls and guys here. They are all pretty hot.¡±


    ¡°First of all, it¡¯s not a guy. I¡¯m not gay.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then that eliminates thirty percent of the people here. So, who is she?¡±


    ¡°You once told me I should confess to the person I like, using this love heart croissant, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember. I suggested it here in this very caf¨¦. d you took my advice seriously. So, tell me. Who is she? Who are you going to give it to? Gosh, there are so many cute girls here. I can¡¯t tell which one. Quick. Tell me quick. You¡¯re keeping me in suspense here.¡± I couldn¡¯t hold in my excitement any longer. My eyes were scattering from left to right, searching for the one girl that had captivated my friend¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Jenny, look at me.¡±


    My eyes were like a light beam. They swiveled back to focus on Crispin as soon as I heard hismand. And they grew even more confused as I saw him moving that te of croissant toward me.


    I alternated my gaze between Crispin and the te of croissant sitting in front of me, silently asking what the meaning of all this was. He understood me very well, without me having to articte my question.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for seven years, four months, and eleven days now,¡± he stated, his voice pitched high as if struggling to oust his feelings. ¡°You¡¯re the only best friend I have. I¡¯m very fortunate to have known you. But I realize it¡¯s not enough. I¡¯ve been fighting my own feelings for a while now. Maybe since high school. I know I can¡¯t keep this up any longer, because not seeing you for just a week had me going nuts. I feel that now is the right time to tell you.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Jenny, can you insert the word boy in front of friend, when referring to me from now on?¡±


    I blinked, my heart thumping wildly.


    Crispin.


    He¡­


    He wanted to be my boyfriend.


    But how? We¡¯ve always been close, but I never sensed that he liked me. Well, not romantically, anyway. Unless I was so dense, I couldn¡¯t decipher his bodynguage.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s out of the blue,¡± he said, trying to convey his thoughts and feelings to me, ¡°but your family had abandoned you. You kept telling me that they went to live somewhere else and you chose to live here by yourself, but I knew you were just trying to protect them. I know you, Jenny. You would never cause trouble for anyone. You prefer to suffer by yourself. But I want to share your burden. Let me help you. Jenny, I like you. No¡­ that came out wrong. I don¡¯t just like you. I love you. For a long time now.¡±


    ¡°Well, too fucking bad, she doesn¡¯t love you. She loves me.¡± A deep baritone voice descended from somewhere on my right. My skin tingled in response, and I recognized that voice immediately.


    I shifted my gaze to the right and saw him, my lover, my mafia boss, the man who ignited all my passion. Our eyes locked, and he sent me a silent message.


    You can¡¯t fucking love him, because you fucking love me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Crispin cut through our gaze, shifting my focus back to him.


    Giovanni smirked and grabbed my wrist, jerking me up until I stood right next to him. Strong fingers mped around my waist, tugging me to rest against his chest cavity. I was now bound by his strong masculine arms.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss of the Dente n, and Jay is my lover.¡±


    Giovanni was never one to be predictable. And this was one of those moments. Through my hazy mind, I felt his finger on my chin, tilting it up until all I saw was his face. A split secondter, my world was filled with him, his touch, his taste, and most of all, his tongue in my mouth. He was kissing me in public.


    Through my dazed state, I caught a glimpse of Crispin. All I saw was the look of shock on his face as he stared back at me, being kissed by my lover.


    I pushed Giovanni off me, said to Crispin, ¡®Wait here. I¡¯ll be back,¡± then stormed outside, dragging Giovanni with me.


    I rounded to the back of the caf¨¦ until we were isted and pushed him against the wall. ¡°Boss, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a question I should be asking. What the fuck were you doing here with that twerp?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a twerp. He¡¯s my best friend. And you shouldn¡¯t be kissing me in front of him.¡±


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯re my girl. We¡¯ve fucked countless times before; why can¡¯t I im you as mine? If I want to kiss you, I will fucking kiss you.¡± And he did, kiss me, right there, me against the wall, until I had no way out. He sucked at my mouth until I was literally out of breath. I pushed him back, only for him to bounce back harder. He tugged at my chin, nibbling at my lower lip. My knees went weak. At a moment of quick respite, I breathlessly said, ¡°Boss, stop it. This is not cool.¡±


    ¡°Well, you should have thought about it before ying a game behind my back. Tell me, Jay, what were you nning to do behind my back?¡±

 #3鈥擟hapter 24

    Mimunication


    His breath came out harshly. His eyes were burning fire. With lust and with fury.


    For fuck¡¯s sake! For the first time in his life, he was having a fight with his lover. But this was not like any normal fight. They weren¡¯t fighting over a minuscule issue like adopting a cat or dog. No, this involved a third party, another guy. Fucking God, he was mad.


    Never in his mind had he envisioned his love life woulde to this. Once he¡¯d found his Jennifer, they¡¯d live in peace. He, moving away from the life of the mafia, and she, studying or doing whatever the heck she wanted in her life. Just as long as they got to live together. Just the two of them. Peacefully.


    Except it hade to this. Ever since he¡¯d given her that fucking phone.


    He¡¯d thought by taking her to Singapore for a few days for a hiatus that she might forget her phone. It kind of worked. But as soon as they arrived back in New York, her head was literally glued to her phone again. And he¡¯d wondered why. Until now. The answer was right there. Less than twenty hours and here she was, meeting with him. What a fool he was for ying the detective and following her here.


    When he saw them holding hands, his world came crashing down. And before he knew it, he¡¯d crashed into their scene, smacking his lips to his lover to prove to that twerp that Jay only belonged to him, and only he had the right to kiss her.


    But it had all backfired, because now Jay was super pissed. She vomited out words of how he shouldn¡¯t act like that in public, and especially in front of her best friend.


    Fuck the best friend. He didn¡¯t even know she had a friend, let alone a best friend who¡¯s a guy.


    Fuck! This was all wrong. It should have been him who was pissed. But seeing her this pissed made him even more pissed.


    ¡°Exin to me, Jay, who the fuck was that twerp, or I¡¯ll go bash his head in.¡±


    ¡°I already said it; he¡¯s my best friend, and you can¡¯t go bash his head in. It¡¯s wrong. And I¡¯ll still be mad at you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m mad at you right now, seeing you holding hands with him? I don¡¯t like it when you go behind my back, Jay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going behind your back.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Then why did you meet up secretly, behind my back.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t secretly meeting him. We¡¯re in public. Today is a school day. Plus, how was I to know that you¡¯d followed me here. You don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°Trust? Jay, I¡¯m finding it hard to trust you when you don¡¯t fucking tell me who your friends are. And don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t introduce you to my friends because I fucking did. You¡¯ve met Dawson, Justin, and Julian. I trust you enough to let you go to school on your own, even when I suggested Bobby drop you off. But you refused, saying you were capable of going by yourself. So, I trusted your judgment. I trusted you enough to give you your own free space, your very own bedroom, even when we already shared a bed. But what about you? How can I trust you when you¡¯re hiding things from me?¡±


    Her face suddenly changed, from a pissed-off look to a look of regret.


    What the hell! And then she suddenly spouted out, with tears sprouting from her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re right, Boss. I¡¯m a really bad person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still mad, Jay. Why are you crying?¡± He was taken aback by the change of her demeanor.


    Fuck, this made him feel like he was the bad guy, and he kind of felt remorseful for making her cry. Were his words too harsh? But it didn¡¯t make sense. Jay was never like this. Before, she would always yell back at him. A word for a word. A tooth for a tooth. Now, she just stood there inplete silence, with tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. He felt sick, like someone had thrown a ten-pound stone into his gut. ¡°Tell me, Jay, why are you crying?¡±


    He held her in his arms, shaking her so he could get his answer. And when it came, it wasn¡¯t the one he was after.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a bad person. I have toe clean. Boss, thank you for awakening me. I have to set things right.¡±


    What? He watched as she shook herself free from his grip and sprinted off back into Caf¨¦ Love Sick.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he yelled from where he stood,pletely and utterly mad now.


    ¡°To Crispin!¡±


    ¡°What? You chose that twerp over me?¡± His eyes red red. Fuck, he couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He lost to that loser kid.


    ¡°Go home first. I need to clear something up with him. Then I¡¯ll talk to you.¡±


    And then she was gone. Out of his sight.


    Oh, the nerve of that girl. The nerve¡­ Giovanni was vibrating with anger; he was literally buzzing in mes.


    Fuck! Why did he even tolerate such atrocious behavior? No girl had ever done that to him before.


    Fine! He¡¯d go back home. He didn¡¯t fucking care anymore. When she came back, he¡¯d give her his two cents.


    ¡°Who was that guy? Was he your lover, like he said?¡±


    It was so painful to tell him, but I had to. Giovanni was right. I was a deceitful person. How could I call Crispin my best friend when I had lied to him? Again and again. What kind of awful person could do that to their own friend?


    ¡°Crispin, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s true then. He is your boyfriend.¡± His face saddened.


    ¡°Yes. His name is Giovanni.¡±


    Crispin looked hurt. I was also hurt. But I had to carry on. Enough of this. No more lies. ¡°And I also live with him.¡±


    ¡°What about yourndlord? Didn¡¯t you say that you boarded with him?¡±


    ¡°The truth is Giovanni is myndlord.¡±


    And another kick to the gut. The pain in his eyes showed it all. The more I spoke the truth, the more it hurt him. But I had to do this. I didn¡¯t want to continue to be this person anymore, constantly lying just to get out of some sticky situation. If I continued hiding from him, and lying to him, what would kind of person would that make me? A dishonest person, a pathological liar. And Crispin didn¡¯t deserve that. Nor did Giovanni.


    ¡°Four months ago, I told you that my sister and Pa left me to move to another city. Truth was, like you suspected, they abandoned me,¡± I quietly said, a little tear shedding from my eye. Oh, how pathetic my life was. I was sure Crispin must have it tougher, having so many siblings to care for back home in Chicago, what with his mother who had to raised them all. ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t call it abandoned. After all, I¡¯m already neen, free to live my life. I¡¯m an adult now. I don¡¯t need them to spoon-feed me. But they left me with a massive debt. And I have to pay it off.¡±


    ¡°How much, Jenny? How much is the debt? Is it your father? He was the one with the debt, right? He left it to you, right? I¡¯ll help pay it for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for being a good friend, but you really can¡¯t pay it off. Not even I can pay off that much in my entire lifetime.¡±


    ¡°How much exactly, Jenny? After I graduate, I can help.¡±


    ¡°Three million dors.¡±


    His eyes zed back in horror. ¡°Three million.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Pa left me that much to pay on his behalf.¡±


    ¡°Did he get a loan from a loan shark to umte that much debt?¡±


    ¡°Well, kind of. He got it from the mafia.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Crispin sighed in disbelief. ¡°Is that why you moved in with your boyfriend? Because that mafia guy was after you, since you¡¯ve been held responsible for the debt.¡±


    ¡°No, Crispin. That¡¯s where you are wrong. Pa got the loan from Giovanni. He is the mafia boss.¡±


    ¡°Oh fuck! Did he force you to be with him in exchange for that debt?¡±


    ¡°No. It didn¡¯t start off like that. I only made him coffee and did his housework, but over time, I came to love him. Then out of necessity, we made a contract as lovers, instead.¡±


    ¡°You need help, Jenny. Obviously, it¡¯s dangerous living with him. Break the contract. I¡¯ll help you escape. These people are cruel. When they want you, they¡¯ll do anything to make you stay. As soon as they¡¯re tired of you, they¡¯ll kill you. It¡¯s not safe to be with him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you are wrong, Crispin. In all my life, never have I felt safer than with him. He is not the usual mafioso that people think of. He doesn¡¯t hurt people. I believe it¡¯s only a front. Giovanni is not that type of person.¡±


    ¡°Jenny, you have been brainwashed. A mafia member will always be in the mafia. They kill people. That¡¯s how they make money.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni doesn¡¯t kill people. I¡¯ve lived with him for four months now, and I¡¯ve never seen him kill anyone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve known me for more than six years, but you still didn¡¯t know I like you. How can you be so sure he isn¡¯t dangerous?¡±


    ¡°I know it sounds stupid, but in my gut, I know he¡¯s a good person.¡± Quietly, I conveyed my inner feelings to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Crispin. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t love you more than as a friend. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t love you more than as a sibling. I wish the love you have for me would be given to you in tenfold by someone who adores you.¡±


    ¡°Is it because you have that guy now?¡±


    ¡°No. Even if Giovanni didn¡¯t exist in my life, my feelings for you would still be the same.¡±


    ¡°And if I were to force you¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you would force me. It¡¯s not within your nature.¡±


    ¡°And if I decide that I can¡¯t be friends with you anymore?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be sad. Plus, I don¡¯t want us not to be friends. I don¡¯t want to walk along the streets and be like strangers, not greeting each other. I want us to be friends always. I want to be there for you, like you were always there for me. I want to see you happy when you meet that person who you love.¡±


    ¡°But I love you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m sad. I wish I could love you back. But I already love Giovanni. And I don¡¯t think I can love anyone else. Can we please stay friends?¡±


    Crispinughed, although his eyes were brewing with tears. ¡°My heart hurts, Jenny, but when you ask me like that, I can¡¯t refuse you. I would prefer to get my heart broken now, but I really don¡¯t think I could lose you as a friend, too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Crispin, for understanding me, for helping me through all my tough times. I want us to be friends forever, help each other out in times of need, support each other in times of want. I¡¯ll always be there for you, Crispin. Just as you¡¯ve always been there for me. If you happen to fall in love, I¡¯ll be happy for you. If you happen to have your heart broken, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll always be there for you, because you are my best friend. You have helped me so much in the past. Tomorrow, or in the future, if you ever need me, I¡¯ll be there for you, too.¡± Crispin nodded with tears in his eyes, just as I said this with tears in my eyes.


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s be friends forever, Jenny.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s.¡± And we pinky swore.


    Somehow after that talk, I felt much better, as if a ten-pound brick had been lifted off my chest.


    ¡°You should go see him. He looked pretty pissed off. I thought he was about to rip my throat out.¡± Crispin reminded me of Giovanni.


    ¡°Yeah. Maybe I should. It¡¯s raining pretty bad.¡± Outside the rain was pounding. When did it start raining? I was too absorbed in our conversation; I didn¡¯t even notice the nasty weather until now. I checked the time. We¡¯d been talking for a little over an hour. I hope Giovanni wouldn¡¯t be too pissed off. Hopefully, he¡¯d calmed down by now.

 #3鈥擟hapter 25

    Too Late to Say I Love You


    Giovanni was a raging pit bull. He punched, and he punched, and he punched. First the boxing bag, then his underlings. But even after letting off steam, he was still brewing mad inside.


    ¡°Oww, Boss, that¡¯s enough. I give up.¡± Bobby bowed his head, waving his white g in surrender.


    Fuck! He¡¯d thought he¡¯d be rational by now. It¡¯d been almost an hour since his return, but he was still fumingly mad.


    And now, just thinking about Jay had his blood boiling again. And the only way to alleviate the symptom would be to keep punching.


    It started off with him taking swings at the punching bag, but when his underlings started spouting out Jay¡¯s name, he started punching them, too. So, they boxed, all in the name of a game, except he told them to take it seriously. Fight him like a true opponent. But none of them could hold a torch to his skill, and even Bobby had fully surrendered.


    ¡°Finnie, you¡¯re next.¡± He flicked a finger in Finnie¡¯s direction.


    ¡°No, Boss. I¡¯ve had enough, too. Any more, and I¡¯ll be ck and blue tomorrow. People would say I¡¯ve been domestically abused.¡±


    ¡°Domestically abused, my ass. It was just a few fucking punches. You shitheads are just a bunch of fucking pansies. Get out,¡± he yelled.


    And his underlings all scrambled out of the gym. If Heath were here, he¡¯d be a worthy opponent, but he was out, keeping an eye on Jay.


    Who the fuck knew what she was up to behind his back?Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    He felt a bit guilty though, for lying to her, saying how she wasn¡¯t one to talk about trust, when in fact, he was the one whocked in trust. Even when they had agreed that she was fine to travel alone to university and back, despite being the lover of a mafia boss, he¡¯d still put parameters on her, without her knowledge or consent. He¡¯d always managed to keep tabs on her.


    Despite all those precautions, though, he was still caught off guard. The knowledge of Jay having that boy as a friend still surprised him.


    Fuck! The thought of that boy had him steaming up again. He smashed his fist into the wall, broke the wall, and retracted his hand to see a bleeding fist. That still didn¡¯t help relieve the pain in his heart, nor reduce that ugly green-eyed monster called jealousy, residing in his chest.


    Damned right he was jealous. And damned right he was pissed. Pissed at everything since they had arrived back from Singapore.


    The pitter-patter sound of rain against the window was getting louder. He walked to the window and stared out at the garden, the naked statue outside taunting him with that smug look. Jay used to say he looked like that statue.


    Jay¡­


    His heart ached.


    When was sheing back? It had already been two hours. And this bloody rain wasn¡¯t stopping anytime soon. Should he go out and find her? It was like a flood outside.


    Despite the mean things he¡¯d said to her earlier, he still loved her. Like he had told her before, on the night she was intoxicated by the alcohol, he didn¡¯t care if she wasn¡¯t his Jennifer. He loved her as she was now. Jennifer was his past, but she was his present and future. It was a shame that she couldn¡¯t remember their conservation from that night. If she did, she would have known that he didn¡¯t mean any of those harsh words earlier.


    He promised himself that when she came home, he¡¯d tell her everything, remind her of everything they had spoken about that night. The moon, the stars, and the Earth. And that kiss. Of how he loved her. He¡¯d tell her again and again, until she wouldn¡¯t forget it, until those words were like scars engraved in her heart.


    Another hour flew by. He grew tired of worrying and waiting. He was about to dial Heath¡¯s number when his phone rang.


    It was Heath. ¡°Boss, Jenny is gone.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck do you mean she¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°Jay¡¯s been kidnapped.¡±


    His heart dropped like a bomb.


    I love him. I love him. I love him. That¡¯s the first thing I¡¯d tell him when I get back home. I¡¯d tell him every day that I loved him, so he would know my real feelings.


    Yes, that¡¯s the n. And I hoped I wasn¡¯t toote. It was now almost three hours since I¡¯d told him to go home. He looked really pissed off. But I wanted to talk to Crispin first. And now that that was out of the way, I could focus all my attention on him.


    He should be fine. Once he saw the gift I bought for him, he¡¯d be over the moon. This was my own personal money that I had saved up from way before I became his maid. I was nning to use that money to fund university, but Giovanni said he¡¯d pay for it. Now, there wasn¡¯t much use for it, except to buy him this gift. His birthday wasing soon. He¡¯d be twenty-eight. I¡¯d been with him for a little over four months now. But those were some amazing four months.


    Thinking back, it really was a blessing in disguise. He¡¯d helped me out on so many asions. When Pa had left, I didn¡¯t have the money to pay for the rental property. I was practically destitute. But being his maid allowed me to have a roof over my head. And now, being his lover, allowed me to have all the money in the world. But I didn¡¯t care for that. What was more important was his heart. I loved him because of his heart. So, I really hoped he would like my gift for him.


    But my n was ruined by the rain and by some random ck van blocking my path. And then it happened. I¡¯d seen it countless times before in the movies, but I never thought it would happen to me.


    One guy swung open the door and dragged me into the van. I kicked and screamed, crying out for help, when another guy smothered my nose and mouth with a damp cloth.


    Chloroform!


    I was being kidnapped.


    Oh, dear Ma up in heaven! Please help me. I didn¡¯t want to die yet. But my world was slowly fading, and soon it turned ck. I sank into a deep oblivion, the only thought running through my head was of Giovanni.


    It¡¯s toote now to tell him I love him. It¡¯s toote now to give him this gift. It¡¯s toote¡­


    I woke up to a soft bed and a bright peachy ceiling as my vantage point. Where was I? Where was Giovanni? This wasn¡¯t my bedroom. I didn¡¯t recognize anything here.


    Through my hazy sight, I saw some shadows. I tried to get up, to see better, but I couldn¡¯t see them. All I could make out were their muffled sounds.


    I tried getting up again and this time seeded. I was about to get out of the bed when one of the shadows emerged into the light.


    ¡°Jen, how are you feeling?¡± the shadow said. And it made me freeze.


    That voice. The name ¡®Jen.¡¯ There was only one person in the whole world who would call me by that name.


    I turned to that voice and saw her, that face I recognized even in my sleep.


    Tears shed in my eyes. My heart choked in my throat.


    Brown hair, beautiful big eyes, and a bright smile that any guy would fall for.


    My sister, Amelia.


    The End of book 3

 #4鈥擟hapter 1

    She was his maid.


    She was his lover.


    But now¡­


    She was gone.


    Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss of the Dente n, exudes power, arrogance, and charisma. No one dares to cross him, until one did, taking away his most beloved, Jenny Stone.


    They had kidnapped her. And now there¡¯s hell to pay. He¡¯ll go in with guns zing, not stopping until she¡¯s with him again.


    Because to her, he¡¯s totally devoted.


    Jenny Stone


    I was his maid.


    I was his lover.


    But now, who am I?


    Jenny is in love with the billionaire mafia boss, Giovanni Dente. For the past four months, she¡¯d experienced it all. The love he gave to her, the care he bestowed upon her.


    It was all like a sweet dream. But it really was a dream, because now she has to wake up and face reality. She was not the person Giovanni loved. She was not his Jennifer.


    Reality hit her like a punch to the gut.


    Is it toote to tell him she loves him?


    Is it toote to make him love her?


    Because no matter what he says and does, her heart is totally devoted to him.


    Don¡¯t Forget Me


    Fourteen Years Ago


    Jennifer waited for her friend, right under that same beech tree. It was hot today. The sky was blue; the sun was bright. She worried her bottom lip, chastising herself for making hot coffee. Maybe iced coffee would be better suited for today¡¯s weather.


    She clutched the foam cup, feeling it had already gone warm. If her friend didn¡¯t arrive any time soon, the hot coffee might as well be iced coffee. She giggled at her own thought. But he really was taking far too long. He should have been here by now.


    Did something bad happen? Did he fall down a ditch? She couldn¡¯t help thinking of these scenarios.


    Her five-year-old mind was far too active for her own good. No wonder her family and teachers at kindergarten had said she had imaginary friends. But Gio wasn¡¯t a figment of her imagination she¡¯d made up as a result of loneliness. He was her real friend. Her first real human friend.


    The kids at kindergarten always bullied her, saying she was awkward and clumsy and stupid. They always pulled her hair and called her names like sesame seed buns because she had too many freckles on her nose. But Gio was different. He¡¯d made her happy. He¡¯d made her feel like it was okay just to be herself.


    She was so lucky to have met him that day. She was just in the park, on the swing, chewing her favorite sweet licorice, when she saw this tall boy that stumbled past her and copsed against the nearest tree.


    Her mama said she shouldn¡¯t talk to strangers. And that boy was a stranger. But he looked hurt. His face was covered in cuts and bruises, and he was clutching his stomach like he was in pain. She couldn¡¯t help but approach him.


    ¡°Hello. Are you hurt?¡±


    And the rest was history. They became friends. In the course of those few weeks, she¡¯d viewed him as her older brother, her best friend, her teacher, and her idolized star. She looked up to him and listened to every word he spoke. He taught her to read and helped her with her homework. He was the first one she would confide in, the first one to share any good news. Because to her, he was her very best friend.


    She genuinely liked him. She wanted to spend the rest of her life growing up next to him, watching him change into an adult and seeing what life had in store for them both.


    She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn¡¯t realize her friend had arrived and was staring down at her with that lopsided grin of his.


    ¡°Gio, you came.¡± She beamed at her friend.


    He was dressed in his usual style: ripped jeans, white shirts, and ck floppy hair messed up at the side. He was just so cool.


    ¡°Yeah. I came.¡± He plunked himself down next to her. ¡°Sorry foringte. I had detention. Had to stay an extra hour after school.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t do my homework.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good at homework. I can help you.¡± She offered right away, although she wasn¡¯t sure if she could be of any help. It was usually the other way around in their case.


    ¡°Nah! I¡¯m cool.¡± He gave her that lopsided grin again and rubbed her head. ¡°But thanks for the offer.¡±


    ¡°Licorice?¡± she asked, tearing a piece off the long strand.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She watched him chew. ¡°Not bad,¡± he said after swallowing the glob of sugar.


    ¡°Coffee?¡± She produced her next gift.


    He gave her a skeptical look. ¡°What have you got for me this time?¡±


    He peeled back the lid, and she pped him on the hand.


    ¡°No peeking,¡± she scolded him. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    Heughed, the sound like a song in her ear. And she just wished she could make himugh more because she loved listening to it. ¡°Come on. I don¡¯t like surprises. Tell me.¡±


    ¡°t white.¡±


    ¡°How do you know all these coffee names?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°My ma owns a caf¨¦. She said I can¡¯t drink coffee just yet, but I can practice making them, since I¡¯ll own the shop when I grow older. Do you like it?¡±


    He took another sip and nodded his head. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re improving.¡±


    And thepliment just made her go sky-high. ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ will you marry me, then?¡±


    She didn¡¯t actually know what the word marry meant. She just heard a lot of the other kids using it at kindergarten because they wanted to stay together.


    But Gio was choking on his beverage, and she got worried.


    ¡°I¡­ How about I make you my lover instead¡­ when you grow up, of course?¡±


    Lover? What¡¯s that? Maybe lover is another word for friend, like getting married. So if they were lovers, they would stay best friends forever. Yes, she¡¯d be his lover.


    But would he want to stay as her best friend, though, when she might grow up ugly?


    ¡°Lover. Really? You think I¡¯m beautiful? My pa says I¡¯m not a beautiful child, so no one wants to marry me like they want my sister, but you¡¯re the first one who says I¡¯m beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you are beautiful, Jennifer. Very beautiful. Don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡±


    Her best friend was so nice, but he needed to see the truth. She shoved her face right in his view and wiggled her button nose for him to see.


    ¡°Even with the freckles on my nose?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Even with the freckles.¡± He nodded and patted her head again.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be your lover,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll marry and live happily ever after.¡±


    She was so happy she kissed him on the nose. Gio smirked at her, then he fell into a boisterousugh. She joined in too.


    ¡°See, you shouldugh like that. Don¡¯t make anyone think you are not beautiful. You¡¯re only a little kid anyway. You shouldn¡¯t be worried about stupid things like that. Just be happy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded, taking his advice seriously, when she saw the pendant around his neck. It was of two dragons entwined together. She leaned in closer for a better look.


    ¡°It¡¯s very pretty,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°This is a twin dragon ne.¡±


    ¡°Why is it called a twin dragon?¡±


    ¡°See the two dragons. They are entwined together. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called that name.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s green. I¡¯ve need seen a green ne before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cuz it¡¯s made out of jade stone.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a jade stone? Is it a rock?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s green and very rare.¡±


    ¡°So it must be very important then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it is. Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. Very pretty.¡±


    ¡°Then you take it.¡± Gio all of a sudden tugged the ne off and put it in her palm. ¡°I mean it. Take it. I¡¯m giving it to you.¡±


    ¡°You are giving this to me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s very important and rare. Why are you giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°Because our friendship is very important and rare. And this ne represents that.¡±


    ¡°This is our friendship gift?¡±


    He nodded his head again. ¡°Yeah. So you would remember me when we meet again.¡±


    Big fat drops started welling in her eyes. She rubbed them away, but they kepting back.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± he asked.


    And that was when her whole body shook, and she started crying out loud. She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face at the crook of his neck. ¡°Are you going somewhere, Gio? Why?¡±


    If it meant losing her best friend and not being able to see him again, she didn¡¯t want this ne, no matter how important or rare it was. She pushed it back into his palm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it. If I don¡¯t get to see you, I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°Silly girl.¡± She felt his big hand rubbing her head. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯lle see you every day. We¡¯ll be best friends. I¡¯ll teach you how to ride a bike. This ne, that¡¯s for you to keep, so that a part of me always belongs to you. So that you don¡¯t forget me.¡±


    She jerked her face from the crook of his shoulder and viewed him with a close eye. ¡°Really? You¡¯re not going anywhere, then?¡±


    She had just found a best friend. She didn¡¯t want to lose him. So she needed confirmation that this was correct.


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯ll be here. Every day. Just doing our thing. We¡¯ll hang out like usual.¡±


    She was satisfied, taking back the ne and examining it closely again. ¡°No one has ever given me a gift before,¡± she told him. Apart from Mama. ¡°You¡¯re my first friend and the only friend to give me a gift.¡± She smiled and hugged him tight. ¡°I like you a lot, Gio. I like you a lot.¡±


    And she was so happy to hear he felt the same ¡°I like you, too.¡±


    ¡°I promise to wear it.¡± She told him again. ¡°I promise to look after it and never forget you.¡±


    ¡°Good. Because if you ever forget me, I¡¯ll be very mad.¡±


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t ever forget you, Gio. I¡¯ll remember you forever.¡±


    ¡°Kids, get in the car,¡± Mama shouted from the front door of the caf¨¦.


    Jennifer didn¡¯t quite hear her mother¡¯s voice against the sound of the pounding rain. She was too busy looking at the streemps lighting up one by one, and thoughts of her best friend came into her head again. She had already seen him that afternoon, but she already missed his lopsided grin and his affectionate pat on her head.


    ¡°Jennifer,¡± her mother called out again. ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    She woke up from her trance and moved herself to the back seat, seeing that her older sister had taken to the back as well. She quietly shut the door and waited in the car.


    ¡°What are you daydreaming about again, Jennifer?¡± her sister asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Jennifer said.


    Her sister didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°I can tell by that look on your face that something happened today. What is it? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing,¡± Jennifer said, turning to watch the torrential rain pounding out the car window.


    Jennifer could feel her sister¡¯s heated gaze at the back of her head, but she didn¡¯t care. This was the one secret she didn¡¯t want anyone knowing. She dug into her pocket, feeling for that jade ne Gio had given her. This gift was their secret.


    Soon, the car went into motion, and she went back to daydreaming. A few times she turned to see her sister staring off into space, looking bored. She was bored too. It was going to be a long drive home. Having nothing else to do, she took the ne out for another look, when a hand appeared in her line of sight and quickly snatched the ne from her hand.


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what happened,¡± her sister concluded from her strange, quiet behavior in the car. Usually she would yap nonstop. ¡°Where did you get this ne from? Did you steal it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it.¡± She tried taking it back, but her sister was bigger and stronger, and no matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t move fast enough to grab it. ¡°Please give it back. It¡¯s mine.¡±


    Her sister ignored her. ¡°Mom, did you buy Jennifer a dragon pendant ne? Why didn¡¯t you buy me one, too?¡±


    ¡°What dragon ne? I didn¡¯t buy Jennifer any ne,¡± her mother said from the front seat.


    ¡°So, you must have stolen it, Jennifer.¡± Her sister used her again. ¡°Where did you steal it from?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it. My friend gave it to me,¡± Jennifer finally told the truth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You have no friends.¡±


    ¡°I do. I have a friend. His name is Gio. He gave me that ne.¡±


    ¡°That dirty boy who you meet in the park gave you that ne,¡± her sister came to her conclusion. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. This ne looks expensive. I bet it¡¯s stolen. We have to report it to the police. Put him in jail.¡±


    ¡°No. Leave him alone. And give me back that ne,¡± she shouted.


    ¡°Mom. Tell Jennifer to stop hanging out with that boy,¡± her sister told their mother. ¡°We don¡¯t even know who he is. He could be a dangerous person. He might even be part of those bad people at school. I heard they always get into fights.¡±


    ¡°Jennifer, your sister is right,¡± her mom reprimanded her. ¡°Stop going to the park. And stop hanging out with that boy.¡±


    Jennifer burst into tears. Her heart was aching. She had to protect her friend. She didn¡¯t want him to go to jail. Her sister told her many times that bad people get to sleep in a cold dark ce called jail, and she didn¡¯t want Gio to go through that. He was a kind person. He didn¡¯t deserve to stay in jail. So she defended him again.


    ¡°No, Ma. He¡¯s a good person. He¡¯s kind to me, and he teaches me stuff. He¡¯s my best friend. I promised him I¡¯d meet him again. Don¡¯t take him to the police.¡±


    ¡°Enough, Jennifer. You are not to go to see that boy in the park again,¡± her mother said in anger. ¡°And give that ne to your sister.¡±


    Jennifer bawled her eyes out. It wasn¡¯t fair. Their mom and dad had never given her anything, always giving everything to her sister. She didn¡¯t want to wear any more hand-me-down clothing. She didn¡¯t want to receive anything that had been used by her sister already. And for this one time, she just wanted to keep the ne that her friend gave to her, and now her sister had to go and make trouble for her best friend, too. Why couldn¡¯t they just leave her alone?


    She was so mad and sad, words she didn¡¯t mean came out of her mouth. ¡°She¡¯s not my sister. I hate her. I don¡¯t want her as my sister. She always bullies me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not bullying you,¡± her sister shouted back. ¡°I was looking out for you.¡±


    ¡°No. You don¡¯t. You never talk to me at school. You always pretend like I¡¯m not your sister. Now I found a friend, and you are jealous of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not jealous of you. I have heaps of friends at school. Why should I be jealous of you?¡±


    ¡°Girls, stop fighting this instant. I¡¯m driving,¡± their mom shouted from the front seat. But they didn¡¯t listen and kept arguing.


    ¡°I hate you. I don¡¯t want to see you again,¡± Jennifer kept saying. ¡°I don¡¯t want to remember your face. I don¡¯t want to call you my sister.¡±


    ¡°Well, too bad. We are family. You better-¡±


    And that was thest thing Jennifer heard before she saw a sh of white light and a big truck collided into their car.


    Present Day


    My head hurt. It was that dream again, fragments of images I have no recollection of having. Unknown voices, fuzzy unclear faces talking, before bright white light shing before my eyes and I woke up. These days it¡¯s happening more and more frequently. Thest time was when I had stayed at Crispin¡¯s during my escape from Giovanni. And now again, here. I dismissed the thought, instead going to massage my temple, hoping to alleviate the thundering pain in my head, but it didn¡¯t help much. I groaned and opened my eyes to see the bright peachy ceiling.


    Where was I? This wasn¡¯t my bedroom or Giovanni¡¯s room. I didn¡¯t recognize anything here. Especially that crystal chandelier hanging from the middle of the room or the ceramic vase of peony flowers on the bedside table. If I had flowers in my bedroom, it would be roses. Not peonies.


    I jolted awake at the sudden realization that I¡¯d been kidnapped, and the memory of those big guys shoving me in the car before I cked out shed right into my mind like an unwanted episode of a soap opera on TV.


    Through my hazy sight, I saw some shadows. I freaked out, automatically grabbing something to protect myself. My handnded on the ceramic vase.


    I crept out of bed, my legs already slung over the edge, when I heard their muffled sounds and my heart rate just increased tenfold. Blood surged to my brain, and I took action. No matter how afraid I was, I wasn¡¯t going down easy.


    I was already poised, waiting in position, ready to beat the crap out of my kidnapper, when the door opened and a silhouette in the shadows said, ¡°Jen, how are you feeling?¡±


    I froze, dropping the vase in my hand. Tears began to prickle at the back of my eyes.


    That voice. The name ¡®Jen.¡¯ There was only one person in the whole wide world who would call me by that name.


    The figure emerged into the light, and I saw her, the face I recognized even in my sleep. Fat teardrops dripped from my eyes. My voice got clogged in my throat, and I couldn¡¯t even utter a single word, save for those choking sounds I made.


    Brown hair, beautiful big amber eyes, and a bright smile that any guy would fall for. My sister, Amelia.

 #4鈥擟hapter 2

    Reunion


    My world collided as my past, present, and future all meshed into one. The past, the pain of being abandoned by my own sister, and Pa, leaving me behind with a grave debt mounting over my head. The present, living as Giovanni¡¯s lover, the man who¡¯d saved me from the brink of poverty. He, who had given me a new lease on life, and the love I never thought I could attain in this lifetime. And the future, the grave uncertainty of what it might hold, now that my sister was standing here in front of me. All these facets of my life charred into one, and I became a crumbling mess.


    I looked into the face of my sister, my one support pir since I was young. She was as beautiful as always, as impable as always, with herrge amber eyes staring straight back at me, her cupid¡¯s bow lips stretched into a full smile, and her long lustrous brte locks swept to the side. She was the epitome of perfection. If I didn¡¯t know better, I thought she had blossomed into an even more beautiful person after our four-month separation.


    I struggled with the mirage of emotion, each one fighting to bubble up to the surface. Anger, pain, happiness, joy, but none of which was able to tamp down that overwhelming feeling of relief. It had to be relief because what else could I feel, now that I knew she was safe and well. Despite the distress I felt during the initial phase when abandoned, everything got swept away as soon as she gave me that bright smile again.


    I ran straight into her open arms. She weed me with a full embrace. I cherished it, burying my head into her shoulder and bawling my eyes out. Yes, this was my sister. She wasn¡¯t some illusion like I¡¯d conjured back in Singapore. She was the real physical thing.


    ¡°Jen. I missed you,¡± she said, almost too quietly that I almost didn¡¯t hear her speak. Sheforted me like she always did when we were younger, threading her fingers through my hair while patting my head softly, using soft soothing words to cheer me up. But today it had the opposite effect. The overwhelming feeling of seeing my sister again only encouraged more tears to shed from my eyes.


    ¡°I missed you, too.¡± I sobbed into her shoulder. ¡°Where did you go? Where did Pa go? Why did you both leave me? Did Pa abandon you, too? What happened on that day?¡±


    The questions I kept brewed inside my head for the past four months came bursting to the surface, and I ended up spewing them all out at once.


    Amelia didn¡¯t answer me right away. She was so calm and collected, unlike me who was experiencing one hundred and one emotions. That was, until I felt wet tears on my shoulders, and I knew she was as affected by our sudden reunion.


    We stood like this, sobbing into each other¡¯s shoulders, until we could cry no more. When I managed to somehow gather myself again, she led me to the bed, sat me down, and held my hands, squeezing them so tight I knew something was up. This was her way of expressing her emotion.


    When Giovanni said I wore my emotions on my sleeve, I literally wore them on my sleeve, showing to the world all facets of my emotions on my face. But my sister, she was so subtle. Most times, I had no idea what was going on in her head, until it was small actions or gestures like these that confirmed my suspicion that something was wrong.


    I recalled a time in our childhood, after I came out of thea that resulted from the car crash that Amelia said had killed our mother.


    Back then, I couldn¡¯t remember her face, nor that of Pa or Ma¡¯s. Amelia was just this strange-face beauty who always sat at the edge of my bed. I remembered I was always feeling groggy, pumped up to the maximum with IV fluids. Her face weaved in and out of my consciousness, but the one thing that always stabilized me and made me feel safe was the feeling of that warm hand squeezing mine ever so gently, as if trying to reassure me that the world was right again.


    When I finally woke up after that six long months in thea, she was the face I saw first, sitting beside my bed, squeezing my hand. She had introduced herself as my sister. ¡°Hi, Jen. How are you feeling? Do you remember me? I¡¯m your sister.¡±


    I had shaken my head.


    She squeezed my hand again and reassured me. ¡°How about Pa?¡±


    She¡¯d pointed to a man in the corner, who was watching me from a distance. When I shook my head in the negative, he started sobbing miserably and went out of the room.


    Tears started pricking my eyes as I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. When I woke up from thata, I lost all concept of time and ce. Everything to me was foreign, but this beautiful girl who imed to be my sister reassured me.


    She squeezed my hand tight and told me, ¡°We are family, Jen. There are only the three of us now. Pa, you, me. My name is Amelia. Pa¡¯s name is Warren. Can you say my name?¡±


    ¡°Aaa¡­¡± I tried to enunciate, but it was so difficult to say her name. Fat teardrops dripped down my cheeks, and she wiped them clean, kissing me on the forehead.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t cry. Just call me Mel. You can call me Mel.¡±


    ¡°Mel¡­. Mel,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. I¡¯m your sister. Mel.¡±


    ¡°Mel¡­me¡­. named Jen?¡± I asked her, slowly trying to force out my question.


    ¡°Your name. Your name is Jenny. But I call you Jen. This is your nickname. You are my little sister.¡±


    ¡°Jen¡­Jenny.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jenny. You are Jenny. I am Mel. Pa is Warren.¡±


    I cried again. ¡°Can¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Jen. It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t force yourself to remember. If you can¡¯t remember us, we¡¯ll just make new memories together.¡± She threaded her fingers through my hair andforted me. ¡°From now on, I promise to be a good big sister. I¡¯ll protect you and take care of you. I¡¯ll hold your hand and walk you to school every day. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    And she followed through with her promise, always holding my hand and walking me to school; even when we grew up and she entered varsity and I was still in high school, she would always check up on me with text messages or phone calls. Our sisterly bond was unbreakable, before the world gotplicated and we became separated.


    I¡¯d missed her so dearly, a stifled sob escaped me again, and I lunged into her for a second time, burying my face into herp. I was physically scared that she would disappear again.


    I knew I said that if I did see her again, the first thing I¡¯d do was berate her, yell at her, give her my two cents and demand for her to give me an exnation as to why she had abandoned me when she was the one who was always preaching about family.


    I¡¯d even thought of banishing her, swearing never to speak to her again if I saw her. But these were just in lies,me excuses I came up with, just to provide some smallfort to myself during those dark days.


    In the beginning it was tough. I knew I was strong enough to live on my own, but their sudden disappearance was always looming in the back of my mind. In some ways, it felt like a betrayal by my own family. Even though inside I was a crumbling mess, I would always put up a strong front so that people couldn¡¯t physically and emotionally hurt me. I dodged the bullet, giving the middle finger to whatever life threw at me. I told myself I could handle it. But there were times in those first few months when I was left confused by their actions, crying into the pillow at night.


    Their actions had led me to this consequence, where I had to grow up fast. Although it was tough, I now realized that this was a blessing in disguise, because it had led me to Giovanni.


    ¡°There now, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here now. Don¡¯t cry.¡± Amelia¡¯s soothing voice lured me back to reality. I chuckled, a mixture of sadness and happiness all rolled into one. In some way, I resembled a drunken fool with my contradicting emotion. I couldn¡¯t help myself, though. Amelia was only four years older than me, but she acted like our mother. In a way, she was like my mother, always there to pick up the pieces when I fell apart, if I could remember what she was like though. But Amelia had always told me that if Ma were here, she¡¯d be very protective of me.


    I picked myself off herp, lips still wobbly from my outburst. Amelia gently wiped my tear-stained face and gave a soft reassuring smile.


    ¡°You have not changed one bit, Jen,¡± Amelia said.


    That¡¯s not true. I was not acting like a baby. I had grown up a lot. And all Amelia did was give me that soft smile again, and my eyes produced more saltwater.


    Oh God! What if Giovanni saw me in this state? He¡¯d think I was a baby, too. At least I was a baby to Amelia. Her baby sister.


    No more crying, I told myself. Weughed and chuckled a bit there. Our sisterly bond was strong. Except for Pa, there was only the two of us in this world.


    Thinking about Pa, I raised that question again. ¡°So what happened to you? Where is Pa now?¡±


    ¡°Pa¡­Pa.¡± Her voice started shaking, and her strong front somehow broke. She shook, and a little sob escaped her.


    ¡°Amelia.¡± I hugged her, this time giving her thefort she needed. ¡°What happened? Where is Pa? Did something happen to him?¡±


    ¡°Pa. Pa is fine.¡±


    Her words were final. I couldn¡¯t understand what she was implying, so I waited for her to borate further. Instead, she changed the flow of our conversation, turning to me and asking, ¡°What happened to you, Jen? What happened on that day?¡±


    I pulled back, surprised she could piece the information together that quickly. I started from the beginning, telling her my whole story and how I hade to be here.


    ¡°There was a message on my phone saying Pa had an emergency and asked me toe home. When I arrived home, there was a note and a letter. He wanted me to deliver the letter to someone, and I did. Except I didn¡¯t realize it was a trap. He sent me as coteral to his three-million-dor debt.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jen. I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m so sorry I couldn¡¯t protect you.¡± My sister¡¯s tears came trailing down again. Her shoulders shook, and now it was my turn tofort her.


    ¡°Amelia. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m really okay.¡± I reassured her. If anything, that was the best thing that had ever happened in my life.


    ¡°Jen. Forgive me. I wasn¡¯t there when this happened. I was¡­I was¡­¡±


    Something bad must have happened to Amelia. I could sense it in my bones. Like a sh of lightning, the memory of the two big giants the size of Heath shoving me into their van shed before my eyes, and I became aware of my surroundings again. Our surroundings to be exact, and how did Amelia hade to be here, too? That¡¯s it. She must have been kidnapped by these people, too, whoever they were.


    ¡°Amelia, were you kidnapped too? Did these people-¡±


    I never got to finish my sentence. The door opened at that instant, and a tall man entered. His presence in the room couldn¡¯t be ignored. He held this charisma that demanded authority. He was handsome, almostparable to Giovanni and Justin. Except he had blond hair, the strands so pale, it almost appeared white under the bedroom light.


    He gazed at me, then his eyes ran past me and settled on my sister. His mouth twisted into a side smirk, and his look changed into one that was pure intense lust. ¡°Happy now, Amelia? I brought you what you wanted.¡±


    ¡°Let her go.¡± My sister, who had always been so mild and sweet in her mannerisms, shouted to this man, her voice holding a sharp and dangerous edge. I was shaking just from watching their interaction. She was a bonfire. I had lived with her my entire life, and I¡¯d never seen her raise her voice to anyone before. The man should be scared of her; instead, he ignored her and approached me. He walked with a predatory gait, stopping only when he stood a foot away from me.


    ¡°So, this is what your sister looks like,¡± he said, cocking his head to the side, eyeing me up and down, like I was an object he¡¯d taken an interest in.


    If I were a turtle, I¡¯d shrivel myself back into my shell; his eyes were so fierce, I was physically scared for my wellbeing. Even Giovanni didn¡¯t freak me out like this. He reached his hand out and was about to touch me when there was a loud p in the air. His hand fell back to the side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her,¡± Amelia said sternly, pushing me to stand behind her.


    Amelia stared him down, and he returned her sentiment with a re of his own. His gaze was so intense, if I were the recipient, I¡¯d be burned alive.


    And then everything just sort of happened, as if we were characters in a television daytime soap opera and someone had taken the remote control and pressed the fast-forward button. The mysterious man swiftly grabbed Amelia by the hip, making her lose bnce, staggering forward until shended in his arms. He quickly wound his arms around the small of her back and tugged her into his embrace. Amelia froze. He took this opportunity to snug his head into her shoulder and kissed her in the mouth, senseless, for five long seconds. I was so shocked by this whole event, I didn¡¯t even realize I was in a trance until he spoke my name.


    ¡°Hello, Jenny.¡± I snapped out of my trance, the mysterious man eyeing me over my sister¡¯s shoulder with a sly smile, a sly one that made my stomach coil in dread. With soft words, he said, ¡°My name is Lorenzo. Niks Lorenzo. Wee to the family.¡±

 #4鈥擟hapter 3

    Negotiation


    Giovanni was out of his fucking mind. Nothing in this world had him this coiled up with dread that he could piss in his own pants. But he had to take charge, take control of the situation. Now!


    As soon as he¡¯d heard the news of Jay¡¯s kidnapping, he went ballistic, damning Lorenzo and his n to hell. He reached for his phone and dialed Lorenzo¡¯s number. He counted ten heartbeats before the call was picked up. The fucking bastard was fucking with his head. If he saw him, he¡¯d make sure to pay him the same respect as he did, by cutting his balls off. The fucking bastard.


    How dare he take his beloved Jay. He¡¯d been sessfully hiding Jay for all these months with no fear and interruption until now. Maybe he¡¯d miscalcted his moves. He¡¯d been so excited, so fucking in love, he¡¯d forgotten his surroundings. He backtracked his moves and remembered that situation back in Singapore. Lorenzo was there too. He must have nned Jay¡¯s kidnapping since then. The fucking bastard.


    How the fuck did Lorenzo know about his one weakness? Did he have people spying on him and Jay? The fucker! What a lowlife. If he wanted Las Vegas so much, he¡¯d have given him the whole fuckingnd deed; he only wished Lorenzo wouldn¡¯t mess with his woman. Because their rift had nothing to do with her. His beloved Jay was just an innocent bystander. She didn¡¯t know shit about life in the mafia world.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Fuck! He was going insane. The thought of losing Jay wasn¡¯t just an emotional pain anymore, but a palpable physical pain, where his heart was wrenched, like a knife had been stabbed into his heart, again and again. He couldn¡¯t imagine not seeing Jay again. She was his love, his life, and his soul. If Lorenzo wanted to see his downfall, he¡¯d seeded. But he wouldn¡¯t be easily defeated. If he was still breathing, he¡¯d fight until the very end, and the fight started now, with their verbal assault.


    ¡°Lorenzo, are you trying to fuck with me? Why the fuck did you take my woman?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Giovanni, my friend. Long time no see. How have you been? I haven¡¯t heard from you for a while.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me, Lorenzo. You have my woman. I want her back.¡±


    ¡°Is that a demand?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fucking order.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, Giovanni. You are always so demanding.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same to you.¡±


    ¡°What can I say, we were born of the same breed. Mafia blood always runs strong. I still can¡¯t believe Justin and Dawson still tolerate you though, with that foul mouth of yours.¡±


    ¡°Leave my friends out of this.¡±


    ¡°They are my friends, too.¡±


    ¡°In your fucking dreams. Now tell me where your residence is so I can get Jay back. Are you still in Chicago?¡±


    ¡°Jay? Who¡¯s Jay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my girl, you fucking idiot, the one who you fucking kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t know she was yours. You had too many in the past; I lost count. How important is she to you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me, Lorenzo.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one asking the questions here, Giovanni. How important is this girl to you?¡±


    Giovanni didn¡¯t reply. He knew the question was a trap. If he revealed that Jay was as important to him as the heart that was beating in his chest or the air he needed to survive, he was sure Lorenzo would harm her, just to spite him.


    ¡°Giovanni. I can¡¯t hear you.¡± Lorenzo¡¯s voice knocked him back to his senses, and when he was about to reply, a soft voice floated into his earpiece.


    ¡°Gio, is that you?¡± Jay. His lover. His heart pounded in fear.


    ¡°Jay, is that you? Jay, are you okay, baby? Put her on the fucking phone, Lorenzo.¡± Giovanni shouted down the line.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Lorenzo¡¯s smooth and calm voice just irritated him even more.


    ¡°Fuck you, Lorenzo. Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Lorenzo chuckled, which just pissed the shit out of him even more. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s safe. I haven¡¯t fucked her¡­yet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking darey a hand on her, or I¡¯ll fucking break your arm,¡± he yelled.


    ¡°Is that a warning?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bloody demand. And you better-¡±


    ¡°Giovanni, Giovanni. Stop talking like a fighter.¡± Lorenzo interrupted him, which just sent him into another tailspin. ¡°I think your fighting skill is rusty at best. When was thest time you fought?¡±


    ¡°None of your fucking business.¡±


    ¡°It is my business. Now enough of the chitchat. Listen carefully to what I have to say. Here¡¯s what I want. Bring thend deed for Las Vegas. I want to deal with all the trades in that territory. Tell all your minions that I¡¯m now their new boss.¡±


    ¡°In your fucking dreams. Don¡¯t you have enough shit going on already with your business in Chicago? Don¡¯t try to wear pants that are too big for you. Las Vegas is not your territory.¡±


    ¡°Try saying that again with your girl on the phone while I slide a knife down her perfect porcin face.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill you, Lorenzo. If you darey even a hand on a strand of her hair, I swear to God, I¡¯ll fucking kill you myself.¡±


    ¡°Bring thend deed, Giovanni. I¡¯ll see you, say, ten a. m. tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll text you with my residential address nearer the time. And don¡¯t fucking turn up early. You will not be weed until ten a. m.¡±


    And Lorenzo cut the call.


    Giovanni was vibrating with so much anger he flung the phone with so much force, it smashed against the wall.


    Fuck, Lorenzo. Who did he think he was? Some kind of fucking mafia God who everyone must obey? Well, too fucking bad. He wasn¡¯t going to listen to his shit.


    ¡°Bobby, Heath, Finnie, Jonny,¡± Giovanni shouted from inside his office. ¡°Get the fucking ne ready. We¡¯re going to Chicago.¡±


    It was approximately eight a. m. when Giovanni and his gang arrived at Lorenzo¡¯s residence. Lorenzo was already dressed, waiting in the dining room, having his breakfast of egg and toast, with jasmine tea as his drink.


    ¡°It¡¯s fucking eight a. m., Giovanni. You are interrupting my breakfast. I did say ten a. m., did I not?¡±


    Giovanni pulled out the chair opposite Lorenzo and sat down, folded his leg elegantly, and smirked at his frenemy. ¡°Have I ever listened to you?¡±


    Lorenzo paused, his knife and fork in midair. He assessed his old-time friend, who somehow along the way had turned into his frenemy. ¡°You have a point,¡± he said. They got down to business. ¡°Have you got thend deed?¡±


    ¡°I have a better idea. Why don¡¯t you tell me how much you want? I¡¯m willing to pay,¡± Giovanni said instead.


    ¡°Are you willing to pay for your woman or for the price of thend deed?¡±


    ¡°My girl, of course.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to give me thend deed?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°You are willing to pay for the life of your girl, but you aren¡¯t willing to give me thend deed. Do I have this information correct?¡±


    ¡°Why do you fucking want thend deed?¡± Giovanni mmed his fist on the table in his effort to try to get his message across. ¡°Signor Dente gave it to me. Yourte father, Signor Lorenzo, had also said the Las Vegas territory belonged to the Dente n.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not my father. I want all businesses associated with that area.¡± Lorenzo didn¡¯t even flinch. He just went back to eating his food, and Giovanni hated it when people ignored him.


    ¡°Well, too fucking bad. You can get it over my dead body.¡± And quicker than lightning, Giovanni stood up, pulled out the pistol from his inner pocket, and aimed it at Lorenzo¡¯s head. ¡°Now, do I need to spell it out for you that I will not give you thend deed, or do you want me to blow your brains out right here and now?¡±


    ¡°Giovanni. Giovanni. Calm down.¡± Lorenzo pushed his te away, having had enough of the food. He drank his jasmine tea, and when he thought he was ready to speak, he stood up too. ¡°I was only joking. I don¡¯t fucking care for yournd deed. I was just messing with you. Do you really want your girlfriend to see you in action, blowing a friend¡¯s brain out like this? It¡¯s not a pretty picture. I¡¯m sure she hasn¡¯t seen you kill before, right? You only let her see your good side. What would happen if, say, she were to walk in right now and see you like this? Pointing a gun at my head. How would she feel?¡±


    Giovanni was stuck. On the one hand, he so wanted to pull the trigger and be done with this stupid bastard, but he knew the implication was too hard and too messy to deal with. Although both Lorenzo and he liked to y a game of cat and mouse, taunting each other every so often, they¡¯d never reached this stage before where they had to pull the trigger for real.


    He retracted his pistol and slipped it back in his inner coat when he saw two women, both so simr in looks, race down the stairs. They moved closer and in a blurry of fluffy fabric, one barreled into his arms.


    ¡°Gio.¡± It was his lover, Jay. He hugged her small body and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent that he¡¯d missed for the past night. This was Jay; she was real; she was alive. And oh, fucking God, he was happy to have her back in his arms again.


    Until he saw the face of the other woman, so simr to Jay, so beautiful like a porcin doll, and his heartstrings stirred because she was the face that had appeared in his dreams.

 #4鈥擟hapter 4

    Escape n


    I hardly sleptst night. I was so worried that even with the soft mattress and heavenly pillow, I still couldn¡¯t sleep a wick. Half of my worry was centered on Giovanni and how he would be worried sick about my disappearance, and the other half was for my sister. After Lorenzo had kissed her, his phone rang. It was Giovanni. I panicked and shouted out his name when Lorenzo started describing all the cruel things he would do to me. I felt visibly sick until he ended the call and Amelia just pped him in the face. She literally pped him. Lorenzo got so mad, he literally dragged her out of the room and had me locked in this bedroom ever since.


    They had brought in food and all the basic necessities for me to live a cushy life, if you could call being locked in a massive bedroom fit for the queen of Ennd cushy, then, yep, it was a cushy life. But that still didn¡¯t stop that gnawing feeling in my belly.


    What was Lorenzo doing to my sister? And where was she staying, if she didn¡¯t stay in this bedroom with me? Because clearly, with the way he¡¯d treated her, she was one of his prisoners, too.


    When did Amelia be Lorenzo¡¯s prisoner? She never had the opportunity to tell me when Lorenzo came barging through the doorst night.


    It was already morning. The sun was peeking through the curtains, and the birds were chirping outside my window, a nice musical sound I¡¯d hardly heard in New York. I opened the window and saw we were on a ranch of some sort. No tall buildings, just in blue sky above and endless acres of green grass.


    I looked down from my window and saw I was only one level above ground. An idea popped into my head. I had no idea where Amelia was, but the first thing I¡¯d do when she arrived was to tell her of my escape n. There was no way I was staying here. I belonged to Giovanni. I would not let them use me.


    I leaned out the window, half of my body already tipping forward when I heard a door open from behind, followed by rushing of feet, before my whole body got pulled back up to a standing position.


    ¡°Jen, what are you doing?¡± It was my sister.


    ¡°Mel. I was looking out the window. Did you see? We¡¯re on level one. If we use the bedsheets as ropes, we can escape from here.¡±


    Amelia sighed as if I¡¯d gone crazy. ¡°Do you think I haven¡¯t tried? I¡¯ve been here for four months now, and in that time, I¡¯ve done everything. It doesn¡¯t work. Niks has too many guards. They will only capture us again.¡±


    ¡°Then do you expect me to wait here?¡±


    ¡°Is there a better way out?¡±


    ¡°I know Giovanni wille rescue me.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni? Who is Giovanni?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my lover.¡±


    ¡°Jen, you have lover?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s the mafia boss Pa sold me to. We¡¯re lovers, and he¡¯lle rescue me.¡±


    ¡°Jen. I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but no one ising to rescue you. Niks is also a mafia boss. He controls everything in this territory. He will not let another mafia boss juste take over his residence and rescue you.¡±


    ¡°Then why did he kidnap me? And why did he kidnap you? What did we have to do with him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to exin this.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin anything. Once I get myself out of here and find a way to contact Giovanni, I¡¯lle back and rescue you. If what this Lorenzo dude wants is money, I¡¯ll make sure Giovannies back to pay for your ransom.¡±


    And as soon as I said this, I started pulling at the sheets and tying all the ends together, but Amelia kept on untying them again. ¡°Jen, you can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    ¡°I am very serious, Mel.¡± I kept tying the sheets together.


    I refused to listen to her. She may think it was good idea to stay here and let Lorenzo control her, but I wasn¡¯t like her. I could never be like her. I was not some sweet girl who anyone could control. Heck, even when I first became Giovanni¡¯s maid, I used all my skills to survive and demand the right to my freedom. Not live in this beautiful golden cage like this.


    At herst attempt to stop me, Amelia took away the bedsheets in my hands and shouted at me, ¡°Stop, Jen. Stop it. I can¡¯t let you go. Do you hear me? I won¡¯t let you go. You have absolutely no idea what Lorenzo is capable of. He can hurt me, but he can¡¯t hurt you. Do you hear me? I won¡¯t let him hurt you. If you stay, he won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    Her words hit me deep. I stopped and slowly lifted up my gaze to meet hers. ¡°He won¡¯t hurt me, but¡­but¡­.¡± And suddenly the event fromst night all made sense. Lorenzo dragging Amelia away. Her, disappearing for the whole night, and only reappearing now. I took one step closer to her, and then two, until I fell into her arms and hugged her so tight. ¡°Mel, did he do something to youst night?¡±


    Amelia avoided my eyes, her lips trembling. I was scared to hear the wordsing from her mouth, but I had to know, so I asked again, my voice raspy, ¡°Did he do something to you, Mel? Tell me. Please. Did you make him promise not to hurt me if he could¡­¡±


    My words were left unspoken. But she knew what I¡¯d meant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°He did something to youst night, didn¡¯t he?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Jen. Please don¡¯t make me say it. I¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t borate further.


    ¡°Mel. I¡¯m so sorry. I was just selfish. All I wanted was to save myself. I wanted to go back home. I wanted to go back to Giovanni, and I forgot that you have been here all this time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in debt to Lorenzo,¡± Amelia finally said. ¡°I can¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°What did you do? Why are you in debt to him?¡±


    ¡°Pa owes him money. Even in this lifetime, I could never repay him.¡±


    So it was the same problem. Money. Our own father, selling both his daughters for the sake of a debt payment. What kind of father was he, to do that to his own kids? And my dislike for him increased by another tenfold. I didn¡¯t dislike him when he¡¯d sold me to Giovanni. I had only wanted to search for answers, find out his reasons as to why he¡¯d sold me. But this, knowing this knowledge that he¡¯d also sold Amelia, that was thest straw on the camel¡¯s back. I decided to banish him from my family tree. I would only have one kin now, and that was Amelia. I didn¡¯t care where he disappeared to, anymore, because at the end of the day, it was his two daughters who had to suffer.


    But this money problem was also good. It was simple to solve. Use money to fix the money problem. It was easy as making cheese omelets.


    If I¡¯d only known this sooner, I would have eased Amelia¡¯s pain long ago. If only I had known she was here, as prisoner of Lorenzo, I would have asked Giovanni to save her a long time ago.


    But it was not toote. It was never toote. Because I was here now. When Giovanni came, he¡¯d take both of us home, and Amelia and I could go back to live our normal lives again.


    ¡°Giovanni wille,¡± I assured my sister, grasping her hand tight. ¡°He¡¯lle to rescue me. He¡¯ll rescue you, too. He¡¯s rich. He has money. He loves me. He¡¯ll do anything to make me happy. And you are part of my happiness, Mel. Come home with me, please.¡±


    ¡°I want to get out of here, but I¡¯m not willing to risk losing your life.¡±


    ¡°Mel. Stop it. I¡¯m not going to die. No one can kill me. You have no idea what Giovanni is capable of. He¡¯ll protect me. He¡¯ll run into fire and cross the ocean, just to be with me. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s on his way now.¡±


    And just when I had finished saying those words to convince my sister toe with me, rescue had arrived in the form of Giovanni¡¯s loud voice downstairs. I took my sister¡¯s hand and opened the door, thanking Ma up in heaven that the door wasn¡¯t locked, and ran downstairs to see Giovanni in a verbalbat with Lorenzo.


    ¡°Gio,¡± I called out his name and ran straight into his arms.

 #4鈥擟hapter 5

    Begging


    ¡°Jay, baby, are you okay? Did the bastard do anything to you?¡± Giovanni asked me, his hands searching for any damage done.


    I shook my head. ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared of him, Jay. I¡¯m here now. I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you,¡± Giovanni kept saying.


    I¡¯d never seen him this worried before, and it only cemented the fact that he loved me, just as much as I loved him.


    ¡°Gio, I missed you,¡± I said to ease his worry when Lorenzo suddenly interrupted us.


    ¡°Alright, you two. Shows over. Stop mooning over each other. It¡¯s a fucking eyesore.¡±


    ¡°Then shut your fucking eyes,¡± Giovanni barked back. ¡°I¡¯m having a reunion with my girl, here. Leave us the fuck alone.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could, but this is my house, Giovanni,¡± Lorenzo said all too calmly. ¡°Or do I need to ster it on your forehead to remind you that this is my house and you are standing in my territory.¡±


    Giovanni let go of me, ushered me to stand behind his back, and turned to face Lorenzo. A secondter, I felt Bobby, Heath, Finnie, and Jonny standing around me in a protective circle. My four friends, the boys who I¡¯de to know as family.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jenny,¡± Bobby said. ¡°We¡¯ll protect you. Let Boss deal with Mr. Lorenzo.¡±


    I watched as Giovanni insulted Lorenzo. ¡°Why do you fucking irritate me so much, Lorenzo? It¡¯s your voice. It¡¯s so scratchy, like a fucking fingernail scratching on a chalkboard. So fucking annoying.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re showing your age, Giovanni,¡± Lorenzo retorted. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m old enough to remember what a chalkboard is at school.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Lorenzo,¡± Giovanni swore again.


    ¡°Are you done with the swearing?¡± Lorenzo calmly said. ¡°Do you have anything else to say? Because I¡¯m done here. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡±


    ¡°What do you want? Thend deed again? All the trades in Las Vegas, is that it?¡±


    ¡°Like I said before it was a joke. I just wanted to see how you would react. And it was a fun reaction. You sure haven¡¯t changed from all those years ago. Still a spitfire, always so hot-tempered.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same to you. At least I am hot-tempered. At least I still have warm blood running through my veins. But you, you are so cold-blooded, you don¡¯t even know what the word mercy means.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. That¡¯s why what I¡¯m about to do, I will surely enjoy it.¡±


    My heart was thrumming in my chest at Lorenzo¡¯s words. What did he mean? My fear escted into reality when he spoke.


    ¡°How much do you love your girl, Giovanni? Now is the time to test it. Could you lose your pride and beg me for the life of your girl?¡±


    And my heart dropped. Lorenzo. He wanted¡­he wanted to test Giovanni¡¯s love for me.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me to get down on my knees to beg for my girl¡¯s life?¡± Giovanni put it in simple words.


    Lorenzo pped his hands and nodded his head in the affirmative. ¡°That¡¯s right. You put the words right in my mouth. Bravo. That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to say. For your girl, I think it shouldn¡¯t be that hard of a decision to make. If you love her, go on, beg me. Grovel like the dog shit you are. Beg me and then I¡¯ll let her go.¡±


    And in the blink of an eye, Giovanni pinned Lorenzo with a gun to his forehead. ¡°You want to fuck with me, Lorenzo? Why don¡¯t I pull this trigger first and see if you are willing to get down on your knees and beg for your life.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni. You think you have your men here to save you. Let me tell you. You are on my territory. That¡¯s one wrong move already. If you fire your gun at me, I¡¯ll make sure to annihte every single person in your n. See those men upstairs? They are my men. They have their eyes trained on your girl already.¡±


    I stood still, watching as all guns were pointed at me and the gang. Somehow, the second Giovanni pointed that gun at Lorenzo, dozens of guns were automatically pointed at us. We were outnumbered. Six members of the Dente n to at least twenty or more of the Lorenzo n. I was so scared my knees almost gave in. But I stood firmly in ce and watched the event unfold before my eyes.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re quick enough with the trigger.¡± Lorenzo continued taunting Giovanni. ¡°Let me tell you something, Giovanni. The second you pull that trigger, her brain would explode into a million pieces. Do you still want to pull that trigger?¡±


    I watched as Giovanni paused. He was weighing his options, his jaw clenched tight. Until he sighed, his decision made.


    He dropped his gun.


    No¡­


    He turned to me, his eyes misty.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Gio, don¡¯t!


    He smiled and mouthed at me, ¡°I love you, Jay.¡±


    And he slowly dropped to his knees. I broke out of my four-man shield and ran to him, dragging him back up just before his knees hit the floor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beg him, Gio. Don¡¯t lose your pride over me,¡± I shouted, trying to knock some sense into him. ¡°He¡¯s trying to make you lose pride. I won¡¯t let him win. Don¡¯t beg, Gio.¡±


    Giovanni cradled my cheek, hushing me and hugging me.


    ¡°Shush, it¡¯s okay, Jay. It¡¯s okay, baby. It¡¯s just some fucking pride. It doesn¡¯t mean anything. For you, I¡¯m willing to do it.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you, Gio. Stand up. You¡¯re the mafia boss of the Dente n. What would your underlings do if they saw their boss kneel on the floor? Have pride, Gio.¡±


    ¡°Jay. Listen to me. You are my pride. You are my life. If I lose you, I will also lose my pride. And nothing will break me more if I lose you. So step out of the way and let me do this.¡±


    ¡°How easily fooled you are, Giovanni,¡± Lorenzo muttered on the side. ¡°For the love of a girl, you are willing to grovel like a dog. Go on. I still want to see a dog like you grovel at my feet.¡±


    And Lorenzo waited, except the person who did his bidding ended up being someone else. Lorenzo went into shock mode as he watched that person get down on their knees and beg him.


    ¡°Niks, please let my sister go.¡± It was my sister, knees on the floor, begging for my life. ¡°You wanted someone to beg for my sister¡¯s life. Then I am willing to beg for her life. Please let her go.¡±


    I went berserk. First my lover, now my sister. This piece of bastard needed my foot to teach him a lesson.


    ¡°Mel, get up. I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t need to beg him.¡± But she didn¡¯t listen to me. She kept begging him. And all Giovanni and I could do was watch my sister in misery as she continued pleading for my life.


    ¡°Please, Niks. Please let her go. You can do anything to me, but please don¡¯t hurt her. Please just let her go.¡±


    Lorenzo gave Giovanni and me a sly look. ¡°You¡¯re a coy one, Giovanni, for letting a girl go down on her knees to beg for your girl¡¯s life on your behalf.¡±


    ¡°Niks, you fucker. She¡¯s her sister. Of course, she¡¯s going to fucking beg for her sister¡¯s life. Don¡¯t you have any mercy in your bones?¡±


    ¡°I have clearly told you that, and you have clearly specified it before, to which we both agreed, that I don¡¯t possess such a thing. Remember the word, Giovanni. I¡¯m cold-blooded. I don¡¯t know what the word mercy means. Now are you going to get down on your knees, too, because I¡¯m starting to be impatient.¡±


    ¡°Niks, please.¡± My sister tugged at his leg, and his eyes flicked back to her, and an unknown emotion which I couldn¡¯t decipher crossed his face. This was the man who had hurt her, physically and emotionally, and here she was begging him to spare my life.


    ¡°Mel, that¡¯s enough. Get up. Giovanni is here to save me, and he¡¯s here to save you too,¡± I shouted, but she just wouldn¡¯t listen to me. It was like my voice was like the wind, pping around her but never entering into her ear. She just kept on begging, knees on the floor, asking to spare my life. How could she not see that I was already protected with just having Giovanni beside me? Didn¡¯t she see Giovanni was already here to save me and there was no way in hell he¡¯d let me die? It was a miserable sight, and I started crying.


    ¡°Niks, please.¡±


    Lorenzo finally cracked.


    ¡°Get up,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Not until you let her go.¡±


    Lorenzo crouched down to her level and looked her straight in the eye. ¡°Do you think you have that much power over me, Amelia? Remember who you are. You are still under my debt. Remember that.¡± And he caught her arm, dragging her on his way up, signaling to his men to take her back upstairs.


    ¡°Niks, please. Let her go. Please.¡± The sight was miserable. I could still hear Amelia¡¯s voice begging him until she was well upstairs, and her voice became nothing but a buzzing broken sound piercing my heart.


    I cried, my body so distraught, I was literally shaking in anger. And it was that very moment that I went ballistic. Ished out, lunging at Lorenzo, the man who had hurt my sister. Except Giovanni had caught me in time.


    ¡°Let me go, Gio. Let me kick his ass,¡± I yelled at Giovanni, but his hands mped on to my arms tight. I pushed him off, but his strength was so much greater than mine.


    ¡°Jay, that¡¯s enough. Leave him to me.¡±


    ¡°No. I want to kick him,¡± I shouted at Giovanni, then directed my wrath at Lorenzo. ¡°Niks Lorenzo, you dickhead. Don¡¯t you dare hurt my sister, or I swear upon my Ma¡¯s grave I¡¯ll chop your balls off. You just watch me.¡±


    I swung my leg and attempted to give him a good kick; if only Giovanni hadn¡¯t stopped me in time, I would have had him in the nuts already. Lorenzo justughed, like he found my reaction funny.


    ¡°Hahaha. Your girl really is a spitfire. You two are really suited for each other. The hot-blooded mafia boss and his spitfire girlfriend. I¡¯ve had enough. Get her out of here. She¡¯s giving me a fucking headache. And that applies to all your people, too. And don¡¯t ever fucking step foot on my ground again, or you won¡¯t like what I do to you next time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll step foot out of here when we are ready,¡± I yelled at Lorenzo again, but my world was already toppled over, and I realized Giovanni had practically lifted me up and carried me, bridal style, back to the car.


    ¡°Gio, let me go. I want to give him a piece of my fist,¡± I kept screaming and yelling.


    ¡°Jay, enough. That¡¯s enough, baby. Let¡¯s go home.¡± He ced me gently in the car, but all I wanted to do was crawl back out to where my sister was, locked up in one of the rooms.


    I was so mad and frustrated, I cried and kicked at him. And Giovanni just let me. He endured it all. Until I ran out of energy and strength and copsed into his arms.


    ¡°Gio. Gio. I can¡¯t leave her,¡± I sobbed into his shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s my sister. She¡¯s like my mother. She has always taken care of me. I need to do something. I¡¯d thought all this time she had disappeared, but I was wrong. She¡¯d also been kidnapped. How could I think so less of my own sister? When I¡¯d thought she¡¯d disappeared with Pa and left me to fend for myself, but she was also sold, to Niks Lorenzo. Gio, did you know she¡¯d been living under his roof for the exact same time I¡¯d lived with you? What must she have suffered? All this time when you took care of me and loved me, she must have cried and was made to suffer under Lorenzo. Gio, I beg you, please, save her. I don¡¯t have any other way to help her. This is the only way. I beg you.¡±


    I attempted to get down on my knees when Giovanni pulled me back up and cuddled me close.


    ¡°Jay, don¡¯t cry. I understand everything. She¡¯s precious to you. And you are precious to me. I¡¯ll help her. I promise I¡¯ll help her. But promise me that whatever I do, whatever way I choose to execute this mission, I ask you to trust in me. Don¡¯t be worried and don¡¯t be scared. Just trust that I¡¯ll get your sister back. Will you promise me that much?¡±


    I looked at Giovanni and saw sincerity in his eyes. My lover, Giovanni, the mafia ruler of all New York City. He¡¯d asked me to trust him. He¡¯d asked me not to be scared or worried about him. But I was already scared, already worried about what he was going to do. But I also trusted him, and with this thought in mind, I lunged into him, hugging him so tight, seeking hisfort and warmth I sorely needed.


    My lips traveled to the shell of his ear, and I whispered. ¡°I trust you, Gio. I trust you wholeheartedly.¡± And I kissed him as my act of promise.

 #4鈥擟hapter 6

    Giovanni Vs Lorenzo


    My stomach coiled in dread. When Giovanni had told me he¡¯d get Amelia back, I had thought he¡¯d fling some three-million-dor cash over Lorenzo¡¯s head, like the usual arrogant person he was, and the negotiation would be a done deal. Cash in exchange for my sister¡¯s life. Simple as that. But this, this was something else. This was not what I had anticipated. This scared me.


    I eyed my lover, Giovanni Dente, who was up in the boxing ring, fists poised in a fighting position. He was half nude, wearing only his tight denim jeans that showed off his perfectly shaped butt. His broad chest was on full disy, showing his spectacr chest muscles for the whole female poption in the underground garage to see. Whenever he moved, those muscles would flex and contort, sending those girls into a frenzy, oohing and aahing  at his God-given physique. I couldn¡¯t help feeling the spur of jealousy. Giovanni was mine. He belonged to me and only I was allowed to ogle his body. But clearly, I was too worried for his safety to even think straight; the thought of him being injured scared the shit out of me.


    Who in their right mind had decided to battle out for supremacy using a fistfight as the ultimate criteria? Was this a mafia thing I wasn¡¯t aware of? Maybe one of their rules between intern rivalry?


    I grew pale, thinking of all the possible oues that might transpire during this event tonight. Either Giovanni came out battered, looking ck and blue, with a severely bruised ego, or he¡¯de out victorious, winning Amelia¡¯s freedom as a bonus. Whatever it was, I was scared shitless.


    I was literally spewing in my gut because Giovanni¡¯s opponent wasn¡¯t somemenky dude like those high school boys I saw fight behind the school gate after ss, or like Finnie and Jonny who just merely fought with Giovanni for the sake of practice. No, his opponent this time was asking for the kill. Big broad shoulders, cascaded colorful phoenix tattoo covering the whole expanse of his back, and eyes so fierce he could literally kill people with one look. Giovanni this time had met his one true opponent, Niks Lorenzo, the qualified head n of the Lorenzo mafia group.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to faint,¡± Dawson said, his eyes also fixed on the two opponents in the boxing ring. ¡°Don¡¯t stress out. Giovanni will win for sure.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s never seen men fight,¡± Justin said quietly.


    I was wedged between Giovanni¡¯s two best friends. Justin was on my left, and Dawson was on my right, while Finnie and Jonny were seated on either side of them. We five sat wedged together in this underground garage, with dark dingy light hanging from the ceiling, the perfect tform to get bashed tonight. Opposite from us sat the Lorenzo n.


    My eyes fell on my sister, who was sitting among them, and a beautiful blond woman with breasts the size of an E-cup sat to her right and a bald-headed man on her left. Amelia was scared, I could sense, but she put on a brave face. Because the oue of her life would depend on this battle tonight.


    How shitty both of our lives had been. We were just some random girls who were minding our own business when fate took a turn for the worse, both of us being sold to mafia leaders while our own father had disappeared into the unknown. At least my mafia man loved me. What about Niks Lorenzo, though? He looked like the type of man who was not to be reckoned with.


    Poor Amelia. What had she suffered during thest four months we were separated? I wished I had more time to talk to her, get to know how she had been faring thesest few months, but when Giovanni hade to rescue me and had taken me back to our ce, all I could think about was rescuing my sister from this dark mafia man named Niks Lorenzo.


    I was ufortable with the way he¡¯d treated her. Where Giovanni had treated me with nothing but stark kindness, providing me with a roof over my head and endless delicious food to feed my stomach, before announcing that he would like to take me as his lover, and now endearing me with all facets of life, Amelia, on the other hand, must have suffered a different fate.


    What was she feeling right now? I wished I could sit beside her, take her hand in mine andfort her like she always did to me. But we were a good distance apart, and only my lover, Giovanni would be able to save her tonight.


    The difort I felt not only radiated from my chest, this physical pain at seeing my own lover about to get bashed to a pulp by his equally strong opponent, but also from the physical difort of my seat.


    ¡°Can you both move a bit?¡± I directed my question at the two gentlemen on either side of me. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit squashed with you two wedged so close to me like that.¡±


    ¡°No can do,¡± Dawson exined, slinging his hand over my shoulder in his attempt to rx me. ¡°Giovanni had strictly told us to take care of you. If anything happens to you, we¡¯ll be dead meat.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡± Justin added, if you could call the sound he made an answer.


    ¡°I have a feeling he treats you both like his underlings rather than his friends. How did you guys be friends, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Long story, my girl,¡± Dawson spoke. ¡°We will exin to you some other time. But us five, Justin, Julian, you remember him, right? You met him and his partner back in Singapore?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± I said. ¡°I remember them. Kimberly and Julian Devereux, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s them. Julian and Kimberly. That pair. They are based in Miami now. You should go visit them when you¡¯re around Florida sometime. Now, where was I?¡±


    I was going to answer Dawson when Justin beat me to it. ¡°Us five.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, us five.¡± Dawson nodded and started his story again. ¡°People in the underground world like to call us the bachelor billionaires. Not that Julian or Giovanni is a bachelor anymore. And Justin, I say he¡¯s going to be a bachelor forever, unless he found his first love again.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off. Don¡¯t bring my business into this conversation.¡± Justin decided at that point to intervene, since I was sure he didn¡¯t like to be called out, especially for something to do with his personal love life. I got a feeling he didn¡¯t like to disclose his private life much. And if I knew better, I¡¯d make sure never to utter that subject again, especially in front of him. He looked like he had some history going on there.


    ¡°Alright, dude. That¡¯s cool.¡± Dawson backed off, not in the least bit affected by Justin¡¯s harsh tone.


    I had no idea what kind ofnguage they used as friends, but to my ears, they were quite harsh. But what did I know? I was an innocent bunny until being thrusted into the world of underground mafia by Giovanni.


    ¡°Now where was I again?¡± Dawson said, scratching his head in irritation. ¡°Shit, being in this dark garage is ying with my brain cells. I keep forgetting what we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°About Giovanni and Niks being friends, or was it something else?¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°Oh, right. No. No. Giovanni and Niks are not gay. Unlike me.¡± And Dawson decided at that moment to disclose all his private matters to me. He just rambled on and on. ¡°And no, I don¡¯t find any of them appealing to my standard. Now my standard is more like your best friend, Crispin. Now when can I get to see him? Can you arrange a date for us?¡±


    ¡°Dawson.¡± Justin reprimanded the man. ¡°Get back to the subject. Now is not the time to talk about your lust life.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Dawson chuckled again, like it was their everyday conversation. These men were beyond myprehension. They weren¡¯t normal people who conversed in normal manners. They were something else entirely. ¡°Don¡¯t mind Justin. He¡¯s always a party pooper. Since his girl ditched him some seven years back, he¡¯s never been the same again.¡±


    ¡°Dawson, I¡¯m warning you for thest time. If you carry on talking about my private life, let¡¯s battle it out in that boxing ring.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Calm your panties. I will never win against you anyway. And for the record, it¡¯s my love life. Not lust life.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Justin scoffed, his eyes still focused on the front arena. A littleter he added, ¡°Niks is also part of the bachelor billionaires. We were all friends, but Giovanni and Niks are the only two who never seemed to get along.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what they called frenemy, always at each other¡¯s throat since the time they first met a few years back.¡± Dawson finally managed to finish his story.


    ¡°How so?¡± I asked, interested in their life story, almost forgetting about my own lover who was busy getting ready for the fight. They were doing a splendid job of keeping me busy because right then, I wasn¡¯t feeling as tense or anxious. Hearing their story, I was able to understand that this fight would not result in a life or death situation, just maybe a little bruise to the ego here and there. ¡°What happened between them? Why the rift?¡±


    ¡°Just some shit aboutnd ownership and territorial rights,¡± Dawson exined. ¡°Giovanni was put in charge of the Las Vegas and New York areas. Lorenzo in Chicago. What I don¡¯t understand is, their old men were best friends, but when it came to their sons, they fight like cats and dogs.¡±


    ¡°So Giovanni¡¯s father is Mr. Dente?¡± I concluded.


    ¡°Giovanni is Signor Dente¡¯s adopted son. Signor Dente had no offspring, so he took Giovanni under his wing.¡± Dawson disclosed this exclusive information to me.


    ¡°Oh, this is something I didn¡¯t know,¡± I said, chewing my own lip. Because clearly this was privileged information and maybe as his lover, I didn¡¯t get granted ess yet. Somehow it made me feel a little sad that I just didn¡¯t understand Giovanni better. I wanted to know him more, understand him more. Because that¡¯s what lovers were supposed to be like-caring for and understanding each other.


    Dawson seemed to sense my sullen mood. He wrapped his arm over my shoulders again andforted me. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Giovanni always has a reason for everything. Maybe he never wants to talk about his dark past.¡±


    ¡°Dark past? Giovanni has a dark past?¡± I asked, my voice betraying me.


    ¡°You got that right, sweetheart,¡± Dawson said. ¡°Giovanni has a past. A very dark one too, so dark, it¡¯s literally a ck hole. So don¡¯t go digging into it. You mighte out scarred.¡±


    ¡°Stop scaring her, Dawson.¡± Justin¡¯s stern voice reprimanded his friend. ¡°Giovanni is not half bad. Everyone has a history. And we all thrive from it.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Just like Justin.¡± Dawson leaned close and whispered into my ear. ¡°You know Justin grew up in the slum of Brooklyn, Jenny?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I whispered back, perked up by this knowledge.


    Justin just gave off this aloof cold vibe where neers found it hard to approach him. He held this absolute power over everyone, including me, that I found it hard to believe he was a kid who grew up in the slum of Brooklyn.


    ¡°No talking about my past,¡± Justin issued his warning.


    Dawson onlyughed. ¡°Hahaha. We are only joking. Sorry, Justin. Like Justin, Giovanni¡¯s past is like all of us. Nothing less than shit crazy. But that¡¯s why people fear us in the underground world. Except maybe for that dude over there.¡±


    And my eyes zoomed back to Niks Lorenzo and Giovanni. I held my breath, my eyes so focused on the sight before me, that when the first hit happened, it literally knocked the breath out of my lungs. Stupid Lorenzo aimed the first punch at Giovanni, and I was already choking back tears until I couldn¡¯t control it anymore, and silent tears streamed down my face. It was too painful to watch.


    I didn¡¯t want this to happen. I never wanted to see him hurt. But my sister¡¯s life was on the line, and only Giovanni could set her free.


    ¡°Jay. Come here.¡± Giovanni¡¯s deep baritone whipped me out of my delirium, and I automatically pushed to my feet, walking toward him. He fisted his hand behind my head, and tugging me in so fast, I was spinning from the impact.


    ¡°Why the fuck are you crying?¡± he chided before sealing his lips over mine. We kissed in front of everyone. I felt his tongue probe in my mouth, his minty breath and that special taste that belonged only to him. Forgotten was our surroundings, all my sensation was solely focused on Giovanni and his expert tongue, coaxing me to stop crying, silently asking me to be strong.


    When he pulled back, I finally remembered to breathe again and out came the first question burning my in heart. ¡°Gio, do you really have to fight?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about whether I¡¯m going to die, don¡¯t. Now stop crying.¡± He wiped my tears and kissed my forehead. His breath an inch away from my ear, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get your sister out of here. I promise.¡±


    I jumped to wrap my arms around his neck. ¡°I love you, Gio. Please don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Love you, too, my beloved.¡± He gave me his signature side smirk, and I knew at that moment that everything was going to be okay. Tonight, Giovanni woulde out victorious, and Amelia would earn her freedom.

 #4鈥擟hapter 7

    The Battle Begins¡­


    Giovanni viewed his opponent, Niks Lorenzo, with glee. How fucking long had it been since he had a chance to put his fighting skills to good use. Too fucking long if he had any say it in. He was once called the best fighter in the whole underground world. Now, not so much.


    These days, since slowly crawling out of the mafia world, all he did was paperwork and negotiation. He missed those days when he got to stretch his fingers, smash jaws, and break bones. Tonight¡¯s tournament, he¡¯d surely enjoy every moment of it.


    Except the first punch took him by surprise, knocking the fuck out of his lungs. He spattered, spraying blood. ¡°Fuck! Lorenzo, you fucking bastard. You dare start before the bell?¡±


    The cocky bastard cocked his head to the side and snarled at him. ¡°Have I ever yed by the rules?¡±


    Giovanni was vibrating with anger. The temptation too hard to resist, he aimed one right back at him, straight in the abdomen. Lorenzo buckled, and Giovanni smiled in glee when he saw the guy was struggling to get up.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking y me,¡± he spat at Lorenzo.


    Lorenzo lifted his head up and charged back at him again. Giovanni wrapped his fist and took a punch, right at the side of his temple, before Lorenzo got knocked down on the floor again.


    Fuck Lorenzo! He was like a fucking rabid dog, not letting go once he¡¯d taken a bite. He kept oning at him, but Giovanni was faster, taking him in the jaw and another in the temple again. The guy was truly worthy as his opponent. He was so fucking fierce; it was like he was out there to take revenge. And here Giovanni had thought this was just a warm-up. The fucking bastard.


    Did he want to take revenge on him? Giovanni knew he didn¡¯t do anything to Lorenzo. Unless it had something to do with that news.


    Fuck! He¡¯d heard the rumor. Nothing in the underground world could get past his ears, not even a fly trying to buzz by. And when he heard of Lorenzo¡¯s kid brother taking his own life, it was like a fucking fiasco. Lorenzo went batshit crazy.


    But Giovanni didn¡¯t do anything to Lorenzo¡¯s kid brother. Fuck, he didn¡¯t even know Lorenzo had a kid brother, until he heard of the news four months ago.


    So what? Tough shit. Big deal. Just because his kid brother had died, Lorenzo wanted to take out his anger on someone. And just because Giovanni had happened to be there at the right time and ce, he was the target? Well, tough shit. Lorenzo better get with the program. Cuz he won¡¯t see what¡¯sing if he stuck to this route. Giovanni would be sure to teach him a lesson worth learning. Don¡¯t fucking mess with his people. So what if Lorenzo was so fucking depressed? What gave him the right to decide he had to fuck other¡¯s lives as well. Everyone inside this arena knew how fucked up one¡¯s life could be when one¡¯s involved in the mafia world. You either had to fight to survive or die trying. Although once you got to the top, you could try to reform, change things slowly. And that¡¯s what he¡¯s been trying to do, stick to his motto, no more killing, but damn Lorenzo was proving to be too irresistible that sometimes he wanted to slip back to having blood on his hands. Every so often, the man would send him little clues, like they were ying a game of hide and seek. Like Lorenzo kidnapping Jay, for example. That was done to spite him for sure. And he fucking hated it, this game of cat and mouse they were ying. He was too fucking old to deal with that shit.


    Their history wasn¡¯t always that unpleasant. Despite the different locations they operated, the Lorenzo n was part of Dente¡¯s affiliates. They were meant to cooperate, trade deal secrets, help each other out to fight against the other bigger groups who wanted to dominate their areas, but since Niks Lorenzo had taken over as head leader, he¡¯d fucked up. And fucked his group badly, too. Chicago wasn¡¯t enough. Lorenzo wanted to dominate Las Vegas, too.


    Shit! Giovanni knew Lorenzo had a loose screw somewhere, but now he realized even a year¡¯s worth of therapy wouldn¡¯t right the bastard¡¯s brain again. Lorenzo was beyond repair. And right then, he felt sorry for Amelia.


    His eyes fell on Jay¡¯s sister. She was seated between two of Lorenzo¡¯s trusted members: a blond bombshell who he was sure lured her way into Lorenzo¡¯s bed, just to get to that status, and his right-hand man.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t know how to feel about all of this. He knew Lorenzo was capable of anything, and he was sure Lorenzo had fucked Amelia up so bad, the girl would need at least a year¡¯s worth of therapy to get over this ordeal. And hopefully she¡¯d be healed, because Amelia must have had it tough. Everyone in the underground world knew how hot-blooded Lorenzo was. He¡¯d bashed and smashed anything or anyone who stood in his way. And the opposite extreme could also be held true. The guy was more cold-blooded than any Mafioso he knew, killing people with no mercy.


    Amelia needed saving. He¡¯d make sure of that. Tonight, he¡¯d get Amelia out of this hellhole. Although a big portion of his motivation was Jay. She had begged him, knees on the floor, eyes shedding tears, and who could fucking resist that doe-eyed woman. She looked so fucking miserable and sad, he¡¯d just wanted to take the reins in his hands and right this fucked-up world again. Because this fight tonight, when he did win, it would all be worth it, to see his beloved smile again.


    His eyes fell on his lover, and his worldpletely stopped. Jay was spewing her eyes out, crying like he¡¯d met death¡¯s door.


    He gritted his teeth in frustration. This wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this. Fuck him! Why the fuck did he let Jay witness his fight. He knew it wasn¡¯t some fancy costume party or a show at the opera. This was a fierce fight, blood, guts and gore, but nothing to the extreme where one could die. But Jay had never properly witnessed men fight before. And who was to me but himself. His heart twisted in pain at seeing her miserable face. And before Lorenzo saw the opportunity to exact a punch back at him, he shouted, ¡°Time out!¡± The battle stopped.


    Giovanni shouted from across the tform. ¡°Jay. Come here.¡± And instantly, his girl made her way to him. And as soon as she got within arm¡¯s reach, he threaded his fingers behind her head and brought her face so close to his, he saw her crystal wet eyes. ¡°Why the fuck are you crying?¡±


    And just when she was about to reply, he mmed his mouth on hers, swallowing those words at the tip of her lips. He wanted her to feel him, this visceral feeling he had for her. He was alive and well. He wasn¡¯t dead yet. And he made sure he¡¯d survive to hug her, love her, and care for her. He released her and watched as she chewed her lips, one hand gently palming his cheek.


    ¡°Gio, do you really have to fight?¡± Her lips wobbled, and he had to fight the urge to kiss the fuck out of her swollen lips again.


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about whether I¡¯m going to die, don¡¯t. Now stop crying.¡± He gently wiped her tears and smacked his lips on her forehead, before sliding his lips to the edge of her ear and whispering hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get your sister out of here. I promise.¡±


    She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, almost knocking out his breath and making him lose bnce. But he was quick, bncing himself before he made a fool of himself with Lorenzo as his onlooker, because letting Lorenzo seeing this side of him was fucking embarrassing.


    But to Jay, he¡¯d lose his hard mafia boss exterior anytime. His girl was so spontaneous and robust, he knew he would never get used to her. And he didn¡¯t want to get used to her, because each day she would bring him joy, surprising him with ways to make himugh, and God¡¯s know how fucked up life could be when one was associated in the mafia world. Life should be fun. And Jay brought the word fun into his life.


    ¡°I love you, Gio,¡± she said to him in her sweet voice. ¡°Please don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    And that was enough incentive to knock the shit out of Lorenzo, because there was no way he was going home empty-handed.


    ¡°Love you, too, my beloved,¡± he replied, trying to refrain himself from jumping her bones right there. He gave her a smirk and watched, pleased when Dawson dragged her back to their seats.


    He was d his friends took it upon themselves to protect his girl. Especially against those leeches and hyenas who seemed to eye her like a piece of meat. If they dare touch Jay, even just a strand of her hair, they¡¯d better pray that hell would have mercy on them.


    ¡°Why do you even bother?¡± Lorenzo¡¯s taunting voice mocked him, dragging his mind back to reality.


    ¡°What do you fucking mean?¡± Giovanni gave him the stink eye.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know Amelia. Why do you want to save her so much?¡± Lorenzo drawled out.


    Having known Lorenzo¡¯s weakest spot, Giovanni bit him where it hurt most. ¡°Because that woman is the sister of the girl I love,¡± he said. ¡°Clearly, that makes her a part of my family. Something which you are not capable of ever knowing again.¡±


    And Lorenzo took the bait, retaliating at a fierce pace, his blue eyes so intense, they turned dark.


    ¡°Fuck you, Giovanni,¡± Lorenzo spat out and took aim at Giovanni, but Giovanni was faster, his fist alreadying from the side, knocking Lorenzo on the temple.


    Lorenzo huffed and heaved, his eyes heavy. And just when Giovanni was about to take another punch, Lorenzo used the ¡®time out¡¯ card.


    Giovanni grumbled and went to sit at the side bench, irritated that Lorenzo had used this card. What the fuck for? What shit was he ying at?


    Sweat was pouring down his forehead and temple and for that small moment he was kind of d Lorenzo had asked for that time out because at least he could rest a bit and restore his energy before plummeting Lorenzo to a pulp again. Although being the arrogant man he was, he¡¯d never admit to such a feat.


    Bobby came approaching fast, bringing with him a cloth towel to wipe at the sweat dripping from his brow. Giovanni eyed his lover, Jay, who was watching him from the sideline, and he gave her a thumbs-up and a smile. She looked a bit better, her face less pale, her eyes less wet. She¡¯d even returned a smile back at him, just to cheer him up, when suddenly her facial expression changed and she stood up, her face pasted in horror. He followed her line of vision and saw Lorenzo taking off with Amelia behind him.


    What the fuck! He knew Lorenzo wasn¡¯t to be trusted.


    Giovanni took off fast, jumping over the ring barrier and fast approaching Lorenzo who had disappeared around the corner with Amelia, when a few of Lorenzo¡¯s guards blocked his way.


    ¡°Get out of my way. Your fucking boss is not ying by the rules again. Amelia¡¯s fate still hadn¡¯t been decided yet. Why the fuck did he take her away?¡± Giovanni growled.


    ¡°Boss said he just needed to talk to her.¡± One of the guards answered back. Giovanni wasn¡¯t used to people questioning his authority, and clearly this was pissing him off.


    ¡°If he wanted to talk to her, he couldn¡¯t have just asked her to speak in the arena,¡± he shouted right back. ¡°Getting out of the ring is clearly against the rules.¡±


    ¡°If you could give Boss just a minute or two. He won¡¯t be long with Miss Amelia.¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me. I don¡¯t have all night to fucking wait around for him. Tell him to get his ugly mug back here so we can finish this battle-¡±


    ¡°Calm your hot ass, Giovanni,¡± Lorenzo said from around the corner. And then he saw Amelia right behind him, her face looking cid, before she walked back to her seat.


    Something was up. And he was super curious.


    ¡°Are you going toe up here so we can end our battle tonight, or do you want to wait until tomorrow because I ain¡¯t got no fucking time for that.¡± Lorenzo used his own words against him. The bastard.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Lorenzo. You are such a fucking cocky bastard. All talk and no y. I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s the winner tonight.¡±


    And he climbed back up into the ring, and they fought. And, man, was Lorenzo a damn good fighter. Giovanni clearly had underestimated his ability. He was truly worthy of his opponent. Giovanni was already feeling fucking sore, and if they went on any longer, he¡¯d be ck and blue by tomorrow. But things took a drastic turn when after so many sessful punches, Lorenzo just stopped fighting. He just stood there, allowing Giovanni to use him like a punching bag.


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± Giovanni growled in anger and frustration at the turn of events. ¡°What are you trying to y now? Why aren¡¯t you fighting back?¡±


    ¡°What is there worth fighting for, Giovanni? You tell me,¡± Lorenzo cocked his head to the side again, his eyes looking a bit wet.


    Fuck! Was he seeing things? Lorenzo, the cold-blooded mafia boss of the Lorenzo n, who never had an ounce of mercy in his blood, actually cried.


    ¡°To earn a girl her freedom,¡± Giovanni barked back with vigor.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± And Lorenzo smiled, that straight look on his face again before dropping his hands to the sides, and he announced, ¡°I surrender. You win.¡±


    ¡°You gotta be fucking kidding me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding.¡± Lorenzo¡¯s voice turned cold, and Giovanni knew right then that Lorenzo meant business. ¡°Take her before I change my mind.¡±


    Those words were meant for him to hear only.


    And when Giovanni didn¡¯t move, Lorenzo shouted at him. ¡°I said you win. Take Amelia. Before I change my mind and never let her go again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t win fair and square,¡± Giovanni said, signaling Bobby to bring the bags over.


    Bobby trotted over, caring threerge bags filled with money. Giovanni tossed the bags over to Lorenzo, the heavy bagsnding in a pool around Lorenzo¡¯s feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m paying for her freedom. Ten million, as you have asked for,¡± Giovanni said. ¡°You no longer have any rights over her.¡±


    Giovanni knew what he was saying. He did this on purpose, trying to provoke Lorenzo to get a response, but the man didn¡¯t show any. His eyes were downcast, staring at the floor. His body slumped forward, as if all the energy had left his body. Lorenzo resembled a man who no longer had the will to live. And Giovanni hade to the startling conclusion that Lorenzo had permanently turned sick.

 #4鈥擟hapter 8

    One Night in the Hospital


    Giovanni sat in the back seat while the car was in motion, taking them to the private hospital Dawson owned. He watched the two sisters embrace each other from the opposite seat and felt a ping of relief that tonight had gone as he¡¯d nned. Although the bit about Lorenzo acting like a fucking looney at the end kind of confused him.


    What had caused Lorenzo to act out like that? Was it because of Amelia? What happened during that time out session when they disappeared from view? And why did Lorenzo decide to let Amelia go all of a sudden?


    Giovanni knew a guy like Lorenzo wouldn¡¯t just up and let someone go that easily, especially if he had some sort of control over them. And from the few times he saw them interact, Giovanni knew that Lorenzo had a lot of control over Amelia¡¯s life.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Fine. His theory could be proven wrong, but he bet a rat¡¯s ass that no debtor would act like that toward his creditor, even though Jay had told him that Amelia had been sold off to Lorenzo because of their father¡¯s startling four-million-dor debt.


    Giovanni himself sure didn¡¯t act like that with Jay during their early days. He only saw her as his maid, until he became totally captivated by her, and the rest was history. But Lorenzo had behaved differently.


    He¡¯d suspected Lorenzo had a secret rtionship with Amelia. In simple words, it wasn¡¯t some creditor-debtor rtionship bullshit thing. Theirs was purely based on sex. And he was sure Lorenzo had fucked her countless times already. He could tell through Amelia¡¯s behavior, the way she expressed herself,pared to Jay who was a virgin when he first took her.


    But there¡¯s no use asking Amelia about it because he knew she would never disclose something so intimate to him. After all, who would admit to having such a rtionship, especially with a man who she called her captor. And he sure wouldn¡¯t say anything to Jay either, because his girl was far too innocent to understand that sort of shit. In her head, it¡¯s all fucking rainbows and unicorns. And he kind of wanted to keep her that way. He didn¡¯t want to get her polluted in his dark world. Her sister may have experienced it, but that didn¡¯t mean she had to as well.


    Whatever Lorenzo¡¯s purpose was for letting Amelia go, Giovanni knew he had to be cautious. He¡¯d already suspected Lorenzo had something up his sleeve, and he wasn¡¯t one to just rx and go with the flow. Giovanni needed to protect his people, and Amelia was now one of his people.


    Saving Amelia today didn¡¯t necessarily mean she was safe. Amelia needed to be put in a safe house, one where Lorenzo and his men wouldn¡¯t be able to track her.


    Deciding that that was the best option necessary, Giovanni could now rx. He eased back into his chair, folded his arms, and watched the two women talk.


    Amelia sat with her hands sped around Jay¡¯s. His lover was very animated, hands waving around the air, gesturing this and that, telling her sister this and that, while Amelia just listened with a nostalgic look on her face.


    Giovanni could sense they were both very close. Seeing them up this close, he saw the resemnce between them. They both possessed the same natural shade of brown hair and the cupid¡¯s bow lips, but that was where the simrity ended. Amelia was taller, much taller than Jay¡¯s midget form. She also held herself in a regal manner,pared to his beloved who couldn¡¯t sit in a chair for five minutes to save her life.


    Watching them side by side, he could see what Jay had meant when she said Amelia was a beauty. Having seen Amelia in the flesh now, he could fully appreciate those words. Amelia was fucking beautiful. She held this ssic vintage look where men could literally fall at her feet, just wanting to get a taste of her. And he suspected Lorenzo was one of those men, too. But not him. Not Giovanni.


    Yeah, he was a hot-blooded man whose lust ran strong in his veins, and yes, he could appreciate her beauty, but no, he didn¡¯t find it in the least interesting or something that would pique his interest. Hers was a beauty that he admired on an exquisite painting, an artwork he admired from afar.


    Life as a mafia boss with an unlimited bank bnce had its many perks. And one of those perks was the constant flow of pretty women throwing themselves at him. So yeah, he¡¯d seen his fair share of beauties. And to put it frankly, he was sick and tired of them all. Not to say that Amelia was like those kinds of women, but to him, he wanted one with a substance, a brain, a girl who would captivate his heart and soul.


    A small smile yed on his lips when his gaze shifted to his lover. Yeah. He¡¯d found her. She was his Jennifer. She was his life blood. She truly had captivated his entire life and soul. And he¡¯d be broken if she was hurt. That¡¯s why protecting Amelia was his first priority, because she was an important person to the person he loved. If something were to happen to her, then Jay would have a direct effect.


    With eyes still on them, he made some calls. And just when he had finished his call and was about to hang up, something Jay said caught his attention.


    ¡°You¡¯ll stay at Cory Mansion with us.¡±


    Giovanni blinked twice, trying to register what Jay had just said. He had no idea when this decision was made. And clearly, he wasn¡¯t consulted in the matter.


    Giovanni almostughed. Had their rtionship reached this level where they had so much trust in each other that they assumed the other would agree to whatever they had decided?


    Fucking God. He¡¯d never thought the day woulde when he would listen to his woman spouting shit and all he could do was just nod his head in agreement like a damn lovesick puppy. Still, he sat there with a foolish smile on his face, listening to his lover yakking away.


    ¡°But first, Finnie is taking us to the hospital. We need to make sure you are okay. Then we¡¯ll all check ourselves into one of the hotel Justin owns. You remember Justin, right? He¡¯s the quiet guy with ck hair that was sitting next to me. He¡¯s very nice but a bit shy. He doesn¡¯t talk much about his life. Oh, yes, and the hospital we are going to, it¡¯s private and very well protected. Only VIP are allowed to enter. Like¡­mmm¡­what is that word¡­¡± She was thinking, chewing on her lips, one of her usual habits he came to know, when she suddenly put him on the spot. ¡°Gio, what¡¯s that word? You know, only those people who are like you can enter.¡±


    ¡°Elite,¡± he supplied just as fast, the first word that came to his mind.


    Jay seemed to be very satisfied with his answer. She smiled, muttered a thank you, and turned back to her sister to continue with her rambling. ¡°Yes, the elite. So you don¡¯t have to worry about Lorenzo following us. If he does, I¡¯ll give him a kick in the nut.¡±


    Amelia tried to stifle herugh, but she wasn¡¯t sessful. If she knew her sister better, she would know how much of a rambling mess Jay was.


    But deep in his intuition, he knew Jay was making her sister smile on purpose, and he could tell his girl was doing a good job because Amelia wouldn¡¯t stop the smile from spreading on her face.


    His lover really was one amazing woman. She was like the bright sun, shining its warmth on all of them, the heat so desperately needed after that fight a few hours ago.


    ¡°Oh, yes. Now, where was I?¡± Jay continued. ¡°Yes, the itinerary. After one night at the hotel, we¡¯ll take the ne back to New York the next morning, and you¡¯ll stay at Cory Mansion with us.¡±


    Amelia nodded, agreeing with everything her sister said.


    ¡°Oh, and I better tell you who is living with you too, so you won¡¯t be surprised. But you won¡¯t be surprised anyway because you met everyone already. There are six of us in the house. You¡¯ve seen Finnie. He¡¯s the driver. Then there¡¯s Jonny, Heath, and Bobby. Heath is like a big giant teddy bear. He¡¯s such a softy, and Bobby is cool. He¡¯s like my best buddy. He¡¯s the one with the shaved head. I usually make coffee for them every morning. That¡¯s our routine. And then there are Giovanni and me. And that¡¯s all of us. Oh, we do have a few helpers, too. I¡¯ll introduce them to you when we get home.¡±


    Amelia flicked her gaze to him, and Giovanni offered her a warm smile back. She nodded her head as thanks and turned back to converse with Jay.


    Giovanni sighed, a big broad smile on his face. He will happily resign to his fate if he could just see his lover happy like this. Well, what could possibly go wrong? The more people in the house, the merrier, right?

 #4鈥擟hapter 9

    This was wrong. So fucking wrong. Not one hour had passed and Giovanni wanted to retract every single word he¡¯d said about wanting more people to live in the house. And when he said more people, he only meant one additional person. Amelia.


    There was nothing wrong with Amelia, per se. It was Jay. She was making a big fucking fuss about everything. And the first fuss was staying in the hospital together.


    As soon as they had descended out of the car a few hours back, both him and Amelia ended up with a thorough examination, courtesy of his lover who had initiated the whole thing, since she just wouldn¡¯t shut up about how he¡¯d gone through a big fight and needed to be checked for any damage.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Come on! It wasn¡¯t like he was on death¡¯s door. It was just a few fucking bruises. Big deal. But he could never win against her verbal battle and just one look at her sad face sealed his fate. He just couldn¡¯t deal with that sad bunny-eyes look she gave off whenever she wanted to win something. So be it.


    And now, not a few hours after that, he found himself deposited in a room only a few doors down from Amelia. And quite frankly he was pissed. Pissed and fucking exhausted.


    It was a long day. From arriving in Chicago early in the morning to driving to Lorenzo¡¯s residence out in the middle of nowhere, to having their fistfightte in the evening. And now here they all are, in the hospital, well into the middle of the night. Giovanni just wanted to shut his eyes for a few seconds so he could rest, but sitting here in the hospital bed, watching his lover running between the two rooms like a headless chicken had him wide awake.


    What was she doing? It was well past midnight, and her sister might have already fallen asleep. His underlings had already gone back to their hotel.


    But there was no use telling her that. His lover was one headstrong girl. Even when he adamantly and specifically stated that he wished to fucking go home after the hospital checkup, his underlings, and Jay, being the leader of the n, had stamped her foot down and told him to stay for at least one night.


    ¡°Jay, stop fussing around ande here. It¡¯ste,¡± he said, ushering her over.


    ¡°But, Gio. I think you need an extra pillow.¡± She was already at the closet, pulling out the extra pillow and tugging it under her arm.


    ¡°What I need is to fuck you so I can get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tonight.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell not? After what I¡¯ve done today, I think I deserve some prize from you.¡±


    ¡°We are in the hospital. Maybe when we get home?¡±


    Giovanni roughlybed his hair in exhaustion. She was right. He wasn¡¯t thinking straight. He just needed the sleep.


    ¡°Fine. Whatever. Juste here. I need my body pillow.¡± And when he said body pillow, he meant her. Because he knew now he couldn¡¯t sleep without her next to him.


    Jay nodded her head. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go wash up thene over.¡±


    Giovanni waited. He looked around the room and was d that Dawson had provided him with a bedroom suite with a queen-size bed to say the least. Just perfect for Jay to settle up close beside him tonight.


    Giovanni didn¡¯t have to wait long. After fifteen minutes, his lover emerged out of the shower in a pair of silk pajamas he¡¯d bought for her. She quickly slid under the nket and right into his arms, burying her face at the crook of his neck. Blissful. This was his body pillow.


    She murmured some nonsensical thing which just made him smile like a fucking idiot. ¡°Does it hurt a lot, Gio? Are you in pain?¡±


    Giovanni chuckled. Jay watched him with that confused expression on her face. He kissed the scowl away and cuddled her close. ¡°If it¡¯s gonna take this much injury for you to pay attention to me, I¡¯ll happily get punched any time of the day.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to get punched for me to pay attention to you. I¡¯ll always pay attention to you.¡±


    Shey in his arms, and they quietly listened to each other breathing, the silence theirpanion. When he almost drifted off to sleep, he heard a soft whisper beside his ear. ¡°Thank you, Gio. You were so brave tonight. Thank you for saving Amelia.¡±


    Theyced their fingers together, and Giovanni fell into a deepfortable sleep, with a soft happy smile on his face. Until he woke up the next morning with the face of a sour lemon.


    ¡°Wholly fuck!¡± he swore, almost jumping out of his skin, when the first thing he saw upon waking was Bobby¡¯s shaved head and his big round nose, all disyed right in his face. ¡°I was having such a sweet dream until I saw your ugly mug. What the fuck are you doing here early in the morning? And where is Jay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s gone to her sister¡¯s room.¡±


    Hmmm. His mind drifted to Amelia. He wondered how she would cope living with them. He, himself, was also a mafia. He just hoped Jay could help heal her sister.


    If it¡¯s one thing he knew about being a mafia, it was that they¡¯re bloody good at fucking people up. And with just one look at Amelia, he knew Lorenzo had fucked her up badly.

 #4鈥擟hapter 10

    Sisterly Bonding


    ¡°Knock. Knock. Mel, are you awake?¡± I knocked on the door and waited. Nothing. ¡°Mel, are you in?¡±


    Still nothing. There was no response from Amelia. Maybe she was still sleeping. She had a long day yesterday, what with checkups and tests, and it was already well into the night before she got to rest. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt her while she was still snoozing.


    I quietly slid the door open, just enough to poke my head through, only to see an empty bed. I panicked, thinking Lorenzo was back and had kidnapped her. I jerked the door open and bolted inside, frantically searching for her.


    ¡°Amelia, where are you, Amel-¡±


    I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw her standing out on the balcony. What was she doing there?


    ¡°Mel,¡± I called. She didn¡¯t react to my voice. I called her again, this time a bit louder. ¡°Mel.¡±


    She still didn¡¯t hear me. I moved closer. She was staring out into space, like she was lost in her own thoughts or something.


    ¡°Mel.¡±


    I reached out to touch her. She flinched, turned, and reacted with a startled look. It took her three long heartbeats to recognize me.


    ¡°Jen.¡± Her eyes softened, and she smiled. ¡°Sorry I¡­I¡­didn¡¯t hear youe in.¡±


    I called her name dozens of time and was making so much racket, and she said she didn¡¯t hear me? ¡°Oh.¡± Was all I could say. ¡°Mel, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she replied, her eyes back to gazing outside.


    I followed her line of vision, but there was nothing interesting to see but the normal city down below. The world was already buzzing with noise: cars honking, people lining up for coffee, the normal everyday sounds. This was the normal world.


    ¡°It¡¯s so different,¡± she finally said, and that caught my attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s different?¡±


    ¡°Here. I¡¯m so used to waking up listening to the birds chirping outside¡­¡±


    ¡°Birds chirping outside?¡± I asked like I couldn¡¯t believe what she had just said. No, I¡¯d heard her the first time; it was just kind of weird to hear her say it.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± she said. ¡°But here¡­I hear the whole citying to life. I¡¯m not used to this. It¡¯s¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°Is it a good different or bad different?¡± I asked because this kind of determined her state of mind.


    Prior to all this shit that had happened in our life, when we were still young innocent girls, this was the norm for us. The city life. Cars on the road, the normal traffic jam. But now she said she was not used to this. If she¡¯d told me she had juste back from the moon, I would have found it more believable, but birds chirping outside¡­that¡¯s just in weird.


    She didn¡¯t answer my question. I kind of had already gotten the impression that she missed that shithole of a ce called Lorenzo¡¯s residence. Well, under normal circumstances, Lorenzo¡¯s ce was paradise. The guy was loaded, and his ce was fit for a king, but Amelia wasn¡¯t his guest. She was his prisoner, so no matter how majestic the ce was, it was still a cage from a prisoner¡¯s point of view.


    I tiptoed around the topic, not sure if I should proceed with this subject, but I was really curious. What did happen to her during those four months with Lorenzo?


    ¡°Mel, do you want to talk about it? You know¡­¡±


    And she shut me down right away. ¡°Tell me about your boyfriend,¡± she suggested instead, walking to the bed and sliding under the covers.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I sighed and went to plump the pillows for her. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Everything. I¡¯m curious.¡± She offered me a small smile, like she was genuinely interested to know about my love life. ¡°My kid sister who I haven¡¯t seen for almost five months had blossomed into a beautiful woman and now she has a boyfriend. I¡¯m curious to know what happened.¡±


    Yeah, like I was curious to know what had happened to her, too, during those times we were apart, but if by listening to my story made her smile, then I¡¯d happily talk about it. At least she was smiling now. That was something.


    ¡°Well, my love story. It wasn¡¯t a sudden thing. It was a gradual process. I was his maid first, you know.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± She nodded her head, listening intently to me talking.


    ¡°Like I told youst night. He¡¯s a mafia boss. But he¡¯s not actually a real mafia. Well, that¡¯s what I think anyway. All he does is legal business work. And those shady businesses he does, they are all mainly loanpanies with high interest rates. His full name is Giovanni Dente. Everyone calls him Boss, but I call him Gio. Although I used to call him Boss in the beginning of our rtionship; now it¡¯s just Gio.¡±


    ¡°Gio. That¡¯s a very interesting name,¡± shemented quietly to herself. ¡°That¡¯s not amon name, is it?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm, it¡¯s not.¡± I nodded my head in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s the shortened form of Giovanni. But he doesn¡¯t like it when people call him by that name. He gets really mad. I¡¯m the only special one who can call him that.¡±


    ¡°It seems like he loves you a lot,¡± she concluded from our short conversation.


    ¡°You can tell?¡±


    ¡°When a man allows you to call him by that special name and doesn¡¯t allow anyone else to do the same, it must mean you are someone special to him.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. That¡¯s what I thought, too.¡± I smiled, happy that she saw how much Giovanni loved me and how lucky I was to be his lover. ¡°It was funny, you know. This one time, when I was his maid. Oh, let me exin first, our rtionship is very confusing. Just so you don¡¯t get this mixed up. In the beginning, I was his maid, now I¡¯m his lover.¡±


    I had to exin to my sister the different status of our rtionship as we progressed from maid and master to lover and lover. ¡°So this one time, when I was his maid, I¡¯d managed to run away from him and worked at this carnival park. He found out and ended up chasing me all over the carnival grounds until he caught me outside of the toilet.¡±


    Ameliaughed, her eyes crinkling, and I was really happy because she looked to be enjoying herself. Well, I was d my story was funny.


    ¡°He found you outside the toilet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And I was jiggling. And he asked me, why the F are you shaking?¡±


    ¡°F?¡± She crinkled her eyes in confusion.


    ¡°Yes, the letter F. Like, you know, the beginning of that swear word,¡± I exined.


    ¡°Oh, that F.¡± She nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said and continued. ¡°Anyway. So, I was shaking my butt off, and he asked why the F are you shaking, and I said because I need to urgently pee.¡±


    Amelia burst intoughter again. ¡°Oh, Jen. If your love story got turned into a TV series, I¡¯d tune in every day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Iughed too. ¡°So anyway, he got so pissed. So he took me to this Ferris wheel with thosepartments, and it swings you to the top, and you know how I hate heights. Well, he took me there anyway. And he was talking and talking, and I was talking and talking, and then all of a sudden, he just asked me to shut my eyes and told me to say, ¡®Gio, handsome boy.''¡±


    Amelia sat up straighter, her eyes fully alert. ¡°He told you to say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So I repeated those words, and then he just started attacking me with questions, and I don¡¯t know, it was so confusing, I haven¡¯t a clue what he was talking about.¡±


    ¡°What kinds of questions did he ask?¡±


    ¡°Well, he keeps talking about this twin dragon ne.¡±


    ¡°Twin dragon ne?¡± Amelia asked, her face going pale.


    ¡°Mel, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± She gave me a small smile. ¡°Tell me more about this twin dragon ne.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. I mean, I don¡¯t have it. He just kept asking me if I remembered someone, a boy, about fourteen years ago, who gave me that ne.¡± I stopped again. Amelia didn¡¯t look too good. ¡°Mel, are you really okay? You¡¯re looking a bit mmy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied. ¡°Please continue.¡±


    Still, I wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°I¡¯ll go get you some water, okay.¡±


    I went to pour some into the cup and gave it to her to drink. She took a few sips and put it down. Then she pressed me for the story again.


    I was starting to wonder why she found my love story so interesting, especially that segment about the ne. Well, I supposed if it made her happy, I¡¯d keep talking, although rather unenthusiasticallypared to before.


    ¡°So he keeps talking about this boy from fourteen years ago who gave me this twin dragon ne, and I said I can¡¯t remember because I¡¯d lost my memory.¡±


    ¡°You told him all about your lost memory?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I just told him the truth, that I don¡¯t remember. And it can¡¯t have been me because I don¡¯t have that twin dragon ne. I mean, if I had it, I would have known, right? He said it¡¯s a very special ne. The pendant, the twin dragon, it¡¯s made out of jade stone. Very rare. But he didn¡¯t listen to me. And from that day on, he just calls me his Jennifer.¡±


    ¡°He¡­he calls you Jennifer?¡± Amelia gripped the bedsheets, her knuckles turningpletely white.


    I was beginning to get frantic again. ¡°Mel¡­I¡¯m really worried. Are you okay? Do you want me-¡±


    ¡°Jen. Just¡­please just continue.¡± She gripped my arm, her action unintentional, but it was like she was forcing me to speak.


    ¡°Mel, you¡¯re hurting my arm.¡± I winced at the pain.


    She retracted her hand once I¡¯d made her aware of the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said and went to give the same attention to the bedsheet, her knuckles turning white again. ¡°What else did he say?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°There¡¯s not much else to tell, Mel. I just told him my name is Jenny. Not Jennifer. But he still keeps calling me by that name. He assumed I was his friend from fourteen years-¡±


    Amelia paled even more.


    ¡°Mel, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I was literally screaming now because Amelia started shaking and tears were rolling down her face. ¡°Mel, why are you crying? Are you in pain anywhere? I¡¯m going to call the doct-¡±


    I turned to leave, and she gripped my hand, stopping me.


    ¡°Mel.¡± I watched her, unsure of what she wanted me to do.


    ¡°Jen, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m okay,¡± she said slowly as if she was trying to reassure herself more than me.


    I sat back down and gave her more water. I watched her breathing settle. After a small while she was better. She slid further under the bedcovers.


    ¡°Jen. I¡¯m sorry. But could you please leave.¡± She turned to face the wall, her back to me. ¡°I¡¯m really tired. I want to rest for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Mel¡­¡± I didn¡¯t want to leave her when she was like this. I wanted to stay andfort her. ¡°But you¡¯re¡­you¡¯re¡­ I could stay. I could-¡±


    ¡°Go. Please. I want to be alone.¡± Her words were firm and decisive. In the end, I had to respect it.


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯re leaving to go back to New York in a couple of hours. I¡¯lle get you then.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond. The bedcover was now over her head.


    I sighed with a heavy heart.


    God, my chest hurt. Amelia was not good. Not good at all. I thought she would be okay, but clearly whatever Lorenzo did to her had a huge effect on her mental health. I needed to discuss this with Gio. I walked back to his room.

 #4鈥擟hapter 11

    A Different Kind of Bonding


    ¡°Ahhh, Jay. My beloved. Good morning,¡± Giovanni greeted me from the bed, as soon as he saw me enter the room. He had his arms wide open, inviting me in for a hug.


    I needed a hug. I really needed one, and if I didn¡¯t get one now, I thought I¡¯d burst into tears. I nestled into his open arms, burying my face at the junction of his neck. My safe ce. ¡°Gio.¡±


    He was so sensitive to my emotional state, and he could sense immediately that something was wrong. ¡°Why the long face? What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Amelia. She¡¯s not happy. She cried,¡± I mumbled out.


    ¡°And that makes you unhappy too?¡± he asked.


    I jerked out of my safe ce and stared at him. ¡°Of course. She¡¯s my sister. If she¡¯s not happy, then I¡¯m not happy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You are very close to her, aren¡¯t you?¡± he concluded.


    ¡°I am.¡± I went back toying my head on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re very close. And I¡¯m not used to her being like this. All sad and gloomy face. It¡¯s not right. She¡¯s always so cheerful.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Giovanni didn¡¯t say much else. He just gently patted my head.


    I grew quiet, just thinking, mulling through some thoughts, enjoying his soft touch on my hair.


    ¡°Do you think she could live with us?¡± I said out of the blue.


    Giovanni was taken aback. He stared, blinking at me. ¡°You are asking me this now? I thought you had already made the decision to let here stay with us.¡±


    I felt a bit guilty there. I should have talked to him first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not asking you in advance. I was just so happy she¡¯s back and safe, I forgot to discuss it with you first. Are you mad?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not mad. I just think you should consider her feelings first. Do you think she wants to stay with us?¡±


    ¡°Of course, she does. She seemed genuinely happyst night when I mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. But think about the psychological implication for a bit. She¡¯d just escaped from Lorenzo, a mafia boss, just to move in with another mafia boss, me. Would she befortable with that?¡± Giovanni gave me food for thought.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I never thought of that,¡± I admitted sadly. ¡°But you are so kind and sweet. How could anyone not want to live with you?¡±


    ¡°Only to you, Jay. Only to you,¡± Giovanni said. ¡°For everyone else, I don¡¯t give a fuck.¡±


    ¡°But the guys love you,¡± I argued back.


    ¡°They¡¯re used to my foul mouth. And I¡¯m their boss; of course they got to fucking love me.¡±


    ¡°Still. I think you are kind and sweet. That¡¯s my opinion, and I¡¯m sticking with it.¡±


    I sighed a bit more.


    ¡°Stop frowning.¡± Giovanni saw the frown on my forehead, and he kissed it away. He moved our position, settling mefortably on the bed, pulling me back so I was leaning against his chest. He wound his arms around me and started rocking me back and forth in a soothing motion tofort me. ¡°Let¡¯s see how it pans out. She can stay with us. If she doesn¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll find a safe ce for her somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Okay. That sounds like a good n.¡± After more mulling, I said, ¡°Do you think she needs counseling?¡±


    ¡°Is her condition really that bad?¡±


    ¡°Well, she did say she usually wakes up to the sounds of birds chirping outside. And this¡­¡± I gestured my arm to indicate this room, this ce, this city life. ¡°Ourmon life here, with the people chitchatting early in the morning, the car vrooming outside¡­she¡¯s not used to it.¡±


    ¡°Shit. That doesn¡¯t sound too good.¡± Giovanni¡¯s grave answer just confirmed my suspicion. My heart just sunk deeper and deeper.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I know. It sounds like she misses that ce, with that vastndscape, in the middle of nowhere.¡± I was starting to get riled up, just thinking about Lorenzo. ¡°God! I hate him. I just wish I could get a good hit, maybe give him a ck eye or something. At least that will make me feel better.¡±


    Giovanni burst into a loud chortle.


    ¡°What are youughing for?¡± I gave him the stink eye.


    And he somehow moved me in such a way that I was now lying beneath him.


    ¡°Now that would be a sight to see. My lover punching Lorenzo¡¯s fucking lights out.¡± Heughed again.


    And when he put it like that, I ended upughing too. Until he started kissing me, sensually nipping at my bottom lip and dragging those kisses to my temple and down to my throat. I was feeling sensitive all over; my eyes went all zy.


    God! I missed this. I missed us, being together like this. It had been so long since he¡¯d given me a good kiss. I loved him so much. Every day he grew sweeter and sweeter. And every day, he surprised me more and more. Like right now.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m a really lucky man,¡± he said, just giving me little pecks in between talking.


    ¡°How so?¡± I asked, gazing into his beautiful soulful eyes.


    ¡°You. I have you.¡± I kept listening. ¡°You are such an amazing and kind person, Jay. One in a million. You love your family very much. You love your sister very much. Amelia is very lucky to have you. And I¡¯m one lucky fucker to have met and fallen in love with you. I¡¯m d you¡¯re my lover.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you are my lover, too.¡± I grinned back.


    ¡°Well,¡± he announced. ¡°Since we both agree that we¡¯re lucky to have each other, let¡¯s fuck!¡±


    I smiled in approval, and he kissed me again, his fingers already sliding under my shirt, and-


    ¡°You¡¯re not wearing a bra?¡±


    ¡°I just had a shower. I don¡¯t have any change of underwear.¡±


    His pupils grew twice the size. ¡°You¡¯re goingmando, too?¡±


    ¡°I just said it. I don¡¯t have a change of underwear. I was kidnapped, remember? You just bought me outer clothing.¡±


    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± He buried his face at my nape and growled, ¡°I¡¯m going tobust. Jay, you¡¯re so fucking hot. You¡¯re going to drive me insane.¡±


    He squeezed my breast, and his face just kept on digging at my neck. He was just kissing, sucking, and licking. He tore my shirt apart, buttons flying off in all direction. My naked breasts were exposed to his hungry eyes. And like a panther, he attacked me there, sucking at my nipple, licking at the are. With his soft lips and sweet murmurs, I was already soft for him.


    ¡°Gio!¡± I rasped out, when the door suddenly flew open.


    ¡°Oh, Boss! Jenny!¡± It was Finnie.


    ¡°Gee, Boss. What a sight.¡± It was Jonny.


    ¡°Mmmm.¡± That was Heath.


    ¡°Sorry, Boss! Didn¡¯t mean to see you and Jenny in the action.¡± And there was Bobby.


    I was so startled, I pushed Giovanni off me. He bumped his head on the wooden headboard and swore.


    ¡°Fuck! What the fuck?¡± He fixed his death stare at our intruders, his underlings. He yelled at them like there was no tomorrow. ¡°What the fuck are you all doing here again? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Boss. We thought you might want to get ready to go home,¡± Finnie said.


    ¡°Change of ns. Amelia is resting. Give her a couple more hours. Thene back.¡± Giovanni issued hismand. ¡°Now get the fuck out of here,¡± he finished.


    The guys disappeared like a row of ducklings.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Giovanni ruffled his hair and got up. ¡°They just ruined the mood.¡±


    I got up too and straightened my clothes. ¡°I should have locked the door. Anyway, it¡¯s not safe doing it here. We¡¯ll do it at home.¡±


    ¡°That better be a promise, Jay. I will not have a repeat of this. I¡¯m starving. I haven¡¯t had a taste of you for almost two days.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I pacified him, kissing him on the nose as my way of atoning for the sin of shoving him off earlier. ¡°Tonight?¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Is that a promise?¡± He eyed me shrewdly.


    I gave him my million-dor smile. ¡°Totally.¡±

 #4鈥擟hapter 12

    A Family Affair Part 1


    I was in a dilemma. Already having faced many life and death situations in my young neen years of life on this earth, nothing should faze me, but when it came to this particr topic, my mind was always in a boggle. And that specific topic was deciding on what to cook for dinner.


    But this wasn¡¯t just some normal everyday dinner. This was a very special dinner where my one and only sister, who Giovanni had just rescued yesterday, would be having with us. Right now, she was resting in her room.


    Amelia had changed a lot. Every time when I tried to talk to her, she would shut me out. I hadn¡¯t a clue what that douchebag Lorenzo did to her, but she sure wasn¡¯t herself. Especially that episode from this morning when she was crying her eyes out and then she just shut me out. That was really strange. So I made it my mission to cheer her up tonight. And there¡¯s nothing better than to cook her a good dinner, like those good old days when I cooked her favorite dish, fried rice.


    But today really proved to be a conundrum because as soon as I opened the fridge door, there was nothing but green vegetables. And no rice. Not to mention any protein. I couldn¡¯t make fried rice with no protein. The boys needed protein; and Amelia needed to be plumped up. She was far too skinny. And I needed my eggs. Chicken eggs. That was the most basic ingredient for a good chicken fried rice.


    Now, what else do I need?


    I was standing there with the fridge door open, staring in a trance, when Bobby¡¯s booming voice startled me awake, ¡°Jenny!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh. What the bleeping bleep bleep,¡± I screeched in surprised.


    ¡°Hahaha. I see our foul words are rubbing off you.¡± Bobby jabbed me in the elbow.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the result of living with you guys twenty-four hours a day and listening to you guys talking in that kind ofnguage. I can¡¯t help but pick it up through osmosis.¡±


    ¡°So when are you gonna stop staring at the fridge?¡±


    ¡°When I decide what other ingredients we need for the fried rice,¡± I said, my eyes still glued to the fridge.


    ¡°Ohhh, we are having fried rice for dinner?¡± Bobby asked excitedly. If it was one thing that could make him happy, that would have to be food. Lots and lots of food. Especially if it was Asian food, too. He¡¯d be over the moon.


    ¡°Yep. You like fried rice, Bobby? I¡¯m nning to make some because my sister loves it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds awesome.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, except we don¡¯t have all the ingredients.¡±


    ¡°Text Jonny or Finnie. They are both out collecting loan repayments. I¡¯m sure they could pick it up on the way back.¡±


    ¡°Good idea. Thanks for the suggestion. I was going to go buy groceries myself, but after that kidnapping incident, I think it¡¯s wise if Iy low for a bit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very smart, Jenny. That¡¯s why Boss loves and trusts you,¡± Bobby said, and my face just blushed a raspberry red. I really did hope Giovanni loved me to bits because I was smart.


    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Bobby yelped as soon as he looked at his watch. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for almost fifteen minutes. Boss wants me to find that loan document, but I got sidetracked.¡±


    ¡°Just tell him you¡¯re chatting with me. So fried rice it is, then?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Superb. You go on up.¡± I ushered Bobby out of the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll just stare at the fridge for a bit longer. Need to figure out more ingredients.¡±


    ¡°You do that. Make sure you don¡¯t freeze to death.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    After Bobby left, I messaged Jonny for him and Finnie to get those ingredients, when the doorbell jerked me out of my task. I quickly finished the message and sprinted to the gate, d to have something to do while waiting for the groceries to arrive.


    ¡°Oh, a delivery,¡± I muttered to myself as soon as I got near the gate. I greeted the delivery man. ¡°Hello, sir.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello, miss.¡± The delivery man was startled, probably surprised by how I had addressed him. He was a true professional though, only taking less than three seconds topose himself. ¡°Please sign here.¡±


    He handed me his tablet, and I sprawled my signature on it. Maybe I should learn how to sign properly. From this angle, my signature resembled a scribble, but the kind delivery man didn¡¯t seem to notice it. He smiled at me and handed me a bunch of flowers.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, watching him leave before making my way back into the house.


    Flowers. I wonder who they¡¯re for.


    I got into the kitchen and examined the bouquet. I wonder whose they¡¯re from.


    A sudden thought hit me square in the face.


    Crap! Don¡¯t tell me I have a secret admirer. Shit! If Giovanni found out, I¡¯d be in deep shit.


    Wait! Why did I think that? I wasn¡¯t having an affair behind his back. I was truly devoted to him. There was no one else in my life. Surely, I had no need to panic.


    I checked the bouquet, looking for clues as to who it might be from, and sure enough, I found an envelope, wedged in between the flowers. Sealed within that envelope felt like a card. I turned the envelope over for closer inspection. There was only one line written on it.


    Happy Birthday, Giovanni.


    Love, Mom.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    My world toppled, and I crashed onto the sofa from behind.


    Giovanni. My Gio has a mother?


    Well, that¡¯smon knowledge, since he couldn¡¯t have been born out of a rock, but still¡­


    Howe I didn¡¯t know Gio has a mother? He¡¯d never mentioned it before. And on top of that, his birthday was today? I thought his birthday wasn¡¯t due yet. Well, it would be in the next few weeks, but certainly not today.


    I whipped my mobile phone out of my pocket and speed-dialed the person who I knew would know the answer. He picked up on the first ring.


    ¡°Dawson, I need your help,¡± I shouted into the phone.


    ¡°Jenny. What¡¯s up? How¡¯s Giovanni? Is he still ck and blue? And your sister?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I didn¡¯t call him up to talk about them. ¡°Yes, they are fine. Giovanni is fine. He¡¯s upstairs working. And Amelia is resting, probably having an afternoon nap.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Really good. So, what do you need my help with? I¡¯m at your service.¡±


    I got straight to the point. ¡°Dawson, is today Giovanni¡¯s birthday?¡± There was silence at the other end of the line. I probed him. ¡°Dawson. Is it?¡±


    Instead of answering my question, he asked me back, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    It should be a question that any girlfriend or lover could answer off the bat. I mean, we were lovers for crying out loud. We were intimate. These kinds of things, one should know during the dating phase. But our love didn¡¯t really start off with dates and so on. I was his maid. And now I suddenly realized that I didn¡¯t know anything about his private life. Giovanni had never mentioned any of those things. Things like birthdays and his parents, I hadn¡¯t a clue. The only way I¡¯d found out about his birthday was because I had to bribe the information out of his underlings. So did the guys assume the wrong date, too? Or was this bouquet of flowers a prank from someone who imed to be his mother?


    ¡°I got a bouquet of flowers delivered just a few minutes ago. The card says they¡¯re from his mom,¡± I exined to Dawson.


    Me uttering the word mom had Dawson sucking in his breath, and I knew right away that I¡¯d hit a sensitive topic.


    ¡°Does Gio have a mother?¡± I asked again. ¡°No. What I mean is, is she still alive?¡±


    ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Dawson didn¡¯t know how to respond. He was making all these weird noises, like he was clearing his throat or something. After hesitating a bit more, he finally spoke. ¡°If I say yes, do you think Giovanni would kill me?¡±


    And that was all the answer I needed to hear. The startling truth hit me square in the face. This card really was from his mother.


    This sucked. I thought I knew everything about my boyfriend, but clearly this was not the case. I knew absolutely nothing about him. Apart from his life as a mafia and a businessman, I¡¯d no clue about him at all. Like his real parents for example, or his real birthday, or any other special events in his life.


    I brought my feet up on the couch and huddled my legs, biting my fingernail to ease that ache in my heart.


    The past we¡¯d shared when we were younger, I¡¯d forgotten due to my ident. We finally met again under unusual circumstances; I became his maid. But I was already eighteen. There was already a fourteen-year gap where I had absolutely no idea what happened in Giovanni¡¯s life. On top of that, I still was unsure whether I was really his one and only Jennifer.


    Was I not important to him? Was that why he never shared any memories of his past with me?


    The thought pained me. I wished he¡¯d open himself up to me. I wished he¡¯d share his joy and all his past memories with me. I wanted to know.


    ¡°Jenny. Can I give you a word of advice?¡± Dawson¡¯s voice geared me back to reality.


    ¡°Yes, Dawson.¡±


    ¡°These kinds of topics. It¡¯s best to talk to him about it yourself. I¡¯m sure there must be a reason why he doesn¡¯t talk about it to you.¡±


    Dawson was right. These topics were meant to be discussed with one¡¯s lover, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling envious of everyone around him. Dawson, Justin, Bobby, Finnie, Heath, and Jonny. Heck, even Lorenzo. Everyone who had a past with Giovanni seemed to know almost everything about him. Except for me.


    I picked up the bouquet and took to the stairs, approaching his office at the first door down. I knocked, then waited to be called in. Once I heard Giovanni¡¯s voice, I poked my head through. ¡°Gio. Are you free? Can I talk to you for a sec-¡± There were some businessmen in blue suits sitting around the table. They were busy negotiating something. ¡°Oh, sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to interrupt. We can talk after dinner.¡±


    I was about to duck my head out when Giovanni ushered me inside.


    ¡°No, Jay. Come on in,¡± he said in the sweetest tone I¡¯d heard. There was so much love and sincerity in that voice, if I had wings I¡¯d float right onto hisp and kiss him senseless. But his tonepletely changed the second he eyed everyone else in the room. ¡°Everyone. Get out.¡±


    ¡°But Boss, we are in the middle of our negotiation,¡± Bobby said.


    ¡°I said we will resumeter,¡± Giovanni yelled. ¡°Now get out. All of you.¡±


    I waited for everyone to leave, seeing Bobby and mouthing a sorry in his direction. He mouthed back, ¡°No problem. We¡¯re just d to get a break.¡± And they were off, downstairs, properly making themselves cups of coffee. I headed inside.


    ¡°Ahh, Jay. Come here. Come sit on myp. What¡¯s the problem? You don¡¯t look too happy. Ahhh. Are those flowers for me?¡± He asked, his eyes brightening up as soon as he saw the bouquet in my hand.


    ¡°Ummm. Yes. Actually, they are,¡± I said, giving him the flowers.


    ¡°Oh, how do you know my favorite flowers are roses?¡± he said, bringing the roses to his nose, taking in a few wafts of the scent while he stared intensely at me.


    I¡¯d seen that look before. He wanted to fuck me. And before I knew it, he jerked me down and had me in hisp, winding his strong arms around me in a fierce hug.


    ¡°Thank you, Jay. My beloved. My sweet bunny.¡± And he kissed me on my nose, my cheeks, and my mouth. His eyes sparkled with so much love, I hated to break the truth to him.


    ¡°The bouquet is from your mom.¡±

 #4鈥擟hapter 13

    A Family Affair Part 2


    Giovanni¡¯s warm sweet smile was suddenly wiped off his face the second he heard the word mom. He stood up, sliding me off hisp, and went to the trash bin, shoving the flowers into it with a loud ng, and my heart almost leaped out of my chest. Then he came back, sat on his chair, and resumed work.


    ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡± he asked indifferently, his eyes glued to theptop screen.


    ¡°Fried rice,¡± I replied, watching his change of demeanor.


    ¡°Good. I like fried rice. But no seafood.¡±


    ¡°I know. Do you dislike anything else? Is there any other food you are allergic to?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing in particr. Just seafood.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t like to eat?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do you like cheese?¡±


    He mmed hisptop down and stared me straight in the eye. ¡°Jay, what¡¯s with the one hundred and one questions all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t talk much about yourself, do you?¡± I asked, sadly watching him get frustrated.


    ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± He roughlybed fingers through his hair, and I could tell he was really upset.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°Anything really. I just want to listen to you talk about yourself. Like what you were like in the past.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing to talk about. Especially about the past. Everything that you need to know about me, you know already.¡± And Giovanni went silent, stone-cold. I knew then he was really mad.


    He was one of those people who got loud when cranky but when totally mad, he was as cold as ice.


    I sat on the arm of his chair, sliding my hands onto his shoulders, feeling his muscles tense up. I massaged his shoulders in an effort to rx him. He somewhat rxed under my ministration, but he still stayed silent. I decided to take action first.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gio,¡± I apologized, resting my head on his broad back. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you upset.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything at first. But I could feel he was calming, and after a small while, he said. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    He tugged me forward, and I slipped off the armchair and into hisp. He cuddled me, bringing his head to bury between my head and shoulder. ¡°Why do you want to know my past so much?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ You are important to me. And I thought I was your special someone. And if I¡¯m your special someone, maybe I have the right to know about your past. I¡¯m jealous of your friends. They seem to know everything about you. I feel like I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t know what they were talking about. Take for example yesterday. Dawson and Justin started talking about fights and how you and Lorenzo were friends or something. I was so clueless in their conversation, and I just felt weird. Like I¡¯m the only stupid one who doesn¡¯t know what everyone is talking about. Even the guys know more about you. You said I¡¯m your Jennifer and I believed you, even when I wasn¡¯t sure myself. But I trust you. I just wish you could trust me too. I just wish you would tell me about your past. I want to know more about you, learn of what makes you happy, of what makes you sad. I want to know more about your family, of what you were like when you were a teenage boy, or when you were my age. What you were doing. What you were studying. I want to-¡±


    ¡°You want to know everything about me. Is that it?¡± He deadpanned as he came to that conclusion. And I came to realize what I was asking of him.


    ¡°Oh, God! What am I saying?¡± I jumped out of hisp and started walking backward toward the door, profusely apologizing to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gio. I don¡¯t know what came over me. Why am I saying these things now?¡±


    ¡°Jay,e here.¡±


    Giovanni gestured for me to return, but I just kept walking backward, until my back hit the door. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Whatever it is that¡¯s in the past, let it be in the past. I don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    ¡°Jay, I saide here,¡± he growled, and when I didn¡¯t follow hismand, he stalked toward me, a deep scowl on his face.


    I just kept talking. Once I was on a roll, I couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°As your lover, I should respect your decision. It was stupid of me to just bber out questions without acknowledging the time and ce. I mean, my goodness, you were working, and I was interrupting you. I¡¯m sorry for wasting your time. Must be one of my silly hormone moments. No. Just chalk it up to youthful indiscretion. Let¡¯s forget about it.¡± I turned around to leave, my hand already on the doorknob. ¡°You go back to work. I¡¯m going to make dinner. Fried rice and-¡±


    Bang! The door mmed shut in my face.


    Giovanni grabbed me from behind and deposited his head at the nape of my neck. He cuddled me so tight, I felt every little bit of him.


    ¡°I have a mother,¡± he said. ¡°But we don¡¯t get along. I also have a stepbrother. I don¡¯t really remember what he looks like anymore. At the age of fourteen, I left home. Was homeless for about six months. Did some shit stuff just to survive. When I turned fifteen, I met old man Dente. He gave me hisst name. Adopted me as his son. I worked my way up until I became n leader. I was given this house as promotion a few years back. And that¡¯s about it in a nutshell.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, Gio, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean for you to relive those harsh memories.¡±


    ¡°Like you said, you¡¯re my special someone, which makes you a very important person to me. You are precious to me. And as my lover, you have full ess to me. I¡¯m an open book to you, Jay. I have nothing to hide. Ask me anything you want.¡±


    I fiddled with his cuff sleeve, scared to even mention that word again. But he gave me full ess. I decided to be brave. ¡°So¡­that card¡­it¡¯s really from your mom?¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡±


    ¡°And, today¡­ today really is your birthday?¡±


    ¡°On my birth certificate, yep! I turn twenty-nine today. But I celebrate my birthday on the date old man Dente adopted me, which will be in a few weeks¡¯ time.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­then¡­what do you want for your birthday? I mean, today. Right now. Oh, why am I asking? I haven¡¯t got any gifts for you. Actually, wait, I do. I went to buy you a watch with my savings. But when Lorenzo¡¯s gang kidnapped me, I must have lost it. Now I don¡¯t have-¡±


    He shushed me with his finger. ¡°Jay. You don¡¯t have to give me materialistic stuff. What I want is something only you can give me.¡±


    ¡°Really? What is it? Oh, I know. I make a mean fried rice. I¡¯ll make that as your birthday present. And I promise I won¡¯t tell the guys and Amelia that today is your birthday. It can be our little secret. You¡¯ll get to celebrate two birthdays every year. One just with me, and one with everyone else.¡±


    I struggled out of his arms, my hand already opening the door, when Giovanni mmed the door shut again. He spun me around so fast my head was already spinning and when I caught my bearings again, his mouth was already on me, sucking out my life and my entire soul. He pressed me into the door, one hand busy molding my breast, the other cradling my head to gain better ess to my mouth. I moaned, heat raking up my core and entire being. I was on fire. I was spinning out of control. I was-


    He pulled back and gave me a shit-eating grin.


    ¡°Gio. You made me hot,¡± I whined, wanting another taste of his lips.


    ¡°And what are you going to do about it?¡± he teased.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°I what?¡±


    I was thinking. A light popped on in my head. ¡°I know what I¡¯m going to give to you for your birthday today.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    I pointed to myself. ¡°Me.¡±


    ¡°You?¡± He raised his eyebrow at my answer.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yep.¡± I nodded my head, adamant that this was what I was going to do. ¡°I¡¯m going to give myself to you.¡±


    ¡°And how are you going to do that?¡± He smiled, enjoying the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make love to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now we¡¯re talking. I¡¯m getting interested.¡±


    ¡°You should be. Because in the next one hour, I¡¯m going to take you to heaven.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I can¡¯t wait.¡± And he went to lie down, t on the couch. When I didn¡¯t move from my spot, he gestured for me toe over. ¡°Well? I¡¯m ready and waiting. Let¡¯s take me to heaven.¡±


    I walked over to the couch, climbed on top, and straddled him. He gave me a lopsided grin. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to strip?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not going to strip. But I¡¯m going to strip you.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I¡¯ll like that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you will.¡±


    And I started by untying my bun and letting my long loose curls be carefree. I roughlybed fingers through my hair to appear seductive. nting both hands on either side of his head, I inched my face so close, our noses literally rubbed.


    ¡°Be prepared, Gio.¡± I watched his ck irises gazing back at me. ¡°This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Your lover, Jay Jenny Bunny Stone, aka, your ex-maid, will give you the most mind-blowing, heart-pounding, blood-surging sex you¡¯ve ever experienced in your entire lifetime.¡±


    Giovanni smirked, and I started my mission, first by unbuttoning his pristine white shirt. One button then two, all the way down until there was no more left. I pulled his shirt apart, and my eyes feasted on the galore of his massive chest, broad shoulders, and six-pack abs. I was the luckiest girl alive to have such a hot handsome man as my lover.


    I started my quest by kissing his neck, trailing soft kisses down to his chest, then a peck each at his nipples. I went farther down, kissing his abs, then went back up to his chest again. I went back down, then-


    ¡°Jay, you¡¯ve been kissing my chest for over five minutes now,¡± Giovanniined.


    ¡°Patience, Gio. I¡¯m the initiator here. You just be quiet and enjoy the ride.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Keep going then. I¡¯m waiting.¡± And he folded his arm to rest behind his head, so arrogantly, like he had all the time in the world.


    Yeah, right. I had all the time in the world, too. In fact, I had a whole hour to seduce him before I had to go back to cook dinner. And I was nning to use every single minute of it to its full potential. So I kissed him on the chest again, and his abs again, and his-


    Yikes! He rolled me over, and now I was underneath him.


    ¡°Jay, stop teasing me,¡± he panted, making kissing attacks at my neck. ¡°Stop seducing me. I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±


    He made quick work of stripping me. Pants gone. Shirt gone. Bra gone. And panties? I¡¯d no idea when they¡¯d disappeared.


    He found my lips, kissing me so long and hard, so rough and fast, I was lost in his world. I, too, returned the favor. I chased his lips, nipping them, trying to get more of his taste.


    His fingers searched for my sex, digging in deep to reach the very crevice of my core. I arched into him, wanting more of his finger inside me. I was hot and heavy, wet and slippery, and so ready for him. He took me hard and fast, mming into me so hard, it almost knocked the breath out of me. Each stroke, each maneuver, had my eyes rolling back with lust.


    I¡¯d promised I¡¯d take him to heaven, but he was the one who took me there. And for that whole hour, he¡¯d made a mess of me. And I¡¯d enjoyed every single minute of it.

 #4鈥擟hapter 14

    Lecture was boring. Why did I decide to take Mr. Hamilton¡¯s ss? He was the most boring lecturer I knew. I should have followed Crispin and taken an extra ss in Art or something, just to gain the extra credit. Except I sucked at drawing. So that was out of the picture. No pun intended. If I was gifted in art though, I¡¯d draw a full portrait of Giovanni in the nude. I¡¯d seen his nude body many times when we made love, but nothing couldpare to a full portrait-size painting. I¡¯d hang it on my bedroom wall and view it every morning and night before going to bed.


    Mr. Hamilton¡¯s soft voice was so soothing to the ear, I almost dozed off when my mobile phone vibrated, jolting me awake.


    I opened my message box and saw my sister¡¯s name. I smiled. Maybe she was back to her normal self again. Less despondent.


    I read the message she texted.


    Amelia: Jen, when do you finish ss?


    My fingers did all the talking.


    Me: I could skip. The ss is so boring I could literally fall asleep.


    Amelia: Meet me at a caf¨¦. I have something to tell you.


    Me: Okay. What about?


    Amelia: Remember that talk we had at the hospital?


    My heart felt unsettled at the mention of the hospital. We had talked about my love life, which involved the name Jennifer, Gio, and the twin dragon ne. I waited to see if she would borate more. And she did. And when I soon read it, my heart went into shock.


    Amelia: Remember how you said you¡¯re not Jennifer¡­


    I know who she is.


    I know her true identity.


    And I know where you can find her.


    Forgotten Memories Part 1


    Amelia knew the identity of Jennifer! My sister knew the real identity of Jennifer! All this time, she knew who Jennifer was.


    I was starting to shake, my vision bing blurry. I found a bench and sat myself down. I tried to control my trembles, but it wasn¡¯t working. I had trouble breathing and had to take long deep breaths. My chest started hurting, and I clenched it tight, forcing myself to calm down, telling myself to calm down. But tears kept flowing, and I basically broke down.


    Why did knowing the true identity of Jennifer affect me so much?


    I knew why.


    It was because I wasn¡¯t her.


    Before the truth got revealed, I had always marveled at the fact that I was Giovanni¡¯s true lover. He¡¯d said so many times before that I was his beloved Jennifer. And I had believed him. Every bit of me had believed him wholeheartedly. Even when a tiny voice inside my head had warned me that I was not the person he assumed I was, I didn¡¯t listen to it. I lived in my own made-up world, and where I¡¯d dreamed that Giovanni was my lover and I really was his Jennifer. And I had been living in this beautiful dreand for over two months now, until I was rudely pushed awake and now must face reality.


    And reality hurt. It was like a knife was stabbed into my chest, again and again. It was so painful I just wanted to die.


    I choked back tears, trying topose myself, but I just couldn¡¯t stop them from flowing down my face.


    I¡¯d never loved a man before. Giovanni was my first love, my only love. If we broke up, this would be the end for me. My life would crumble, and I didn¡¯t think I could pick myself up again.


    Had I told him I loved him? I couldn¡¯t remember. How many times did I tell him that? Was once enough? Did I need to tell him every day? Because once he found out I was no longer his Jennifer, would the words I love you still mean anything to him?


    I just wished he would love me for me and not because of the name Jennifer. I just wished I could remember those few days we spent together like what he¡¯d always told me. But I had no memory of them. Nothing at all.


    I took a deep breath and finally after about ten minutes of mental breakdown, I was able topose myself again. I had to be strong. I couldn¡¯t let my sister see how news of Jennifer had affected me.


    I hailed a taxi, straight to the location Amelia had messaged. It was a caf¨¦ I wasn¡¯t familiar with, in a location I¡¯d never been to before.


    I paid the taxi driver and made my way out, only to be greeted by chilled wind whipping at my hair and face. I zipped my jacket up, then looked and found Amelia was already inside waiting.


    I turned to look up at the sky, telling myself I had to be brave and face the truth. Because whatever the oue may be, I would have to endure it all. Because that was what my life had amounted to now. Endurance. Endure the pain of seeing the real Jennifer. Endure the pain of seeing both Giovanni and the new Jennifer in love.


    The weather wasn¡¯t helping much. The sky was so overcast, giving off a gloomy feeling, the exact same reflection as my own.


    Where was the sun when I needed it most? Give me some sunshine. At least it¡¯d make this whole meeting a little less painful.


    I walked in, albeit reluctantly, and saw my sister near the front window.


    ¡°Sit down, Jen. I¡¯ve ordered your favorite drink. Hot chocte.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, d she remembered my favorite drink.


    I shifted ufortably in my seat and waited for her to start talking. About Jennifer. About how she hade to know who she was. About everything that I¡¯d seemed to miss. But Amelia was too busy gazing up at the ceiling of the caf¨¦. There was a soft smile on her face.


    ¡°What do you think of this ce, Jen? Do you like the decor?¡±


    Frankly, I didn¡¯t really take much notice of the ce until she pointed it out. The caf¨¦ was old and rustic, like it would exist twenty odd years ago. Clearly, the d¨¦cor sucked and was in urgent need of a full renovation.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Quite charming, I suppose, for someone who wants to experience what life was like twenty years ago.¡±


    Amelia chuckled softly, as if she had time-traveled to the past.


    ¡°You know, I used to love this ce,¡± she said. ¡°I came here almost every day, just to sit here in this very seat and watch out that window.¡±


    I looked at her oddly, wondering why she was telling me all this. She held this nostalgic look on her face as she stared out the window across to the park on the opposite side of the road. I followed her line of sight.


    There was nothing much of interest to see. Just some trees and bushes and a few park benches, although one tree stood out from the rest. A really tall beech tree that seemed to have captured my interest, as if I¡¯d seen it in my dreams. But then I was always dreaming of weird stuff anyway. Sometimes living in a dream would be much better. Reality was a hard pill to swallow.


    Our drinks came, and I immediately shoved the thought aside. Amelia urged me to drink mine. I took a small sip. The taste was alright. Nothing spectacr. Just normal hot chocte. I was still waiting for her to tell me about Jennifer, but she seemed to be taking her sweet time.


    ¡°I missed this,¡± she said after some time. ¡°Us, drinking our favorite drinks and watching people walk by.¡±


    ¡°We used to do this?¡± I asked, my interest piqued.


    ¡°Yes, the two of us. After school, we would sit here and watch people. When we were younger. When Ma was still alive.¡± She took my hand from across the table and grasped it tight, and I knew right then, she was about to tell me something important, something that had to do with my past. ¡°Jen, this was Mama¡¯s caf¨¦. Mama used to own this ce.¡±


    I gazed at Amelia in a daze, her beautiful face suddenly blurry, until I realized I was crying, silent tears flowing down my cheeks. These were tears of joy.


    I was so happy that I held both her hands and choked out, ¡°Really, Mel? This¡­this was Mama¡¯s caf¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded, a small smile on her face. ¡°Do you remember sitting here? Do you remember Mama?¡±


    ¡°No. No. I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t remember anything. I wish I could remember.¡± I sobbed, using my elbow to make quick work of wiping away my tears, but more just kept oning. ¡°What was Mama like? Was she pretty and kind like you?¡±


    That was all I could say. Amelia hardly spoke about our past, knowing that I had no memory of it; she was worried it would sadden me. But I was happy because now I knew something about my past.


    ¡°She was a beautiful, kind woman, Jen. Just like you. Beautiful inside and out. I only wish you could remember her.¡±


    ¡°I wish it too. I want to go back in time so I could capture all our memories together. Mel, thank you for talking about Ma. I miss her so much.¡±


    ¡°I miss her too, Jen. But I brought you here not just to talk about Ma. There¡¯s something else you should know.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The truth, Jen.¡±


    ¡°The truth?¡± I pulled my hand back as if stung.


    Oh, God, here ites. This is about Jennifer, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t want to hear it. God let me live in denial forever. I don¡¯t want to know who the real Jennifer is.


    I sped my hands together and stared straight ahead. I needed to be strong. The truth would be revealed now. But my eyes betrayed me, hurt and pain making them moist again. ¡°Is it about the identity of Jennifer, Giovanni¡¯s little friend?¡±


    She grabbed my hand again. ¡°Jen. I¡¯m not the perfect sister you think I am. I¡¯m not the perfect role model who you should put on a pedestal. If anything, you should hate me.¡±


    ¡°Mel, what are you saying? I don¡¯t understand.¡± I was left confused. What was she talking about? Were we not talking about Jennifer?


    But she carried on, as if she didn¡¯t hear my questions. ¡°Jen. I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s because of me that you have be like this. I did this to you. I made you lose your memory. I was the one who killed Ma.¡±


    ¡°Mel. No.¡± I jerked back, staring at her in disbelief. ¡°What are you saying? That¡¯s not true. You said Ma died in a car crash.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jen. Ma did. But that¡¯s because of me. I made her die. I was the cause of her crash.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± I kept shaking my head, refusing to believe her words. ¡°You¡¯re lying. You¡¯re the sweetest person I know. You couldn¡¯t even hurt a fly. How can you say such things? I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Jen, listen to me.¡± She gathered my hand and told me straight in my face, ¡°I destroyed your life. I took everything from you. You should hate me. You should yell at me. At least then I know that I¡¯ve done the right thing, by telling you the truth.


    ¡°Jen, I can¡¯t keep this secret any longer. It pains me when I look at you. You deserve to know the truth.¡± She took something out of her bag, a small box, and pushed it toward me. ¡°This belongs to you.¡±


    I opened the box. It was a ne made out of jade stone in the shape of a twin dragon. A nostalgic feeling settled in my heart as soon as I touched it. ¡°Mel, I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the story you told me, about how your boyfriend keeps mentioning about a boy from fourteen years ago and the twin dragon ne?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And I told you, like I told him, that I don¡¯t have it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the twin dragon ne, Jen. The one your boyfriend mentioned, from fourteen years ago.¡±


    What? No. But¡­


    My mind was in turmoil. I couldn¡¯t process this. If it was really that ne, howe Amelia had it? Howe¡­


    It dawned on me.


    Oh, God!


    My chest was heaving.


    Amelia¡­ My sister Amelia¡­


    Out of all the people in the world, why must it be my sister?


    She must be¡­


    I couldn¡¯t take it. If it was really her, how could I watch the two people I love most betray me. Even if that was the cruel truth, how could I hate any of them?


    Why did fate y such a cruel trick on me?


    I started shaking, and tears started brewing in my eyes. Even if that was the case, I still needed to confirm the truth.


    ¡°Amelia, are you¡­¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Jen. I¡¯m not Jennifer.¡±


    Her answer should haveforted me, but I was at my tipping point. I was tired-exhausted-and I just wished to get this over and done with.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I told her, the tight tension in my chest remaining. ¡°I¡¯m confused. If you¡¯re not Jennifer, then why do you have the ne?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you have forgotten everything, Jen. You¡¯ve lost your memory from that time. I want to tell you from the start. So you can understand.¡±


    I nodded my head and listened.


    ¡°Jen, you were a very sad child when younger. You were always by yourself. Always talking to yourself. You were lonely. But youpensated for this with your active imagination. You created friends. In your head. You talked to them. You told me every day that you had friends, but when I went to pick you up from kindergarten with Pa, the teachers said you were always ying by yourself and talking to yourself. They said none of the other kids wanted anything to do with you.


    ¡°I was mad and sad. Why did no one want to be friends with my sister? And then you met a boy, a teenage boy, under that beech tree. He became your friend. I know this because I¡¯d been following you, watching over you.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He was a scruffy-looking boy, but I liked him. I wanted to be his friend, too. So I approached him. But he told me to go away. He said he didn¡¯t need any friends. His words hurt me. I hated him then, Jen. I hated him. Why didn¡¯t he want to be my friend when he was friends with you? What did you have that I didn¡¯t? I grew jealous of your friendship.


    ¡°How could it be possible that the two of you are friends? Your age gap was too big. There was nomon thread between you and him. He was in his early teens, and you were only five. But yet, there was this invisible thread that connected you to him. Almost every day I would see him waiting for you under that tree, and you would go running off to him with that cup of coffee you brewed.


    ¡°Sometimes I would watch you both interact, and I just wanted to drag you off and separate you from him, but then I saw his kind gestures, the way he talked to you, the way he listened to you, like he genuinely cared. And then I saw your eyes light up, like you were truly happy to have a real true friend who genuinely cared for you. I was happy too. Until the day he gave you that ne, and my jealousy rushed back.


    ¡°I remembered that day so clearly. It was raining so hard you could hear the sound of the pounding rain on the ss window. Mama was driving us home. We were in the back seat. When I saw that ne in your hand, my jealousy just took over. I snatched that ne from you, making you cry. I had used him of stealing that ne. I kept telling you that I¡¯d take him to the police so he could rot in jail. You cried so hard, trying to defend him, but I didn¡¯t care. I kept scaring you. We argued. Mama got distracted, trying to stop us. And that was when it happened. A truck collided with our car, killing Mama on the spot.


    ¡°I remembered a buzzing sound in my ear, like everything was silent. And I felt a body on top of me, cushioning me from the crash. I pushed it off and realized it was you. Your small lifeless body was just lying there where I moved you. And then I cked out.


    ¡°When I woke up dayster in the hospital, the doctors said I was very lucky to be alive. If you weren¡¯t there to help cushion me from the crash, I would have been dead, too. You protected me, Jen. You had protected me from death. I cried when I knew the truth. I wanted to go say sorry to you. But they said you were in aa. I waited every day for you to wake up, but you never did. They gave me the jade twin dragon ne. I thought I¡¯d keep it for you, until the day that you woke up. And you did. Six monthster. But you couldn¡¯t remember me. You couldn¡¯t remember Pa. I thought maybe it was best if we started fresh. I was selfish; I didn¡¯t want to go through that pain again of hurting you, so I kept the ne hidden, hoping that when your memory came back, I¡¯d give it back. But you never recovered your memories.


    ¡°Jen. You are my little sister. Your real name is not Jenny. Your real name is Jennifer Stone. And the boy who gave you that ne, his name is Giovanni Dente, your lover.¡±

 #4鈥擟hapter 15

    Forgotten Memories Part 2


    I cast my eyes to the ne in my hand, memories of Giovanni kissing me and making love to me shing through my mind. There were small fragments within those shes of memories when I remembered the deep baritone of his voice, whispering words of love and affection in my ear, and of a twin dragon ne and his little friend Jennifer. My heart ached whenever I heard those words because I thought I wasn¡¯t her, but now¡­now¡­


    ¡°Mel, am I really Jennifer, Giovanni¡¯s little friend, Jennifer?¡± I cried out, needing to ask for reassurance. I didn¡¯t want to believe this. This was too good to be true.


    Amelia nodded, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Yes, Giovanni was your best friend from fourteen years ago.¡±


    I copsed into my hands, crying my heart out, until I could feel my sister¡¯s arms wrapping around my shoulders, hugging me,forting me. And I lunged into her and cried my eyes out.


    Oh, God. All this time. All this time. How could I have forgotten him? How could I have forgotten all of our memories together. He¡¯d told me the truth. He¡¯d recognized me way before I knew it myself.


    ¡°He remembered me, Mel,¡± I muffled into her shoulder. ¡°Giovanni remembered me. He tells me every day that he loves me, that I¡¯m his precious Jennifer. But it was me, Mel. I didn¡¯t believe him because I didn¡¯t want to believe in something I have no recollection of.¡±


    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t remember it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°Giovanni said the same thing. He said the same thing.¡± I sobbed, the pain and relief causing the tears to continue flowing. ¡°I¡¯m so stupid, Mel. I¡¯m so stupid. Why didn¡¯t I believe him?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that to yourself, Jen. You¡¯re not stupid. If anyone was at fault, it would be me. Jen, do you hate me? I made you like this. If I didn¡¯t take that ne from you that night, then none of this would have happened. You would have remembered Giovanni, and Ma would be alive. Jen, I¡¯m so sorry for destroying your life. I¡¯m so sorry for-¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Mel. Stop it.¡± Ished out of her arms and stared straight into her face. She¡¯d told me the truth, and now it was my turn to give her my verdict. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your apology anymore. I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s all in the past now. You¡¯re my sister. My only rtive in this world. I don¡¯t care what you were like in the past. You are the most amazing person I know, and that¡¯s all that matters now.¡±


    ¡°But, Jen¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Mel. Please stop. Stop hurting yourself. You¡¯ve suffered enough already. God, what have you gone through? All these years, you kept it inside your heart because you were scared that if you told me, you¡¯d hurt me. But you¡¯re also hurting inside. It¡¯s eating you alive, Mel. I can see it. Why didn¡¯t you tell me this earlier? Why did you have to keep it all to yourself? Why couldn¡¯t you share the burden with me? Why couldn¡¯t you trust that I¡¯m okay to take all of this in? Stop suffering by yourself, Mel. Please. I¡¯m your sister.¡±


    ¡°Jen, why are you so kind? You should shout at me, hate me, for ruining your life, for making you lose your memory, for making you forget about Giovanni.¡± She sobbed into my shoulder.


    I hugged her tight. ¡°Why do you think I would hate you? We were kids back then, Mel. You were just a kid yourself. None of us wanted it to happen. It¡¯s all in the past now. It can¡¯t be changed. But what I know is this. You are the most selfless person I know.¡± Iforted her, just as much she hadforted me, both of us in each other¡¯s arms, helping each other to heal the pain of the past. ¡°You sacrificed everything for me. You are my guardian angel. You have watched over me; you have protected me. You looked after me. You cared for me. You taught me stuff. None of those things you said you did in the past could change my feelings I have for you now. You are the best sister I have, and I wouldn¡¯t change my past for any of it. Mel, I love you. I could never hate you. So let¡¯s leave the past in the past. Stop ming yourself.¡±


    Yes. The memory of the past was too painful to remember. It was better left forgotten. All that¡¯s left now was the future. Me. Giovanni. And Amelia.


    My trip down memoryne didn¡¯t end there. Amelia took me to the park opposite the caf¨¦. We walked with our arms linked until she stopped us in front of that beech tree, the tallest one in the park. And I knew what she wanted me to do. She wanted me to remember that feeling. Even if my memory could never be recovered, but some nostalgic feeling may still remain.


    My hand reached out to touch the tree. I closed my eyes and felt that rough grainy bark underneath my skin. It felt familiar, a long-forgotten memory buried deep in the crevices of my subconscious. This was our tree, the tree where Giovanni and I first met.


    ¡°Jen, there¡¯s one other thing you should know.¡± My sister¡¯s voice pulled me out of my reverie.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Pa.¡±


    The mention of Pa made me sad and frustrated.


    ¡°What about him?¡± There were so many revtions today, I couldn¡¯t keep a grasp on all my emotions. ¡°He sold us both to the mafia. If I weren¡¯t so lucky, I would have ended up dead already, or even worse, sold in the ck market.¡±


    ¡°Jen, please.¡± She squeezed my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t hate him. You can¡¯t hate him. He¡¯s our Pa.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so nice, Mel. Why are you not mad at him for selling you off to Lorenzo?¡± I sighed, tears flowing from my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care for what he did to me, but I can¡¯t forgive him for selling you off to Lorenzo. And it hurts me so bad to know what you¡¯ve gone through, but you kept quiet about everything.¡±


    ¡°Jen. I¡¯m sorry. When I¡¯m ready, I¡¯ll tell you. But please don¡¯t hate Pa.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mel,¡± I said, tired of it all. ¡°I¡¯m grown up now. I can decide who I like or dislike.¡±


    ¡°Jen, you don¡¯t really mean that.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond and just held a faraway look.


    Amelia took something out of her bag and slid it into my hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a letter from Pa,¡± she said. ¡°It was mailed to me a month ago. When the house was put on the market, Lorenzo¡¯s team had found it and given it to me. It¡¯s addressed to you. I think you should read it. You¡¯ll understand why he did that to us.¡±


    ¡°Why? So that we know the reason why he sold his daughters off to the mafia, is that it?¡±


    ¡°Jen, don¡¯t be like that, please. If you¡¯re angry, just shout it out. I get scared when you act like this.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to act like? After hoping that Pa woulde to bail me out during those initial weeks of staying with Giovanni as his maid, I had feelings of hope. But that hope soon turned to despair. And now that I have known how much you have suffered because Pa did the same thing to you, that despair got transformed into resentment. I resent him, Mel, for not protecting you. I resent him, Mel, for selling you to Lorenzo. And in a way, I resent him too, for sending me off to Giovanni. Although we both fell in love and are happy now, would our love life be different if we were to meet under different circumstances?¡±


    ¡°Jen. I understand how you¡¯re feeling. But you have to understand why he did it. Read the letter. Please. You¡¯ll know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll read itter,¡± I said, shoving the letter into my pocket.


    The sky was clouding up, a nasty storm brewing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± Amelia said.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You go home first,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here for a bit longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Finnie wait with you.¡±


    ¡°No. Finnie can take you home. I¡¯ll take a taxi when I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be too long.¡± She squeezed my hand and walked off.


    I didn¡¯t move from my spot. I watched her as she got into the ck car. I watched her as Finnie closed the door and got into the front seat. I was still standing there watching her until the car moved out of view.


    I sighed. The world had changed so much, but at the end of the day, everything revolved back to the same ce. History was repeating itself again. Fourteen years ago, I was sitting under this beech tree waiting for Giovanni. Fourteen years ago, he¡¯d given me this ne. And now fourteen yearster, I was back here. Despite having no memory of the past, I was still here, under this same beech tree, with that ne in my hand.


    I sighed, thinking now would be the best time to read that letter from Pa. If I didn¡¯t read it now, I didn¡¯t think I would have the guts to read it anywhere else. I took the letter out of my pocket and started reading.


    To my sweet daughter Jenny,


    Pa is sorry for having to do this to you. I know you hate me for what I¡¯ve done to you. But there was no other way out. When you were younger, I was in a huge debt. There was the mortgage on the house, and on top of that, your mom¡¯s caf¨¦ wasn¡¯t making money. Then after that ident that took your mom¡¯s life and your memory, everything just got worse.


    Sweetheart, your sister and I went to see you every day at the hospital, hoping you¡¯d wake up. But the more days passed, the more I got scared that you wouldn¡¯t ever wake up. They said you were in aa and didn¡¯t know when you would recover. They said you needed special attention and that if we didn¡¯t move you to private care, we¡¯d lose you.


    Sweetheart, you were on a life machine. They were feeding you through tubes. I did all I could to save you, but it was so hard. Life was so unbearable without your mother. The one woman I loved most just lost her life and the daughter I loved was in aa.


    But life got even worse when the bills started rolling in. I worked all day and night, but the money was just never enough. Amelia¡¯s school uniforms, your hospital bills, the house mortgage. Everything was just too much, and I broke down.


    I started drinking to escape the harsh reality. But I messed up. They fired me from my jobs. I had nothing left.


    I was at my lowest point, Jenny. If Amelia hadn¡¯t been there to stop me that day, I would have been gone already. But she had saved me in time. I told myself then that I had to be a good father from then on. If I were gone, my two children would be orphans.


    So I tried to rebuild my life. I sought out loans from the bank, but they wouldn¡¯t lend any to me. They said for a man with no job prospect, the risk of a loan was too high. I knew I had the skill and capability, but no one was willing to give me a chance. Until I met him.


    His name was Mr. Lorenzo. Everyone called him Signor Lorenzo. When I told him our circumstances, he said he¡¯d loan me the money. It was his money that had paid your hospital bills. It was his money that had supported Amelia¡¯s education. I was so happy. Until I realized he was actually mafia.


    Jenny, sweetheart, I was so scared. Mr. Lorenzo was a mafia leader, a crime boss. I didn¡¯t want to get involved with the underground people. So we ran away. To a new location. We had even started calling you Jenny instead of Jennifer. I had started taking out other loans to repay his loans, but it was never enough. The interest just kept on piling up. And then I heard about Signor Dente. I was skeptical of him at first. I heard he was also a mafia boss, but people said he doesn¡¯t deal with mafia stuff and he was reformed. People said he was a good man and that if I were to go to him, he¡¯d help us.


    And he did help us. Because as soon as he saw you, he said he wanted to sponsor you, without any repayment in return. He said he liked you the very first moment he saw you. He said if he were to have a daughter, he wanted one just like you, a smart and cheerful youngdy.


    So it was his money that had fed us all. And it was also his money that has freed us from the Lorenzo gang. But I didn¡¯t realize there were still outstanding loans with them. Until that fateful day three months ago. They came barging into our house, demanding for us to pay them back. Four million dors, they said. If I didn¡¯t pay them, they would kill me. But your sister sacrificed herself for me. For us.


    She was taken away by them, the Lorenzo gang. I was scared that if they found out I had another daughter, you, then they would take you, too. That¡¯s why I sent you that message toe home. That was why I crafted that fake letter so you could go to Signor Dente.


    Although we had both lost touch, I know Signor Dente was a good man. If I mentioned your name, ¡®Jenny,¡¯ and ¡®three-million-dor coteral,¡¯ as key words in the letter, he¡¯d know that it¡¯s you, the little girl who he¡¯d helped support. This was our secret code. Three million dors, because that was how much he¡¯d given you and supported you throughout your life.


    I hope by reading this letter that you will have some closure and perhapse to understand a bit about my feelings. I hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me for not exining anything and just disappearing out of your life. I just hope both you and your sister can reunite one day. Even if her fate is far graver than yours, I just hope that one day both you and your sister can live in a happy world again. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m in a safe ce here. I have decided to stay here and atone for all my sins. One day, when I have the will to forget myself for putting you both through this harsh life, I will return to you both. Until then, I hope you will forgive me.


    I love you.


    From Pa, Warren.


    I slid down the length of the tree and cradled myself into a fetal position, the letter hanging lifeless from my hand. Everything was over now. All the mystery in my life had been revealed. Now there was nothing left but a feeling of emptiness and regret in my heart, regret for all the past I¡¯d lost, regret for all things I¡¯d said to the people I love.


    I¡¯m sorry, Pa. I don¡¯t hate you. I love you. Pleasee home.


    I¡¯m sorry, Gio, for not remembering you. I love you. Pleasee back to me.


    I took my mobile phone and sent Giovanni a message. I waited, watching the first drop of rain descending from the sky, mixing in with my tears as they rolled down my face.

 #4鈥擟hapter 16

    Forgotten Memories Part 3


    Giovanni was in a dream. He saw himself at a park, full of lush green bushes and roses. He was wandering around, lost. He walked and walked until he saw a tall beech tree and heard voices. He rounded the corner and saw himself-no, his younger self, when he was fourteen-talking to a girl with light-brown hair. From behind, she resembled Jay, his lover, but a shorter and younger version of her. His heart pounded and he smiled, d he¡¯d found her even in his dream.


    He walked closer, wanting to get a better look at her younger self, but when he saw her from the front view, she wasn¡¯t his lover. There were simrities within their looks, like the light-brown hair and cupid¡¯s bow lips, but that was it. Their eye colors were different. Jay had deep emerald-green eyes, whereas this young girl¡¯s was amber in color. Who was she? And what was she doing with his younger self?


    If he could recall correctly, all the time he¡¯d spent under that beech tree was only with Jennifer, his little friend, who he¡¯d now met again fourteen yearster. She was now his lover, whom he¡¯d called Jay.


    He watched on, interested to see what part of his memory he was missing.


    ¡°She won¡¯t being back,¡± the girl told his younger self. ¡°Stop waiting for her here. She¡¯s noting back.¡±


    ¡°Why is that any of your business?¡± his younger self coldly spoke to her.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt. Stop waiting for her. Please. She will nevere back. She won¡¯t evere back. Forget her. Stop waiting for her here. Please don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Shut the fuck up. I don¡¯t care what you say. I¡¯ll wait here every day. I¡¯ll wait here for my friend toe back. She said she¡¯lle back, and she will. You just fucking go away. I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do. This is my life. Just fucking go away and stop bothering me.¡±


    ¡°I just want to help.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your fucking help. Where were you when I needed a friend? Where were you when I was hurt, bleeding, and in need of help? No one fucking helped me except for her. No one wanted to be my friend except for her. She befriended me, and now we are friends for life. I swear I will never forget her. So don¡¯t tell me to forget her. You have no right. Fuck off. Go away. Stop bothering me.¡±


    The girl was crying, and he kept on yelling and yelling, until she couldn¡¯t take the verbal abuse anymore and ran off.


    Fuck! Did he make that girl cry? What the fuck did he do that for? She was only trying to help.


    Giovanni was shocked at his own behavior. Had he always been that ruthless? He¡¯d thought that that tough exterior he erected was just a fa?ade, but this was not the case. He was brutally honest with her, tearing at her feelings that she had to run off and cry.


    Fuck! He was horrible. He was disgusted with his younger self. But when he looked at his younger vision, Giovanni saw that his younger self was also affected by that conversation. He was clenching at his chest, fisting and thumping at it, like his heart was in pain. He curled himself into a ball and started sobbing.


    ¡°I have no one else, Jennifer. You¡¯re my only friend. No one wants me. No one loves me. No one cares for me. Jennifer,e back to me. Where have you gone to? I¡¯m waiting here at our promised ce. I¡¯ll wait for you every day until you return. Juste back to me, Jennifer. Come back to me.¡±


    Giovanni woke up with a start, his heart drumming wildly in his chest. It was that dream again. He¡¯d always dreamed of himself going back to that scene. That was one of the bleakest moments of his life, when he¡¯d run away from home.


    Giovanni had scavenged for food, did anything to survive, but when it came time to meet his friend, he would be sitting there, waiting for her under that beech tree, like a loyal dog. In the rain. In the sun, in all kinds of weather, he would wait for her. But she never came once. He¡¯d waited for three months, until he realized she would nevere back. She must have forgotten him. He moved on but he¡¯d never forgotten her. She was one of the most beautiful scenery in his life.


    Looking back now, Giovanni viewed his life like a bleak shadow, a misty fog. His future had never contained any beam of bright light, like what most kids his age would experience. If he were to describe his life as a painting, the colors he used would be bold ones, harsh ones, that affected the eyes. Like red, ck, and gray. Such painful colors mixed into the painting. There would be no pictures. Just an abstract sort of painting, filled with shapes. There would be sharp jagged edges, no smooth straight lines or soft curves. The texture would be rough, like walking on stony roads without any shoes for miles and miles.


    The color red represented the blood he shed, the tears he¡¯d cried, and the pain he¡¯d endured growing up. The ck represented his ck future, his dark past, and the overcasting shadow of the present. Finally, the color gray represented the overall bnce of his life. Gray, the middle ground between ck and white. The tipping point between good and evil, and that bnce between legal and illegal. Gray was his whole life, his whole world, the mafia world.


    Giovanni had lived through life in three different stages. The time before he knew anything about the mafia, the time he was a mafia member, and the time where he was now the mafia ringleader, the boss of all bosses. All those different stages had taught him many valuable lessons in life.


    Prior to being a mafia member, he was just a trailer park kid, born to an unknown Italian father, not knowing much of life. His mother was what people called white trash. She worked two jobs. One during the day as a waitress, and one during the night where she brought men back to their trailer. She fucked them. They fucked her. Once the trailer parkmunity knew of her night job, they called him trailer trash kid.


    When he turned nine, they met Ro Bianchi. Ro fell in love with his mother on first nce. They fucked, they married. They moved to Sacramento, leaving behind their dirt-poor lifestyle in the trailer park van. In Sacramento, where no one knew who she was, his mother ended up living the high life. High on drugs. High on cocaine. He now had a new name, too. They called him the mafia kid.


    That name made him famous. That name made other kids run from him in fear. And along with that name, too, came trouble. In abundance. From small fights resulting in small cuts and bruises, to big fights that involved stabbing and bashing.


    By the time he¡¯d turned fourteen, he¡¯d had enough of that shit life, too. He wanted out. He¡¯d packed up and moved on. But life on the streets was not much better. If he reflected on it now, it was the most miserable time of his life. He fought every day.


    He fought for a chance to survive; he fought for a ce to stay. Fuck, he¡¯d even fought with the pigeons for a piece of stale bread. But he learned one important lesson during that phase in his life. That it was a man eats man world. Survival of the fittest. And he was not fit. He got trashed at, bashed at, stabbed at and left to die on the curbside of a ditch. When he thought he could survive no more, old man Dente found him.


    He was already fifteen years old then, malnourished, and in need of urgent medical attention. Old man Dente took him under his wing and became his mentor. He gave him shelter. He gave him food. He now had a new lease on life. A glimmer of hope.


    Until he found out old man Dente was also mafia. He rejected him, ran away from him, until old man Dente bashed some sense into him.


    You go out there again and you will die. You have no prospect of a future; you have no one to support you. You are born to be mafia. Take that name and turn it into something good. Be like a tree. Grow. Be stronger. Do better. Until you reach the top. Where the light of the sun shines only on you. Then you can reform. Change your status. Once you are up there, no one can touch you. You are your own destiny. Choose this path and make it yours.


    And that was what he did. He became a tree, absorbing all the nutrients of life, growing up little by little, learning all new life skills, until he¡¯d reached the top, and now, here he was, a fully-grown tree.


    He¡¯d amassed great fortune, but he also gave millions away. He¡¯d enabled the economy, but also supported the poor. He walked a fine line between good and evil. During the day, he had the face of an angel, a billionaire, and the star elite of public society. But when darkness hit, that mask came off. In the underground world where it was survival of the fittest, he was a mafia boss, a ruthless one who no one dared fuck with.


    This was now his life. And he would live like this until the very end. But now that Jennifer hade back into his life, he wanted to tip this bnce. Move more toward the societal side and leave behind his dark world. And he¡¯d been doing that for some time now.


    She was his blood life. She was his soul. If anything were to happen to her, he¡¯d fuck the world over to make it right again.


    Giovanni¡¯s mind grew distracted. Something on his desk caught his attention. He picked it up. It was that birthday card sent from his mother. She¡¯d sent him roses too, his favorite flowers, but he¡¯d thrown those away. How did the card appear on his desk?


    He walked to the trash bin and threw that away too. There was no use thinking of the past.


    He was about to head back to work when his phone rang. It was Finnie.


    ¡°Boss,¡± his underling said. ¡°I¡¯m on the way home. Miss Amelia is with me.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Jenny is not with us.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point. What are you trying to tell me?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still at the park. She said she¡¯ll take a taxi home.¡±


    His heart dropped. Not again. Not fucking again!


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± He yelled down the line. ¡°Why the fuck would she be at the park. She should still be in ss.¡±


    ¡°Boss. The sisters had a chat at this old caf¨¦. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too good. Jenny was crying her eyes out.¡±


    ¡°Fuck-¡± His heart was racing now, and he was panicking until he saw Finnie¡¯s caring up the driveway. He raced downstairs, and confronted him, but Amelia came through the door first.


    ¡°Amelia, what did you talk to Jay about? Why was she crying? Even though you¡¯re her sister, I will never forgive you if you hurt her.¡±


    ¡°You are still the same, Giovanni. After all this time, you could only think of her.¡±


    Giovanni was taken aback. She spoke like they had met before. Had he met Amelia before? Why couldn¡¯t he remember her?Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You should go to her,¡± she said to him. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°The same ce where you waited for her, from fourteen years ago.¡±


    Giovanni bolted into his car and drove to the site. By the time he got there, the sky had decided to make a mockery of his feelings by flooding the whole damn ce with rain. He pulled open his umbre, one hand on his phone, when he saw a message from his lover.


    Gio. I love you. Come back to me. I¡¯m waiting for you here now. At our promised ce.


    Giovanni¡¯s heart raced. Where was that ce? Where was that fucking tree? It had been long ago since he¡¯dst been here. His memory was grainy at best.


    He speed-dialed her number. He heard her pick up.


    ¡°Jay!¡± he shouted into the phone,peting against the sound of the torrential rain. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    But he couldn¡¯t hear her voice. The sound of the pounding rain was so loud, it rang in his ears.


    Fuck! He was mad. He was going to give her an earful when he found her and give her a punishment she truly deserved. Until he saw her, bundled up under the tallest beech tree and his heart contracted, and his memory of fourteen years ago came flooding back.


    He saw himself sitting andughing while his little friend Jennifer was making jokes. He saw himself hunched over with bruises on his face when he met her for the first time. He saw himself sitting beside her when she¡¯d offered him coffee. He remembered her pping his hand when he tried taking a peek at the coffee inside the white foam cup. All their happy memories had been of them sitting under that beech tree. His heart shook.


    ¡°Jay!¡± he shouted, and his voice just dissipated with the sound of the pounding rain. Until he saw her look up.


    ¡°Gio.¡± She gave him the sweetest, warmest smile he¡¯d ever seen, then he saw those tears in her eyes mixing with the raindrops rolling down her face. ¡°I¡¯m here now. I¡¯ve kept our promise. Come back to me.¡±


    His heart was beating faster and faster. Until the sound of the pounding rain ceased and all he could hear was his own heart. It was racing toward her. His Jay. His Jennifer. She¡¯d remembered him.

 #4鈥擟hapter 17

    The Most Beautiful Scenery is You Part 1


    ¡°Jay!¡±


    I looked up as soon as I heard that deep baritone calling my name. His was a voice I would recognize even in my sleep. I reacted immediately, climbing to my feet.


    ¡°Gio,¡± I called out, a broad smile stretching my face, my tears mixing in with the rain. ¡°I¡¯m here now. I¡¯ve kept our promise. Come back to me.¡±


    This man who everyone feared, this very man who had the world at the tip of his finger, was now running toward me, drenched in rain. His pristine white shirt, his ck chino pants and the Italian leather shoes, clothing that cost in the thousands of dors, were now drenched and soaked, a contrast to the immacte impression I had of him from four months ago.


    When I¡¯d first met him, I¡¯dpared him to Adonis, the statue. He was handsome and mysterious, cold and calctive. I¡¯d viewed him as untouchable, a man beyond my reach. He was my master, but now, he was more than that.


    I¡¯d seen himugh. I¡¯d seen him cry. I¡¯d seen him mad, and I¡¯d seen him sad. He was no longer a marble statue with a cold handsome face. He was a human being who had ws. But these ws were what attracted me to him. He was real and unbiased; he was honest and truthful. All these qualities made me love him for who he was, not what he was.


    We hade so far in our rtionship. We started off as maid and master, but now we were lovers, soulmates, bonded mates, and best friends. He was my heart and my soul. He was my everything.


    ¡°Jay,¡± he called me again from a distance, and I ran to him, jumping into his arms when he got close. The umbre slipped from his hand as he reached out to grab me. We both embraced each other under the falling rain. He immediately found my lips, kissing me with so much passion and desire.


    He ran his tongue to nt a kiss at the junction of my throat, and I arched for him, giving him better ess. He could kiss me, bite me, do whatever he wanted with me and I wouldn¡¯t care. Just knowing that I was now his Jennifer had cemented my belief that I would be his forever.


    I chased those lips, wanting those lips on me for a second time. I wanted him to feel me, this innate desire deep in my soul that only he could ignite.


    We kissed for the longest time, until he finally pulled back. I saw his eyshes glistening with droplets of rain, his slightly swollen lips where I had bitten. Giovanni Dente. He was the most beautiful scenery in my life. And I wanted to cement this memory in my heart forever.


    ¡°Gio. You came. You came,¡± I rasped next to his ear, running my tongue to lick the outer shell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not remembering you. I¡¯m sorry for forgetting our past.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond. He didn¡¯t need to. His action was enough for me to know he understood. He hugged me fiercely, encircling his arms around my body. This was his answer. He wasn¡¯t going to let me go. I was his forever.


    After fourteen years of separation, we were back with each other. Although we had grown up and matured during the space of that time, we still held the same innocent feelings toward each other. Friendship. Care. And love.


    I cupped the side of his face with my hand, my eyes locking with his. He gazed at me with that same intense look, filled with love and adoration. It was within these eyes that I¡¯d found love. Those deep midnight-ck soulful eyes. He was my star. He was my universe. He was my entire sr system, and I would perish if he disappeared.


    He was an open book. And to me, he gave ess to all the pages of his life. Because I was his special someone. And now I wanted to return the favor. I wanted him to know all my true feelings. I wanted to bare everything to him. Show him my heart, my soul, and my entire being.


    ¡°Gio,¡± I said, looking into his soulful eyes. ¡°I have a really bad memory. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t remember our past. But from now on, everything you say to me, everything you do for me, I will never forget them. I¡¯ll remember them all, Gio. I don¡¯t know if I have told you this, and if I did, I want to tell you again, that I like you, very, very much. I adore you, Gio. I love you, I want you, I can¡¯t ever, ever leave you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Gio. Only you.


    ¡°I want to be with you every day. And you can do anything you want to do with me. I give you permission. I¡¯m not just saying it just because we were childhood friends or because we are lovers now. I say it because these are my real feelings.


    ¡°Gio, you have totally captivated me, totally allured me, and now I have be totally intoxicated by you. I am only at my happiest when I am right here, in your arms. Gio, you are not just my lover. You are my best friend, my bosom friend, my partner, my boyfriend, my bond mate, my soulmate. You are my everything.


    ¡°I am totally devoted to you, love only you, because it has to be you. I don¡¯t want anyone else but you. It can¡¯t be anyone else but you. Only you, Gio. Only you canplete me. You are the only one for me.¡± I confessed everything to him. Bared all my feelings to him. I had nothing left to hide now. I needed for him to understand where we stand, and this was my intention.


    He gazed back at me with eyes full of adoration and love. ¡°Jay!¡± His voice quivered. ¡°Baby. I also adore you. I also love you. I don¡¯t want anyone else but you. I can¡¯t love anyone else but you. You are my entire soul. You are the air I need to breathe; you are the earth that keeps me grounded. You are the sun that makes me shine. My world would be dark without you.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore that you don¡¯t remember the past. I don¡¯t fucking care about the past anymore. What¡¯s more important are our present and future. You are my present, Jay. You are also my future. I want to love you more and more. In the past we forged our rtionship as friends, but now you are my lover, you are my life. I want to create memories with you, Jay. Each day. Every day. Until we grow old. I can¡¯t have anyone else, Jay. You are the only one for me. You are my special someone, my lover, my girlfriend, my partner in life. You are my soulmate and my best friend. I love you very, very much.¡±


    His deration was sincere, and it showed in his eyes, those deep midnight-ck soulful eyes I loved looking at so much. I gazed at them and saw my own future, right there with him.


    I held my hand out, the twin dragon ne in my palm. I wanted him to put it on me.


    His eyes widened as soon as he saw it. ¡°You found it?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Amelia kept it for me.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t need to. Actions spoke louder than words. He put the ne on me. I touched the pendant. After fourteen long years, the ne had now returned to its rightful owner.


    I stood on tiptoe and rasped next to his ear, ¡°Gio. I want you. I want to make love to you wearing only this ne.¡±


    Giovanni had a zed look in his eyes, and he immediately took my hand and dragged me to the nearest five-star hotel, checking us into the top floor. As soon as we reached the privacy of the room, his lips were on me.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    We didn¡¯t need words between us now. Our hearts understood everything.


    He shed my clothes then made quick work of removing his own. In an instant, he was on top of me, his lips kissing me everywhere.


    I was naked and I was his. I was his road map, and he wanted to memorize every bit of me. His hands, mouth, tongue traveled lower, touching, licking, tasting until they reached the center of my core. He parted my legs, angling one to position on his shoulder, to gain better ess.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­Gio.¡± I moaned, my whole body going hypersensitive. Every single fiber within my being lit up with sparks.


    ¡°You are my Jay. You are my Jennifer. I love you, and I want you. I want my cock deep inside of you, so you can feel all of me.¡±


    His words lit up a fire in my core, and I panted, also rasping out, ¡°Gio. Want you. Need you. Need you inside me. Please.¡±


    I could no longer speak in full sentences. My words were broken, as my desire took over. The heat inside of me caused my whole skin to perspire. I clung on to his strong shoulders as he entered me in one sleek move.


    ¡°Gio. You¡¯re so full inside me,¡± I moaned as he thrusted into me.


    ¡°Jay. My Jennifer,¡± he growled beside my ear, and my heart thumped harder. ¡°I love you. I fucking love you so much.¡±


    His words gave me wings, and I was flying and flying until I reached heaven. Yes, this was my heaven.

 #4鈥擟hapter 18

    The Most Beautiful Scenery is You Part 2


    She was the most beautiful scenery in his life. Her light-brown curls, damp from the rain, shone like liquid gold under the light of the room. Her cupid¡¯s bow lips, pink and swollen from their kiss in the rain. And right now, she was totally naked and on top of him, riding him like a fucking cowgirl.


    How the fuck she¡¯d learned that move, he hadn¡¯t a clue, but he was taking it in full stride. She was hot and heavy, and he was already sweating again, droplets dripping down his forehead. He watched as she lifted an inch off him, then mmed herself down, right on his erected cock. He roared, feeling the tightening of her pussy wrapped around him.


    God, she was perfect. She was custom-made for him. Shepleted him. She was the only one for him.


    After their sex, she¡¯d fallen asleep. It must have been a tiring day for her. He¡¯d kissed her damp forehead and covered her with a nket. He watched her sleep. She really was the most beautiful scenery in his life. She was the candle that lit up his dark world.


    Fourteen years ago, her bright smile lit him up and he saw a glimmer of hope, and now fourteen yearster, she was now his permanent light stick. She would always be his light that would guide him through the future. She was his future.


    He¡¯d always thought that having her as a lover was enough, but now he knew he needed her as more than a lover. He wanted her as a permanent fixture in his life. And for a woman like Jay, she didn¡¯t deserve to be called a lover for life. She needed a name, a recognition of status to stand beside him. And he¡¯d been thinking about it for a bit now. He wanted to give her something as a form ofmitment.


    That ne was not enough. That ne was their friendship gift from the past. Now, in this present time, when she was the most important person to him, she needed another gift, something that would bind her to him forever.


    He went out and came back a little over thirty minutester. It was a short trip, but he¡¯d hoped she was still asleep when he got back. And she was, still snoozing away. He was d as he¡¯d hoped to surprise her when she woke up. He took his gift out of the small box and slid it onto her left ring finger. It fit perfectly.


    ¡°Jay.¡± Giovanni¡¯s deep voice roused me from sleep.


    ¡°Gio.¡± I fluttered my eyes open and found my handsome man just sitting right there staring at me.


    Two can y this game.


    I repositioned myself to get morefortable and then stared right back at him.


    ¡°Am I beautiful?¡± I asked when he wouldn¡¯t break eye contact.


    ¡°Totally. Totally beautiful. I can¡¯t stop staring at you, Jay.¡± He just had a smug look on his face.


    ¡°Then maybe you should take a picture. Itsts longer,¡± I suggested.


    He smiled, that kind, genuine one that always made my whole heart swell up with love. ¡°Already did.¡±


    ¡°Ummm.¡± I sat up, and the bedsheets pooled around my waist, revealing my naked breasts to him.


    Giovanni¡¯s eyes started zing again. ¡°You look so fucking hot like that. Like a fucking goddess.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± And I opened my arms wide to invite him in for a hug. I wanted his hug.


    Heplied, leaning in, and before he realized it, I¡¯d tossed him on the bed and climbed on top of him, straddling him on his abs and pressing him down with the ts of my hands.


    ¡°Where did you fucking learn these moves, Jay?¡± He seemed surprised by my move.


    ¡°You. You were always tossing me around, so I thought I¡¯d try it myself, this tossing method. See, the key is to do it when the other recipient is not-¡±


    I blinked. I saw my ring finger. My left ring finger to be exact.


    I did not remember wearing an emerald stone ring the size of a golf ball before this. Unless¡­Unless¡­


    ¡°Gio¡­¡± My voice quivered. I wasn¡¯t sure what this was. And I was a bit scared to find out. But I needed to know.


    Giovanni took my hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed my knuckles and said, ¡°You are my best friend. You are my lover. You are my soulmate. You are my everything. But most importantly, I want you to know that I want to cherish you. I want to give you a permanent status.¡±


    ¡°Are you proposing to me?¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, fuck!¡± He pushed himself up to a sitting position, and now I was sitting on hisp. ¡°I fucking suck at wooing a woman.¡±


    I wrapped my arms around his neck. ¡°Gio, you don¡¯t need to woo me. I¡¯m already yours from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Still. You are precious to me. And I want to give precious things to my precious one.¡±


    ¡°Your kiss is precious. I want that too, please,¡± I said.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    And he was only too willing to oblige. ¡°That is totally fucking okay. I can give that any time of the day.¡±


    He kept his promise, doing so right then and there. He kissed me, giving me pecks everywhere, and I felt my sides go all warm and gooey with so much love.


    Holding me loosely in his arms, he watched me as I admired my ring.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± he asked with a lightness to his voice, as if he was asking for confirmation whether the gift he¡¯d given me was worth it.


    ¡°Totally beautiful.¡± And he looked smug, pleased with my answer.


    But I couldn¡¯t help wondering how much it had cost. The emerald stone was massive.


    ¡°Gio, how much is the ring?¡± I spilled out.


    ¡°Why do you wanna know?¡±


    I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Just curious.¡±


    ¡°About five,¡± he said.


    ¡°Five? Like five thousand?¡± I asked.


    Giovanni shook his head. ¡°Five hundred.¡±


    Five hundred? Did he just admit to buying me a budget five-hundred-dor ring? I thought engagement rings were in the thousands. Oh, well, it¡¯s the thought that counts, anyway. But the stone was massive. And it glinted in the light. I wondered if it was fake.


    ¡°Gio, are you sure this is not fake? I mean the stone is massive and it shines.¡±


    Giovanni had his mouth pped open like he couldn¡¯t believe the words that hade out of me.


    ¡°You think the ring is fake? You think I bought you a fake ring? Jay, my love for you is real. I¡¯m not that cheap. But since you think it¡¯s fake anyway, give it back. You don¡¯t need to have it.¡± He went to wrestle me for the ring.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m keeping it.¡± I shoved him off. ¡°You gave it to me already so it¡¯s mine now. And I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I just don¡¯t want you to get cheated, that¡¯s all. I mean, how can you get a five-hundred-dor ring with a stone that big, anyway. It looks so real.¡±


    Giovanni roughlybed fingers through hair. ¡°Because it is fucking real. And it¡¯s not five hundred dors. It¡¯s five hundred grand.¡±


    Now it was my turn to have my mouth pping open.


    I quickly tried to pull the ring off my finger when he caught my wrist. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Gio, I¡¯m a walking cash register. I have five hundred thousand dors on me. People can just rob me off the street. Take it back. It¡¯s far too dangerous. I can¡¯t wear it to school.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking it back. I gave it to you already. Wear it however you want.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­then¡­¡± I mulled over that for a bit. A light popped on in my head and I smirked. ¡°I know what to do. Thank you very much, Gio. I love it, and I will wear it every day. Close to my heart.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl.¡± And we started kissing again, until we were both pining for something more.


    ¡°Wanna do it again?¡± he whispered, and how did he know I was having the same thought? I replied back with a yes, please. And Giovanni stripped down for the second time. We enjoyed ourselves until we were both sated and my body turned to jelly.


    I was sprawled out on his chest this time, just casually listening to his heartbeat, when I heard him speak. ¡°Wanna know a secret?¡±


    I lifted up my head from myfortable position and gazed at him with azy smile on my face. ¡°I do. And you are an open book, and I now have all ess to your pages. Do tell.¡±


    ¡°A girl proposed to me once. When I was younger.¡±


    ¡°Really? Did you turn her down? I mean, you had to right, cause otherwise you wouldn¡¯t have proposed to me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t really turn her down. She¡¯s just way too young for me back then.¡±


    ¡°How young was this girl, anyway? I thought I was young enough for you, already. We almost have a ten-year age gap, you know. But I guess you are a hotmodity. Everyone wants you. I¡¯m just lucky enough to have captured you first, is all.¡±


    ¡°She was around five, I think.¡±


    ¡°Five?¡± I was shaking my head in disbelief. ¡°Wow, kids these days. I just can¡¯t believe it. What was she, infatuated with you or something?¡±


    ¡°You could say that. It happened fourteen years ago. Her name was Jennifer. And she proposed to me right under the beech tree.¡±


    My eyes grew wide as I understood his meaning.


    Oh, crap! That was me. I was that kid who had proposed to him.

 #4鈥擟hapter 19

    Totally Devoted


    Giovanni had never been so intently focused on anything like this before. How could he forget the face of the girl in his dream, the one who kept appearing after Jennifer had left. She was that girl who kept harassing him. And she had turned out to be Jennifer¡¯s sister, this mild-mannered woman who was sitting so refined in his lounge room.


    They both sat in silence, just waiting for the other to talk.


    She was the first one to speak. ¡°I should congratte you.¡±


    ¡°Jay told you?¡±


    ¡°She did. She was very happy. I¡¯ve never seen her this happy before.¡±


    Hearing this news put a smile on his face. If he could make his fianc¨¦e happy, he would do anything. He¡¯d be happy to move mountains and swim across oceans just for her.


    ¡°Have you decided on the date of your wedding yet?¡±


    ¡°No. We¡¯re going to wait it out. Jay wants to study first. We¡¯re not in any hurry. We¡¯ll just stay like this until we¡¯re ready.¡±


    Amelia just nodded, and another spell of silence followed. And then, as if she remembered something, she looked up at him again. ¡°Thank you, for saving me that day, too.¡±


    ¡°I did it because Jay asked me to,¡± he said, waiting for her to continue.


    ¡°Still, I want to thank you. Has Jen told you everything?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did.¡±


    ¡°I want to apologize for what I did in the past. About the ne. About everything that had happened to Jen, and to you. It had all started because of me.¡±


    ¡°You should stop talking about the past,¡± Giovanni told her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything. Jay has been hurt and so have you. Don¡¯t do this to yourself anymore, Amelia. Let go of the past. It¡¯s gone now. You can¡¯t turn back time.¡±


    ¡°I know. My sister has matured a lot since she lived with you. Giovanni. Please do me a favor. My sister is only neen. She¡¯s still so young. Please watch over her, cherish her, love her, take care of her as much as you can.¡±


    Giovanni sat straighter in his seat. ¡°You¡¯re saying that like you¡¯re about to leave us, Amelia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Giovanni. I¡¯ve been thinking about this for some time now. I want to leave this ce, leave this town, leave this country. Go somewhere far away, somewhere secluded, somewhere where no one knows me.¡±


    ¡°What about Jay? She needs you. You know how much she cares about you and idolizes you.¡±


    ¡°She has you. She doesn¡¯t need me anymore.¡±


    ¡°But she says she loves you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only her sister. You are her fianc¨¦,¡± Amelia stressed, and he got the point, but he just wanted to pass the message across that his fianc¨¦e really cared for her.


    He tried again. ¡°She worries about you.¡±


    ¡°I know she does,¡± Amelia said. ¡°But I need to learn how to stand on my own two feet again.¡±


    ¡°How far do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°As far as possible from here.¡±


    ¡°I think I know of a ce. I have a few properties there. If you don¡¯t mind going that far south, I think it¡¯s the perfect ce for you.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t one for eavesdropping, but for this one asion, the temptation was far too irresistible. I caved in, stering my ear against the oak door and listening intently to the conversation being held on the other side. Sadly, I only heard iprehensible murmuring between the two adults.


    Yes, adults. I, myself, was also an adult, having passed the good old age of eighteen since a year ago. But clearly, I was not significant enough to warrant a hearing between the two.


    As soon as Amelia had arrived about ten minutes earlier, Giovanni had kindly asked me to leave. When I didn¡¯t move my butt and just sat glued to her side, he dragged me up and onto my feet, then proudly shoved me out the door.


    Or so that was his n. I didn¡¯t give in to him easily, though. I challenged him to the very end, digging my feet into the carpeted floor, hoping to create enough resistance to stop his pull. But he was way ahead of my game, having known well in advance that I¡¯d use this trick. Afterall, he did witness this same action on our first encounter, having seen Bobby dragging me out the door to supposedly throw me over the bridge. Thank God that scenario never panned out.


    ¡°Please be careful with her.¡± Amelia¡¯s musical voice stopped us in our tracks, and we stood still like animated objects, only now realizing that we were behaving like two kids fighting over candies.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Jay is not as fragile as you think. We¡¯ve done it many times. She¡¯s unbreakable. Right, Jay?¡± Giovanni recovered first, mincing his words out to Amelia, all before turning to me and stering that shit-eating grin on his face.


    The bastard, he was clearly trying to embarrass me in front of my sister and talking about our sex life for goodness¡¯ sake. Where was the arrogant man who swore and hated to disy affection in public? Had he considered Amelia to be a part of his n, now?


    ¡°Giovanni, you-¡±


    My words got lodged in my throat as his lips sealed mine. Hot raging blood coursed through my veins, and I became aware of the sound of my heartbeat, the rhythmic thump in my chest, the heat on my face, and the soft fluttering feelings in my belly. No matter how many times he kissed me, I could never get enough. It was a full-minute mouth-devouring kiss, but for me, who had many experiences firsthand of what that mouth was capable of, it felt like only a split second had passed. I wanted it to be longer. So I chased after those lips, wanting them to seal over mine again, but he backed off, gently reprimanding me.


    ¡°Now behave. I have to talk to your sister,¡± he said, giving me a final kiss on my nose. It took me three heartbeats long to remember how to breathe again, and when I finally did react, the door was already firmly shut in my face.


    Trying to pry into other¡¯s people¡¯s business was tiring, so after a while, I sat on the floor, one ear still glued to the door, when a minute passed and a sudden push of the door toppled me over, and I ended up sprawled on the floor. Giovanni came into my view, his eyes peering at me.


    ¡°Hey, Gio, you¡¯re back. Has my sister gone upstairs?¡± I opted to ask him instead, craning my neck to see the absence of my sister in the room next door.


    ¡°What are you doing on the floor, Jay?¡± He questioned, looking at me through suspicious eyes.


    His eyes really were his downfall. Even when he shouted, cursed or was hell-bent on having his own way, his soulful midnight-ck yes always spoke the truth. Those eyes told me he would never hurt even a fly.


    I gazed up at them and remembered my lost stars, my ultimate universe. They were all in there, every unknown course, I only had to look at those eyes to get my answers.


    ¡°Me? Haha.¡± My mind was able to kickstart again when I saw the scowl on his face. ¡°I¡¯m admiring your ceiling. Have you noticed there¡¯s a cobweb on that corner there?¡± I teased him, pretending to shake my head in horror. But the truth was, the house was super clean. I continued my charade. ¡°Tsk, tsk, Gio. Since I became your fianc¨¦e, who¡¯s been managing the house. Disgraceful. Disgraceful indeed. Should I apply to be your maid instead, at least the house would be clean.¡±


    He tsked back at me. ¡°Get up.¡±


    ¡°Help me up?¡± I extended my hand out, reaching for him to take me in his arms.


    Giovanni must be in a good mood. Heplied. If we were to put this scenario back a few months ago when I was still his maid, I¡¯d surely get a smack on my bum. But now, all he did was smile and pull me up.


    But I had other ideas. Yes, he was stronger than me. Yes, he was pulling me, but I had the force of gravity on my side. Using my whole body as leverage, I pulled him down. He copsed on top of me, extending his arms to brace for impact before I was squashed beneath him.


    ¡°Jay!¡± he growled. ¡°What the fuck did you-¡±


    I kissed him. Right on his lips, cutting off his words before he could swear again. ¡°No cursing. And before you ask why I kissed you, it¡¯s because we didn¡¯t get to finish our business from before.¡±


    Giovanni was stunned for a full three seconds, probably astonished at how bold I¡¯d be. I gave him another peck on the lips, and he responded with more nk stares.


    ¡°Well? What did my sister say?¡± I prompted him.


    ¡°Your sister. She¡­¡± And suddenly he caught on. ¡°You need to offer me something in exchange for that information.¡±


    Oh, he was a smart one, so sly like a snake. I liked it. I offered him more kisses.


    ¡°Is that enough? Would you like more?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A bit more.¡± He smiled sheepishly like a kid being offered candy. I was his candy, and he sure loved me.


    I kissed him again and again. On his cheeks, forehead, and nose. After I was done, I waited, smirking in a side smile. ¡°Well, was that enough?¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± he reluctantly said, getting up and resting on the couch behind him. I climbed onto hisp, wrapping my arms around his neck.


    ¡°So, what did my sister need to talk to you about that you had to shove me out the door?¡± I asked him sweetly, ying with his shirt cor.


    ¡°Amelia is moving to New Zend.¡±


    My heart dropped to my stomach, and my fingers dropped to myp. I fiddled with the sleeve of my shirt, worried about this issue. I didn¡¯t want to sound clingy nor expose to Giovanni that I had a sisterplex, but I¡¯d just found Amelia again, and now she¡¯d be moving away. The thought just didn¡¯t sit right with me. I didn¡¯t want to part from her yet. But if she chose to go, then maybe I should follow her. I could attend varsity there, too. Gio could survive on his own. Heck, he sure could survive without me.


    After what she¡¯d gone through with Niks Lorenzo, I was worried she was still too fragile to be on her own. And so, after chewing on my lips senselessly and mulling this idea for all of five seconds, I shouted out, ¡°Gio, I might-¡±


    He pinched my cheek, and I yelped like a cat in surprise. ¡°Ow, Gio. What was that for?¡±


    ¡°If you are thinking of moving to New Zend with your sister, you better think again. I will not part with my three million dors.¡±


    I opened my mouth in horror. ¡°Gio, how could you say that? I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e. I should think I¡¯m worth more than three million dors.¡±


    I pulled away from him, my face scrunched up in annoyance.


    I turned to get off hisp when my world tilted and I ended up back on the floor, with Giovanni¡¯s heavy body pressing on top of me.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why do you look so sad? I was only joking. You did start out as my three million dors.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true though. If I¡¯m not your fianc¨¦e, would I have to pay back that three million dors?¡±


    ¡°Jay, why are you even asking that question? Do you n on having an affair behind my back?¡± And then he gazed at me rather suspiciously. ¡°Do you have a guy hiding in your closet?¡±


    ¡°Sheesh, stop with the affair and the man hiding in the closet thing already. The only thing I have in the closet are my clothes and yours. And plus, why should I have an affair when I¡¯m already happily having an affair with you.¡±


    ¡°Damn right you should only be having an affair with me.¡± He kissed me subtly and passionately as his apology. When we parted, I said, ¡°You know, we really should learn how tomunicate better.¡±


    ¡°Damn right, we should.¡±


    ¡°Totally.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. Any more adverbs we can add to this?¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t think of one.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry about before.¡± I fiddled with his shirt cor again. ¡°But regarding my sister, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right for her to move so far away from us.¡±


    ¡°Jay, you have got to remember how we rescued her from Lorenzo. She¡¯s not safe here if she stays in America. Lorenzo has people working all over the states, and in no time, he¡¯d trace where she¡¯s been, and he wille hunting for her. Mark my word. The only safe ce for her is good old New Zend. It¡¯s quiet, secluded, and far away from his people. I fucking doubt he¡¯d look for her there, anyway. Lorenzo¡¯s power doesn¡¯t reach across the Pacific Ocean.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to know. But I suppose if she wanted to get as far away as possible from here, there¡¯s also the possibility of Antarctica, but that wouldn¡¯t be feasible given it¡¯s like a blizzard every day, plus living with six months of daylight and six months in the darkness could drive anyone up the roof. And my sister is no exception. So good old New Zend it has to be,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°But I¡¯ll miss her.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll miss you, if you leave.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯ll only be like a year or two. Until she¡¯s strong enough again.¡±


    ¡°Jay, I think you¡¯re underestimating your sister. She¡¯s a strong woman. For a person toe out of that hellhole and still stand up like that, she¡¯s fucking strong.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I wanted to help her. She survived that hellhole. Leaving her alone would be too much of a risk. She¡¯s too vulnerable right now.¡±


    ¡°Jay. How can I exin this to you? This is what she wanted. She said she wants to stand up on her own two feet again.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°This is what she wants.¡±


    ¡°She said that?¡±


    ¡°You can talk to her.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what she wanted, then I respect her decision. But I can go visit her?¡±


    ¡°Totally.¡±


    ¡°Like every three months?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then I¡¯ll go-¡±


    Giovanni dragged me back into hisp. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°To go talk to Amelia now. She should be in her room.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you talk enough to your sister already? You talk to her during the morning, afternoon, dinner, even at night. She¡¯s not the only one needing attention.¡± And he suddenly lifted me up, carrying me like his bride to God knows where.


    ¡°Wow, Gio. Where are you taking me?¡± I screeched, my hands winding around his neck for support.


    ¡°To our bedroom. I need attention.¡±


    ¡°No, Gio. It¡¯s broad daylight. The guys are around the corner. This is so embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°I never heard youin when we¡¯re fucking. Now you¡¯re embarrassed?¡±


    ¡°But, Gio.¡± In one ear and out the other. He ravished me like a starved beast, and by the time he was done, I was thoroughly devoured in ces I dare not mention. Once we regained strength again, I said, ¡°Hey, Gio. Thanks for helping my sister. I owe you big time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s an additional payment.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked seductively. ¡°And how should I repay you?¡±


    ¡°By staying by my side and loving me more and more each day. By creating memories with me and never forgetting me.¡±


    His words touched my heart, and my lips worried. ¡°I may have forgotten you in the past, but I promise you that from this day forward, I¡¯ll cherish all our memories. I¡¯ll get a diary and start writing our memories down. I¡¯ll film us, so we can store those memories on a hard drive. And if one day we grow old and I lose my memory, I¡¯ll have this backup data. But most importantly, this here,¡± I ced his palm t on my chest. ¡°Can you feel my heart beating? This here is the databank of our memory. My heart here would never forget you. I am utterly, fully,pletely¡­ uh, what are other adverbs I can use¡­oh yeah, and totally, totally devoted to you.¡±


    ¡°Jay, you are making me crazy with your silly proses. Every day you surprise me. Every day you make me love you more. And I am so totally and fucking utterly devoted to you, too.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked. And he confirmed, with that signature side smirk of his, before we sealed our lips together.


    ¡°Absolutely. Totally fucking devoted.¡±

 #4鈥擟hapter 20

    My One and Only


    Two Months Later


    I dotted the i¡¯s and crossed all the t¡¯s, just in time for the bell to ring, indicating that the exam had drawn to a close. Not a second ticked by before paper rustled and the sounds of feet shuffled out the exam hall. I jetted out of my seat, too, passing the exam paper to the front desk, and flew out the door, screeching to a halt when a crowd of first-year students blocked my way. But that didn¡¯t deter me. I plowed through the condensing crowd like a bulldozer on a field of cornflower. Either they made way for me or I¡¯d knock them off their feet.


    Nothing would stop me from my world of freedom. My exam was over, and for two whole months, I wouldn¡¯t have to think about school again.


    Fresh air whipped my face the second I stepped outside. The summer was here, and I couldn¡¯t wait to go on vacation. I nced at my watch, the one Giovanni had given me for my birthday.


    Thinking my sister must be up and awake at this hour, I speed-dialed her number. Three heartbeatster, she picked up the call.


    ¡°Morning, Jen.¡± The voice of my sister whiffed into my ear, and I smiled, my cell phone tucked under one ear, while my hands were busy shoving papers and pens into my backpack. ¡°How did it go?¡±


    She remembered. She knew I¡¯d call her after I finished my exam.


    ¡°I think I aced it,¡± I replied cheerfully, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.


    ¡°You think?¡± my sister asked in that nagging tone of hers, and I found I missed this, her nagging at me because I knew she only wanted the best for me. ¡°Please tell me you studied for your examst night?¡±


    And herst sentence caught me off guard.


    Last night?


    Last night. Hahaha¡­


    Gosh! I was bad at lying. The memory ofst night shed before my eyes like a sh of lightning, making me also forget to breathe. Last night was epic. Last night was spectacr. If only I didn¡¯t almost runte for ss, thenst night would have to be the best night of my life.


    Last night, I¡¯d told Giovanni that I specifically have an exam the next day. And what was his response? He explicitly exined to me that I must rx, offering me the advice he always lived by.


    Stress before the exam would do me more harm than good.


    And what did we dost night? He thoroughly made love to me twice, saying that this was the only remedy to relieve stress. I was so out of energy that today I¡¯d almost woken upte.


    Of course, being the perfect fianc¨¦ that he was, he said he¡¯d shoulder the responsibility and drive me to school. Of course, I¡¯d told him not to, or else the whole school would be in an uproar. A red Maserati parked at the front gate of campus? What an eyesore. No way, Jose. I¡¯d rather let Bobby take me. At least he wouldn¡¯t cause a scene. Giovanni would shine too much. And I was reluctant to show him off to my peers. Whatever I did in my personal life was my business. No one needed to know.


    And so I¡¯d bounced off the bed, washed myself up, and hurriedly ate breakfast and made it just on time before being disqualified for the test. Luckily, I did well, or else I would berate Giovanni for making me fail my test.


    ¡°Jen, are you there?¡± My sister¡¯s voice woke me up from my daydream, and I geared back to reality.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, sorry, what did you say?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I said, have you studied for your test?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did. Who do you think I am, Mel? You know how smart your sister is. I will pass. I know it. I feel good after the test so I¡¯m fifty percent sure I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°Only fifty percent?¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, make that seventy percent. Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t have trouble answering any of the questions, so I¡¯ll ace for sure.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she said, her voice a bit quieter than normal. She sounded a bit off. Maybe life in New Zend wasn¡¯t what she had expected. But she had to get away. It was safer for her there.


    ¡°You okay, Mel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just miss you and I¡¯m a bit tired. What time is it over there?¡±


    ¡°Close to three p. m. now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s seven a. m. here.¡±


    ¡°That early?¡± I sted out and hoped I didn¡¯t st her eardrum, too. ¡°Oops, sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to shout so loud. Just surprised, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m so sorry for calling you at this hour. I was just too excited, and I missed you. You wanna go back to sleep? I¡¯ll end the call now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Jen. I couldn¡¯t sleep anyway. It was good that you called. I missed you too.¡±


    I¡­something was clearly wrong.


    ¡°Mel, are you okay? Did you¡­¡± My words were left unspoken, but she clearly knew what I was talking about, and clearly this subject was a sensitive one for her. After what she had experienced with Niks Lorenzo, who wouldn¡¯t end up with scars.


    When I thought back about our circumstances, each of us almost experienced the same fate. Both being sold to mafia bosses; both had lived with the mafia bosses for over four months. But our simrities ended there. Whereas she silently endured all the torment Niks bestowed upon her, I had Giovanni who cherished and adored me. Even though I was his maid in the beginning, I never did suffer any misdeed or misconduct by him. Listening to my sister¡¯s story always made my heart bleed, and at this very moment I wanted to jump on a ne and fly over the Pacific Ocean just so I could be there next to her andfort her, tell her that it¡¯s okay because we¡¯re family and I was here to help. I¡¯dy on herp, with her gently stroking my hair while she¡¯d tell me stories of what she¡¯d been up to while we were apart. Gosh, I missed her.


    Giovanni was right. Amelia was far safer in New Zend than here, where Niks and his men could easily track her down and hurt her again. She was in a better ce now. But that still didn¡¯t stop that gnawing feeling inside my heart, knowing that she must be so lonely over there without any friends around.


    Amelia wasn¡¯t always like this. She was always surrounded my friends. Everyone loved her. Men, women, all of them were her friends. She was the star of her whole school. And her beauty wasn¡¯t just the main factor that determined her poprity. It was because she was so damn kind and sweet. Soft gentle spoken words, like an English rose.


    How I wished I could go live with her, at least to help ease her loneliness, but she had firmly held her decision, demanding that I stay with Giovanni. This was her life, and she chose this path. She said my life was my own road to take.


    Sometimes, I wished our fate could be reversed. I was sure I wouldn¡¯t take crap from a guy like Niks. But then again, I might not even survive that long anyway, what with my oundish personality. Niks would surely kill me on the first day I opened my mouth. He looked like the type of guy who wouldn¡¯t stand a person like me.


    My sister was strong. She was so unlike me. Such a resilient person, strong like a mountain, yet so soft, like Mother Earth, with a heart as warm as the sun. Nothing could break her, but I feared the experience she¡¯d gone through with Niks Lorenzo had already changed her. I just hoped she¡¯d find her own happiness soon. Maybe she¡¯d meet a guy in New Zend and fall in love. That would be nice. At least she could forget about that awful experience with Niks.


    ¡°I miss you,¡± I told her. ¡°I want to go see you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Jen,¡± she chided me. ¡°You have more tests, right?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m done. That was thest one. And I will be taking that flight to see you next week.¡±


    ¡°Send me the detailster. I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    ¡°So what else have you been up to since I moved here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing much. But I have some gossip about Crispin.¡± And I started rambling on about my friend and his new job at Caf¨¦ Love Sick.


    Amelia listened intently. After I finished my story, she quietly said in a voice I almost couldn¡¯t hear, ¡°I¡¯m going to go now.¡±


    And my worry came back with a fierce punch. ¡°Mel, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Jen. I¡¯m just tired, that¡¯s all. We¡¯ll talk tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, wishing time could move faster so I could go see my sister sooner. ¡°Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you, too.¡± And she hung up.


    I really hoped she was coping okay. In a week¡¯s time I¡¯d travel to New Zend by myself. Well, to Cromwell to be precise. Gio wouldn¡¯t being, so in a way, it would be quite exciting. Just me and my sister, together like old times. But still, I couldn¡¯t help thinking there was something off with her.


    Maybe she really was tired since it was so early in the morning, and I had called her. Well, now she could rest.


    As I was about to shove my phone into my jeans pocket, it rang again. I was surprised to see it was from Giovanni. He didn¡¯t usually call at this time of day. Around this time, he was usually in meetings with his underlings and businesspeople.


    A thought struck me. Maybe he wanted me to buy him dinner?


    Now that¡¯s a funny thought. I never thought he¡¯d ask me to buy him dinner again. Especially not with the seafood saga when I almost poisoned him to death six months ago. Remembering that thought cracked me up, and I almostughed into the phone but managed to school myself before taking the call.


    ¡°Hello, Gio,¡± I greeted him.


    ¡°Jay. Where are you?¡± The voice of my man boomed right into my ear, making my heart race at an uneven rhythm. With Giovanni, there was never any pleasant greeting. It¡¯s either a demand or an order. Not that I cared, because I found this particr trait of his to be so appealing.


    ¡°At school,¡± I chirped back, my fingers going to touch the 500K ring around my neck. I got used to wearing it to school now, right under my shirt. Like I said, no one needed to know what was going on in my personal life.


    ¡°Good. Come to the east entrance.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh? Why?¡± I was suspicious. Why to the east entrance, not that I wasn¡¯t already heading that way, since that was the direction where Caf¨¦ Love Sick was located.


    I was nning to make a surprise visit to meet Crispin. He started working there as a waiter a few weeks back, just to help with tuition fees. Actually, I just wanted to catch up on thetest gossip between Dawson and him.


    Dawson was practically wooing Crispin, but Crispin being the hardheaded stubborn self that he was, refused outright, telling me in words I quote, ¡°There¡¯s no way I can like him. I¡¯m as straight as a ruler.¡± To which I replied, ¡°Some rulers are bendy.¡±


    Crispin only responded back by smacking his forehead in astonishment at the analogy I used. I was clearly only giving him advice like a true friend should.


    But maybe he was still in that denial stage. What could I say, he liked me for a long time, but being unable to return his feelings, he might have felt repressed. I wished I could love him more, but I couldn¡¯t change my heart, just like he was so adamantly certain that Dawson wasn¡¯t the one for him. But I had to respect his decision. If he didn¡¯t like Dawson, then it¡¯s too bad for Dawson. No matter what Crispin decided, I¡¯d be standing by his side.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you here.¡± Giovanni¡¯s seductive voice lured me back to the present, and my legs reacted faster than my head. I sprinted straight to the east entrance, each step consuming the distance so fast, I saw him a minuteter, his perfectly sculptured body in an Armani suit, long legs elegantly posed, body reclining back to rest against the red Maserati. He lifted up his hand, waving at me, his mouth smirking into a thin line I found almost snobbish at first, but now so endearing and adorable.


    Giovanni Dente. He¡¯s my fianc¨¦, my lover, my life, my everything. Although our story was like a paperback romance novel, so unreal in the beginning, when it came to thest page, everything all came together in a perfect bow.


    This summer I¡¯d turned neen, and a chapter of my life hade to a close, but the future was yet uncertain. There may be obstacles in our lives, but we¡¯d been through hell and back. We¡¯d became friends, lost our ways through the road of life, but destiny had led us back into each other¡¯s arms again.


    Giovanni Dente. He¡¯s the man I love and the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Because I knew in this lifetime, no one could captivate me as much as he; no one could lure me as much as he. He intoxicated me and vowed to be devoted only to me and for this, he was my one and only.


    I ran to him, and he opened his arms wide, taking me in for a hug, so tight, I felt warm and cozy within his embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯vee to pick you up, Jay. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    I stayed cocooned in his embrace. Yes, Giovanni. You are my one and only. You are my home.


    The end.


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