Alexander Vittorio POVWe’re lying on our sides, and with Anya in my arms, her naked body nestled against mine, we just stare at each other. I don’t know what I did to deserve this miracle, but I’m so fucking thankful I have her back. Slowly, I keep brushing my fingers through her hair, drinking in every inch of her beautiful face.“I love you,” I whisper.“I love you too.”Hearing her say the words and knowing she’s mine to keep, a smile lifts the corners of my mouth.Finally.“I love you,” I say again.She lets out a chuckle. “I love you too.”Anya uses her body to push me onto my back before she straddles me. I’ve been hard for a while, but I don’t push her to have sex again. I remember she was sore the first two times, and the last thing I want to do is hurt my woman.She brushes the tip of her finger over the bullet wound on my shoulder. “How did you get this scar?”I let out a chuckle, and still unable to lie to her, I admit, “Viktor shot me.”Her eyes widen, and she gasps. “Wha
Anya de Luna POVLifting Vincent out of his car seat, I set him down so he can run to the playground, where Jonas is waiting for him.“I have a Daddy,” he shouts for everyone to hear.Grinning from ear to ear, I walk to where Rosemarie is sitting on a bench.I take a moment to peek into the stroller and brush my hand over Roman’s hair. “Hi, sweetie.”He’s chewing on a teething ring looking content to be at the park.Smiling at Rosemarie, I say, “Sorry for keeping you waiting.”“I’ve only just gotten here.” Her eyes scan my face. “It feels like it’s been ages since I last saw you. How are you doing?”Has it been that long?After doing a quick calculation, I chuckle, “It’s been three days.”“When you’re worried about your friend, it’s an eternity,” she mutters.To put her at ease, I say, “I’m good, Rosemarie. There’s no need to worry.”A smile brightens her face. “So, I’ve noticed Xander’s hardly home. Is there something you want to share?”I check on Vincent, and when I see him on the
Alexander POVWatching Anya relax makes me relax. I was worried she’d want to leave early, but the food is almost ready, and it looked like she was having fun.“How did you and Viktor meet?” she asks Rosemarie.Oh, Fuck. I spoke too soon.“I kidnapped her,” Viktor mutters from the grill.Anya laughs, “Funny.” She glances at Rosemarie again. “So, how did you meet?”“No, really. Viktor kidnapped me a week before my eighteenth birthday.”Anya’s mouth drops open, then her eyes flit to Isabella. “But I thought you saved people from sex slavery?”Jesus Christ.Before I can jump in, Viktor says, “I waited until Rosemarie was twenty-one. Give me credit.”Rosemarie places her hand on Anya’s arm. “He was the perfect gentleman. He basically saved my life by kidnapping me. Then he let me go and had to save me again. Now he’s stuck with me for life.”“Oh,” the word pops from Anya, then she gives Isabella an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. The words came out before I could censor them.”“It’s okay.” I
Anya de Luna's POVXander has been constantly asking when we’re moving in with him. The man doesn’t understand it takes time to pack up an entire life. Of course, he’s offered to bring men over to help, but that’s where I put my foot down. This is something I want to do myself.During the day, I go to work, and at night we pack a couple of boxes. It’s become our routine. I like taking my time, that way, I can get used to the idea of living with Xander.Sitting behind the counter in the bookstore, I listen to Vincent talking to his cars while I place an order for new books. One of those books is The Art of War by Sun Tsu.I want to read it and see why Alexei loves it so much.My thoughts turn to the BBQ, and I must admit, I enjoyed it a lot. And Rosemarie was right. Everyone seemed pretty normal.I don’t know what I expected. Maybe guns and men smoking cigars while plotting the end of the world?I let out a bark of laughter. What a stupid thought.Anyway, I’m impressed with Isabella an
Alexander Vittorio POVI’m still angry as fuck at that idiot who tried to make a move on my woman, then insulted her in front of me.The memory of burying two bullets in Bernie's gut and ordering Peter to let him bleed out before disposing of the body is the only thing keeping me calm.It’s been a fucking week, and Anya is taking her sweet time packing. We’ve already put Vincent to bed, and my boy is in dreamland, yet it doesn’t look like we’ll be going to bed soon.I glare at the box of linen, then mutter, “Why do you like to make me suffer?”She gives me a surprised look. “What do you mean? I haven’t done anything.”I give the box another glare. “You’re taking forever to pack. Are you doing it on purpose?”She climbs to her feet and lifts her chin. “Don’t take your foul mood out on me.”Instantly I school my face into that of a saint. “I’m sorry, moya malen'kaya lyubov'. It’s just as soon as I have you and Vincent safely in my place, I can go to the Philippines to take care of busin
Alexander Vittorio POVAfter I have Mama settled in a seat, I sit down beside her and take hold of her hand.I wait for the private jet to take off and reach flying altitude before I look at her and say, “I have a lot to tell you.”She frees her hand from mine and rests her palm against my jaw. “You’ve changed. There’s no sorrow in your eyes.”“Remember Anya, the girl who was in captivity with me?”“The one your father killed?”“Yes.” A smile spreads over my face. “She didn’t die.”Shock registers on my mother's face. “God is good.”“I’m going to marry her,” I inform Mama. I take hold of her hand again, then say, “I have a son, Mama. Anya named him after Marc Vincent.”Mama’s face crumbles, her grief for the loss of her eldest still unbearable.I wrap my arms around her and pull her to my chest, then whisper, “Vincent is three years old. He’s amazing. I can’t wait for you to meet your grandson.”She clings to me as she sobs, “You’re a papa.”“Yes. I can’t tell you how incredible it is
Alexander Vittorio POVMy heart is beating out of my chest as I stop the G-Wagon in front of Anya’s house.“This house?” Mama asks, her eyes wide as she glances around the neighborhood.“Yes. I’ve already installed a state-of-the-art security system, and you’ll have a guard with you twenty-four-seven.”Mama pats my cheek. “You take such good care of me.”“Let’s go.”We climb out of the vehicle, and I wrap an arm around my mother’s shoulders as I walk her to the open front door, where Anya is already waiting.My woman looks nervous as fuck, and there’s fear darkening her eyes.I give her a comforting smile, and as we reach her, I switch from Russian to English. “Mama, this is Anya.”My mother stares at the woman whose supposed death broke me.“So beautiful,” Mama says. She glances at Anya up and down. “And healthy.”“Ahh…thank you.” Anya takes a cautious step closer. “It’s such a pleasure meeting you.”Mama stares at Anya until my woman gives me a panicked look.I move closer to Anya a
Aryana Joy Monteverde Santini POVDespite the hardship, I would have to open up the food business – Tambayan Rolling Barrel Bar & Restaurant at Ermita, Manila, Philippines.I couldn’t help but smile and look back on the days I started to work here when I officially left my life in Quezon City. Placing my hand on top of my head and thinking of my life and my future, I wanted a normal life as what I envisioned during my childhood days.I looked so much like my mother who married my father in a different fashion which I was so grateful for. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to look into her face and see the familiar features of me.“You’re silly,” I remember my mother joking with me, making her giggle. I handed her the whisk and helped her step up on her stool so that she could reach the counter. “Whisk together all of the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, okay?”I nodded and clumsily mixed everything together, having the time of my life as some of it splattered on the coun