Pov: Bianca"Bia!"I turned around at the sound of Justin's voice with a giddy smile on my lips but when I saw him hobble over to me, barely hanging on to his crutches, the smile fell from my face and an alarmed, concerned expression took its place as I stared at his bruised and beaten form."Justin-" I whispered and ran to meet him the rest of the way but the words died at my throat when I was finally upon him and I saw that he was sporting a black eye. His face was swollen and purple to the point that he looked like an eggplant. And he seemed to be in tremendous pain, wincing with every step he took."Hey, what happened to you?" I whispered. "Shouldn't you be in the hospital.""I... I-" he wheezed. "I needed to see you... To deliver a message." He exploded into a coughing fit and when he finally stopped, he continued. "He'd kill me if I don't."I paled, "wha- what are you talking about?""I can't see you anymore.""What?!" I asked, more confused than shocked.He started coughing aga
Pov: BiancaThe music had stopped and it seemed like everyone was having a front row seat at the altercation and my humiliation."Run." He growled, cold anger permeating the air so heavily, it skitted down my spine and I tasted animosity on my tongue. "And don't stop running, or so help me God, I will put a bullet through your spine."The man scrambled up to his feet and scurried away.With a nod of his chin, the music started again and everyone went back to what it was they were doing before. As if Andre had not just threatened to murder someone for dancing with me."Have you lost your fucking mind?" I yelled at him, shoving his chest, fed up with his hot cold way of treating me.He didn't even move. I could very well have just tried to move a brick wall."I'd be careful if I were you, Bianca," he said, his voice quiet and scorching cold.The expression in his eyes was so deadly and dark, it would make a lesser man fold and heel but I clenched my teeth and stared him down with a glar
Pov: Bianca"Fuck, baby. Don't go."My chest racked with the sob trying to break free and before I knew it, I was trembling in his arms, losing my composure.He hugged me close, burying his face in the crook of my neck, his hands rubbing my arms in a bid to comfort me."Tesoro," he whispered, kissing the sensitive spot where my shoulder met my neck, his accent wrapping around the word like fine silk. "Amore mio."Sweetheart. My love. Butterflies exploded in my stomach, flapping their restless wings around in my gut.Turning around, I looked at him, and for the first time, it felt like I was finally seeing him with his guards down.I didn't even know that treacherous tears were streaming down my face until he started kissing the tears away, murmuring sweetly how he never wants to see me cry. How he hated to see me hurt.His lips found their way to mine and when we connected, there was a rush in my head similar to the euphoria you would get from getting your first hit. The world went q
Pov: BiancaWhen I roused awake, it felt like deja vu all over again. I was alone in a bed, an unfamiliar one with the softest pillows and silkiest sheets and unlike the last time when late afternoon sun was sifting through my familiar curtains, it was pitch black in a strange room. I sat up with a start, my heart pounding in my chest when cold wind tickled my bare skin, drawing to my attention that I was naked under the sheets.The memories came rushing back the moment I let them.Tesoro. Vita mia. Take all of me. Take every inch of me. I'm yours. I'm all yours.Kisses across my collarbone, on my lips, up my neck, in places no lips have known on my body. His hands on me, squeezing, kneading, caressing, conjuring up a fire from within me until I was panting and desperate for him.It didn't mean anything if he had left me on my own again.The ache in my chest... Now THAT'S familiar. His lingering touches and sweet kisses would be impossible to forget if he decides to stay away from me
Pov: Andre"You'll have to quit your job at the coffee shop," I all but declared as I drove her back to her apartment."And you'll have to quit your place in the mafia," she said dryly, not even fazed that I knew where she worked. "See how we both win in the end?""Ha ha.""It's not a joke, DiMarco."I chuckled, shaking my head, glad that most of the tension had left her after she woke up and realized she had slept with me. Again.I hadn't been able to stomach the horror in her eyes and I decided to all but tie her down with a relationship, seeing as I couldn't get her pregnant because of her IUD.She was strangely aversed to being in an actual relationship but I had managed to get one out of her, even if it was a purely sexual one to her, it will never be just about sex to me.She was sitting beside me in the passenger seat, in only my tshirt and her heeled boots, her tousled black hair flying around wildly from the wind. And it was the closest version of heaven I had ever tasted."H
Pov: Bianca We had a routine for our clandestine relationship. All week, during the day, I went for lectures, hung out with Delilah and some acquaintances in my faculty, studied and worked on school work and volunteer projects, all the while keeping up with the presence of my bodyguards. We were on cordial terms now, all five of them, except Alfonso who still held me at arm's length. I guess I deserved it for nearly costing him his job. I had lunch with the DiMarcos throughout the week. Seeing as my mama and Emilio were away on their honeymoon, it was just us kids and Creed, Inés' fiance. During lunch, Andre's smoldering gaze would find mine and my cheeks would get so hot. Most times, when we weren't disagreeing over what condiments to go with our food or biting off each other's heads for more mundane reasons, he'd ignore me like I was nothing more than his pesky, annoying little stepsister who was more trouble than she was worth. In the evenings, I ordered chinese or reheated lef
Pov: BiancaNico was a little boy of eleven or thirteen who looked at Andre like he created the entire universe. The boy had literal stars in his eyes and adored the ground Andre walked on."Bianca, this is Nico," Andre introduced, a fond expression on his face as he looked at the little boy.Nico grinned a toothy grin. "I'm his favourite cousin!" He proclaimed, his chest puffing with pride.Andre's lips tilted up good-naturedly, amusement dancing in his eyes and he ruffled the boy's hair, not disputing the fact the little boy had claimed."I'm Bianca. It's nice to meet you," I smiled politely at him."I recognize you from the party." His head cocked to the side and he looked me up and down, as if trying to decide if I was a good fit for their merry band. "Is she an ally?" He turned to Andre for confirmation.The tips of Andre's lips tilted up in amusement. "She's more than that. She's a friend."Nico gasped, looking at me with wide eyes. "Like... Like a girlfriend?""No!" I sputtere
Pov: BiancaI don't know what I was expecting Andre's apartment to look like. Maybe black and empty, like his heart, or closer to a hell fire king of the underworld theme. His penthouse had a classy, cold feeling with high windows, egg white walls, shiny marble floors and exquisite chandeliers. The entire east and north walls were sliding windows that opened to a balcony with a glittering pool and the entire city below us featured a nice backdrop.The penthouse had an open floor plan and from where I stood in the middle of the living room, I could see the state of the art kitchen with its many shiny steel appliances and silverware, quartz countertops topped with a six burner cooker right in the middle of it, a kitchen island and so many perfectly clean, washed and polished cooking pots and pans hung from a holder in the ceiling. The lights were turned on and it cast a sleepy glow over the very beautiful kitchen.It made me want to cook there. And I don't like to cook. Don't even know