As I was getting dressed for the fundraiser, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my chest. The black dress I had chosen for the evening was sleek and sexy, hugging my curves in all the right places. I paired it with a pair of stilettos that made my legs look endless.Russo was sitting on the bed, watching me intently as I applied the finishing touches to my makeup. He leaned back, looking at his watch with a mock sigh. "We're going to be late, Alissa," he teased.I turned to him with a playful smile, not bothered by the time. "Oh, come on, Russo," I said, walking over to him. "Fashionably late is the way to go, right?"He chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement. "You always have an answer for everything, don't you?"I leaned in closer, my lips almost brushing against his ear. "Well, it's not just any event. It's a fundraiser," I whispered, my voice taking on a sultry tone. "We need to make an entrance, don't we?"Russo's breath caught, and he cleared his throat, try
The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, gently coaxing me awake. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the new day, and then noticed the enticing aroma wafting through the room. My senses quickly came to life, and I realized that breakfast in bed awaited me.Russo stood by the bedside, holding a tray laden with delectable treats. He wore a playful grin on his face as he presented the meal. "Good morning, my beautiful Alissa," he greeted me, his eyes filled with a hint of mischief.I sat up, a mixture of surprise and curiosity coursing through me. "Breakfast in bed? What's the occasion?" I asked, my voice laced with curiosity.Russo placed the tray in front of me. "No special occasion," he replied with a wink. "I just wanted to spoil you a little."A wave of warmth washed over me, and I couldn't help but smile at his sweet gesture. "Well, you've certainly succeeded," I said, running a finger along the edge of the tray.As I started to indulge in the delicious breakfast he'd
The room was thick with tension as Leanna, with a determined glint in her eyes, insisted on waiting for Russo. Her demeanor was unsettling, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something dangerous was about to unfold. Clutching a gun tightly in her hands, she motioned for me to sit quietly."Why are you doing this?" I finally mustered the courage to ask. "What do you want?"Leanna smirked, a twisted satisfaction dancing in her eyes. "Oh, sweet Alissa, you've always been oblivious to the bigger picture. Sit tight, and maybe you'll understand."Confused and desperate to comprehend the unfolding scenario, I scanned the room for any signs of an escape. How had Leanna even made it past the main gates? Where was the security?Before I could voice these questions, the door burst open, and Russo rushed inside. Relief washed over me at the sight of him, but that relief was short-lived. Leanna, with an air of authority, ordered him to sit. Russo complied, an unusual compliance that hinted at a
It seemed in my thoughts as though there was a party going on that I wasn't invited to attend. There is no one here to address my queries, and I have some. As I took a few steps back, I noticed that I was once again in my room. The throbbing headache I've had all day is the only thing that brings yesterday back to mind.There are many more inquiries that I have for Russo, but I seriously doubt that he will be willing to answer them right now. The man despises it when questions are directed against him, but yesterday my life was in imminent danger, and I was beginning to see more sides of him than I was previously aware existed.When I turned around, I felt a hand on my waist, and I don't need a fortune teller to tell me that it's Russo's. I carefully removed his hands from around my waist, and then I attempted to fall back asleep in case he woke up or something else happened; but, I was unable to fall asleep at all. My dry throat was making matters worse, and the only time I felt bett
The aroma of boiling pasta filled the kitchen, a stark contrast to the tension that hung thick in the air. I sat at the table, fingers tapping rhythmically, waiting for Russo to finish his culinary escapade. He moved with a familiarity that was almost lyrical as he made his way around the kitchen, and his movements were precise and meticulous. If Alissa hadn't been so angry with him, she probably would have found him entertaining; she wondered when the last time was that he was in a kitchen when he wasn't busy taking people's lives or killing people. As I watched, aggravation rose to the surface of my skin once more, and this time, Russo noticed it. Well, there goes my objective of keeping my irritation from being obvious. He glanced over his shoulder and asked her, "Something on your mind, butterfly?" The endearment that used to make my heart skip a beat suddenly felt more like a poke in the eye than anything else.I let out a sigh and dropped the pretense that I had been keeping
I was exhausted from the events of the previous night when I walked into the house, and as I did so, I observed that the draperies were open to some degree, allowing the late morning sunlight to shine through them. We were together in the kitchen, where Alissa was quietly perched on one of the stools, and the space around us was eerily silent. I was at a loss to explain the precipitous drop in temperature, so I frowned as I tried to process the information."Everything okay?" I queried while incorporating a note of apprehension into the tone of my voice.She only glanced at me for a moment, but her eyes were as frigid as ice. She muttered, "Fine," before returning her focus to whatever had captivated her attention before.I sighed to myself as I tried to determine the cause of her obvious annoyance, but I was unsuccessful in my attempt. Because I did not have the luxury of time, any attempt to solve the issues that she was currently facing would have to be postponed. Before I could go
As soon as Russo walked through the door, the tension rose to a fever pitch, and before he could even say hello, I let loose with a barrage of charges that were directed squarely at the heart of our connection."Where the hell were you last night?" My eyes narrowed into an accusatory stare as I posed the question.Russo's expression revealed that he was taken aback and he wrinkled his brows. He responded with a question that revealed the real perplexity that was written all over his face: "What are you talking about?"The fact that I hadn't been able to sleep the night before, along with the smell of vodka that lingered about him like a shameful secret, stoked the fires of rage within me. "Don't play dumb," I said angrily. "You left, reeking of alcohol, and you didn't even bother talking to me."Russo exhaled deeply, a look of confusion and exasperation painting itself across his features as he did so. I was in the pub at the time. What gives you such a bad case of the jitters?My ans
I sat on the luxurious sofa's edge, tapping my fingers repeatedly on my thigh, while the room was softly lighted and hung heavy with an air of suspense. As he walked about the room in a restless manner, Russo emanated an anxious energy that gave the impression of permeating the entire area. It had been days since I had left the home, and the isolation was beginning to take its toll on me. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic.I eventually addressed my dissatisfaction by saying, "Russo, I can't stay cooped up here forever," breaking the awkward stillness that had formed in between the two of us.He stopped in the middle of his stride, his penetrating eyes landing on me. The love that was still present under the surface was reflected in the anxiety that was engraved onto his features. "Alissa, please understand that it's not because I don't trust you. It is for your own protection, after all. I can't take the chance that something bad may happen to you."My aggravation and comprehensi