~Zia~
Spent, sweaty yet damn satisfied, Xavier and I remained tangled with one another. We indeed made up for the lost time.
I’m nestled above Xavier; my stomach pressed on his torso, chin resting on the back of my hands splayed flat on his chest.
I shifted to free one hand and traced the contour of his torso, counting the dust of hairs on his chest as if we had all the time in the world.
Xavier gazed down at me; his slender fingers resumed brushing my hair.
“It looks good on you,” he mumbled, making my brows arched.
“What? Spent and satisfied?”
He shook his head. “The look of a well-loved woman.”
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~Zia~The gentle wisp of Paris October air seeped through my black attire, a half-sleeved, A-line knee-length dress. My hair cascades in curtains of waves over my shoulder, a smile etched on my lip as I lift my cup, taking a sip of my flat white.The sun had just set. Amber lights flickered one by one around us and above. The outdoor table Xavier and I got at this local coffee shop on the edge of the city reminds me of a romantic scene from the last novel I’ve read.My husband, sporting a gray turtleneck, dark jeans, and leather jacket, stares back at me, green eyes mirroring the same eager adoration I’m giving him.“Nervous?” my husband asked, crossing his arms over his chest, eyes scanning the hotel across the street.
~Zia~Soft surface hugged my body from head to toe, yet my muscles were sore in the worst possible way, as if I’d been lying on solid ground for days.Slowly, memories of Ashley and Paris came flooding back to me. And Xavier.Thoughts of my husband, Ashley throwing a grenade towards Xavier, and the ear-piercing explosion that arose had my heart pumping out of my chest. Blinding white lights met my gaze as I forced my eyelids to part.Groaning, I pressed my eyes close as my hand came up to my forehead. I became vaguely aware of the loud pounding in my head that mirrors the rapid beating of my heart.“Zia,” I heard Xavier’s voice, which further ignited my desire to open my eyes.
~Zia~It felt like we’d been hugging each other forever, standing by the side of Lorenzo’s crib; the child was unaware of the tears that flooded Nadia and I’s cheek.Nadia kept mumbling her apologies. She didn’t have to, though, because I’ve already forgiven her. I’ve come to terms with her choices. Not that I approve of what she did, but I should move forward and relish what I have at this moment.After setting one foot on the gates of hell twice in the span of five months, I knew life was a fragile gift, one that could be taken away from me in the blink of an eye. I have to do what I must do while I still have the time on my hands. And one of my to-do things is to reconnect with my family, which includes forgiving them, not just in words but in the true sense that would lessen t
~Zia~Mutiny. Traitors breached the rank of the mafia. A rebellion aimed to put this family down. These people came into the family with a purpose, and we’re about to learn what they want.This is something that any mafia clan wouldn’t want to hear.Omerta is a sacred bond, yet someone infiltrated the system, if not more.My heart stuck in my throat as I watched my father glanced at me, mom and Erik. He seemed unfazed by the news, yet I knew very well that this would be the most demanding challenge the American mafia would ever face from what I learned through my training.Each second that flew by, we could hear people’s outcries, both from allies and traitors. We’re unsure anymore about who is on our
~Zia~We’ve managed to extract ourselves from the mansion unharmed. Not even a bullet scratch, but our morals have been bruised, crushed down, and stomped over by betrayal of the people we considered as our family. The enemy breached our ranks. I could only imagine how Dad was feeling.As soon as we hit the highway, I grabbed my phone, waiting for the advice to light up since I turned it off for safety precautions through the entire ordeal. Messages came through. Beep after beep, and before I could open one of Xavier’s many messages, my phone rang.It was Xavier.I didn’t let a second thick by and slide in the green button, taking the call.“Zia!” His voice seemed hoarse and wary. He heard about
~Zia~Our lips moved against one another, gentle, searching and asking for anything to make us feel alive.The kiss wasn’t filled with lust. It was filled with the need for love, warmth, and hope in our world that has turned unrelenting and cold. We need each other to have and to hold, just like our vow, just like what this wedding band in our fingers meant.My hands gripped his shoulder tightly, holding on to him, unwilling to let go, to stay here with my husband.I seamed his lower lip, asking him to let me in. When his lips parted, I slid my tongue between them, begging him to lose himself in me. His hands came up to my hips, nails digging painfully, making me hiss against his mouth.“Zia…” Xavier
~Zia~The sight that bombarded me when I descended the stairs puzzled me. I was expecting Xavier and Calvin to gut each other’s throat, not that I was hoping for it, but this was the least I predicted with everything that’s happened.Ammunition and firearms, from handguns, knives to assault rifles, are scattered everywhere I glance. Xavier, Mom, Dad, the rest of the team, my sister, and her people are arming themselves, wearing a mask of confidence.We’re going to war.A loud crashing of metal against the floor grabbed my attention from studying my family. I saw a glimpse of Calvin in the kitchen, arming himself with a bulletproof vest, surrounded by a few more of Nadia’s men.“Xavier,” I n
~Zia~“Where is my grandson?” the man who slit Francine’s throat asked, his thick brows arched, head tilting to the side, seizing my husband up. Brown eyes, burning with a hunger for blood, starred into Xavier’s hues.Like what we expected, the moment Xavier stepped out of the car, armed men from the opposing side surrounded them. They’ll never play fair. We are mere pawns in his game of death, and he plays an award-winning role of a devil.Xavier glanced around at the men surrounding him as if they’re nothing but mere mortals, and he’s fucking above them.That’s my husband right there. He’d look death straight in the eyes and would never show a hint of fear. ‘Death should be afraid of me,’ that’s wh