"Do you regret killing Marco? Even a little bit?""Not even a little." Enzo inhaled a long drag of smoke as he watched Marco's coffin being brought down to a pit.Leo heaved out a beaten sigh. "You gave Lily the scare of a lifetime."Never once in his life did he regret his decisions. Once they are made and executed, there is no going back. Killing Marco was a choice. Anyone who touches a Made Man's woman deserved death.That's the rule of the Cosa Nostra. That's the rule he implemented in his kingdom, and whoever breaks it is never excused.But when things came to Lily, his chest tightened. Her doe eyes widened in mortal horror as she looked at him, tears streaming down her red-rimmed eyes as if she'd cried blood. That image had latched into his heart and mind and sucked his lifeblood like a leech.Lily was everything he wasn't. Kind, agreeable, docile, and everything that is pure and untainted.Everyone loved her. Everyone adored her.She wished the two families to get along, to for
Soft jazz music hummed on the radio sitting in the kitchen corner. It was a familiar song Nonna hummed when she cooked, syncing with the singer on the radio. Although she couldn't catch up, she still kept singing, abashed.Taking slow strides, Lily ascended the stairs and walked right into the kitchen for a bottle of cold water from the fridge. Her hair rumpled like a crow's nest and purple circles were clear under her half-awake eyes."You look like shit." Rosalina greeted, leaning against the kitchen door, her baby-pink-tinted lips curved into a mean smile."I couldn't sleep." Lily groaned, her voice raspy.It's been a week since Marco Salvadori's murder took place in their house.Ever since then, nightmares and flashbacks plagued her sleep. Her brain was fatigued, creating all possible worst-case scenarios she will face after this marriage. Luckily, the wedding was postponed, giving her time to get back to her normal self again.Nonno was right. He was always right.Vincenzo Salvad
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here." —William Shakespeare ___________________________________________ Heavy club music orbited inside the nightclub, strobe light working out in the crowd. Sitting on the lavish leather couch and owning his regal aura, Enzo glanced down at the time written in his thirty-five thousand dollars Rolex watch. It was past eight and he couldn't believe he was wasting his time watching Leo grinding his crotch against a stripper's ass. Lucio staggered towards the stage, rubbing himself on a stripper pole like he was trying to scratch off a rash on his back, wasted. His twin Luca followed him, taking part in his nonsense. Stephano and Alessio were flirting with a girl he saw at the bar counter, exchanging numbers so they could have a threesome later. The stripper named Tiffany bounded off the dance floor. Keeping her feline brown eyes glued on Enzo, she swayed her hips seductively, her rear end bouncing as she approached him. "Hey, handsome." She
Rosalina swung her hips to the club music in the middle of the stage. Literally dancing like nobody was watching while Isabella, Elizabetta, and Selena sat around a table playing truth or dare to distract Selena from the breakup. Saint and Benito went for a bathroom break and left Lily at the bar counter, alone. Rosalina came towards her, grooving with the music. "Come dance with me." "It's okay, I'll stay here," Lily said. "Hello? It's your night tonight, Lily. You've gotta enjoy this to the fullest." Rosalina held Lily's hand and pulled her up from the seat and dragged her to the middle of the stage. Lily felt immensely self-conscious dancing in front of all these people. She moved her hands in an awkward, uncoordinated way and kept bumping into people left and right. "Whoa, get a hold of yourself." Someone pulled her by the arm and she bumped into someone's chest. "Sorry," She apologized, looking up. The guy grinned, he looked younger than her, probably in college. "
"Mamma Mia!" Nonna chided, stroking the thin lines of defeat on her forehead. "Suck it in, Lily!"Lilliana pulled her stomach in, clenching her abdominal muscles. She looked like she was holding a pee that was about to break out at any moment. "I can't possibly suck my boobs in!" she wheezed out, pulling her lips together in a tight line.The white corset caged her ample breasts together, and they nearly jumped out, unable to take the confinement."It fitted perfectly the last time we tried it at the boutique. How did you gain so much weight already?" Elizabetta huffed, having a hard time tugging the two laces together."Probably because of stress eating," Rosalina muttered, flipping a page of the Vogue magazine."Rose," Nonna stressed a glare at her through her thick, gold-rimmed glasses."It's true." Rosalina shrugged, puckering her bottom lip."It's just a few pounds." Lily breathed out, holding on to the table for some extra support.Elizabetta gave up and let Rosalina take the le
BANG!Saint tore out a shout of raw pain when a bullet ripped a hole through his shoulder. The metal blade swept against the tarred road. A metallic corrode of blood reeked the air, drooling towards the ground.Carlo was quick to shoot. This won't kill Saint. Couldn't risk finishing the bastard and holding up the wedding for his funeral.The brief yet cutthroat interaction with the bear had given him the obvious notion that Saint Russo was an impulsive prick who will act on screwing up before thinking things over first."This alliance is important for both families. Matteo and I made an agreement. I'm helping you settle the debts with the Colombians." Enzo reasoned. Hoping he stuffed some sense into the burley bastard."Save it." Saint raised his left hand, gesturing Enzo to shut up, his face like a white sheet of scrunched-up paper. "Nonno told me everything." He bit out, bearing teeth."Russo will go extinct if you don't seek my help, and I know you all are too prideful to do that."
Rosalina and the rest of Lily's female cousins had gotten ready in their off-shoulder pink bridesmaid dresses with their hair and makeup done. All of them looked like an army of pink. It was Rosalina's favorite color, and she was stubborn enough to make PINK and white the theme for the venue."All good?" Lily asked, checking herself in the mirror.Gosh, it was hot in here. The dress barely let her breathe as it is and the hot weather made her sweat like a pig.Rosalina dabbed a bead of sweat off of Lily's face with a tissue. "Yes, except you.""I need to go outside and some fresh air. I need to breathe." Lilliana snatched the glass of cold lemon juice from Isabella's hand and chucked it down into her mouth. A heave of ease left her glossy lips as soon as the coolness settled in her throat."No!" Nonna scolded. "You can't let your groom see you before the wedding. It's bad luck.""FYI. Her husband hasn't arrived yet." Rosalina informed, pouring herself a glass of lemon juice.Lily furr
"Did Saint do this to you?" Lily opened the medical kit and looked for the supplies to suture the wound. Good thing they keep these in handy. "Yes," Enzo answered as he sat back on the chair and waited for her. Her eyes trailed on the shadows etched over his taut and tanned body. So well-defined. Like the man was carved out of granite. She cleared her throat and examined the wound. "Sweet Jesus..." The gash on his shoulder was pretty deep, and it was awkwardly plastered with gauze earlier before she removed it and disinfected it. God knows if Saint ever cleans his machete after butchering people like they were pigs. Enzo could have at least gone to a hospital before it got infected, but no, he was stubborn to show up at the wedding in time. Vincenzo Salvadori, her husband, is the most iron-willed man she'd ever met. "Why didn't you tell me before..." she asked softly, placing the supplies on the chair next to him. "I didn't want to." "Why?" "I already told you why." He countere