Nora P.O.VFlashback begins….At night of abduction The club was packed, the bass of the music thumping through the walls and into my chest.My leather jacket and jeans helped me blend in, disappear into the mass of bodies that swayed and pulsed with the rhythm. The air was thick with sweat, alcohol, and the underlying tension of the fights that raged in the back rooms. It was a breeding ground for chaos.Patricia was not hard to spot. She sat at the bar, leaning casually against the counter, her drink nearly drained. It seems like she had just finished her fight.Her leather jacket clung to her frame, the tough exterior matching her ‘I do not give a shit’ attitude. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked like a person who screams like if you fuck with me I will fuck you up.I slid onto a stool a few seats away from her, ordered a drink, and let my eyes roam casually around the room. I did not need to draw any attention to myself. The bartender handed me my drink, and
Nora P.O.VRobert’s eyes were fixed on me, sharp and unrelenting. He stood too close for comfort, the intensity of his presence impossible to ignore. His suspicion was palpable. He had no proof of who I really was, only a nagging doubt that kept gnawing at him. But I had a role to play, and I wasn’t about to give him an inch.“Tell me the truth.” His voice was low, measured, but there was an underlying edge that told me he wasn’t going to let this go easily.I met his gaze, steady and composed, as though I had not spent the last few years watching him, studying his every move, learning everything about his life as part of my mission. He did not know who I really was. As far as he was concerned, I was Patricia, newly appointed as the DiFronzo family’s personal bodyguard. But he did not trust me. Not fully. Not yet.“I am telling you the truth,” I said, my tone calm, unwavering. “My name is Patricia. I am twenty nine years old.I am from Texas.I used to work for the governor for a few mo
Robert P.O.VI stood in the washroom, my hands braced on the sink’s edge as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face was tired, the weight of the day clinging to me like a fog I could not shake. I splashed cold water onto my face one more time, letting the shock of it momentarily clear my thoughts.The lights in my room were dim when I stepped out, casting long shadows across the walls. A faint glow came from the streetlights outside, filtering through the curtains. I moved quietly, not wanting to disturb the quiet that had settled in. In solitude, it was easier to think or at least, try not to.I opened my closet, reached into it and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, quickly changing out of my clothes. There was something about the silence that wrapped around me, making the usual tension in my body settle, if only for a moment. Once dressed, I walked to my nightstand and checked my phone. No messages, no missed calls. Just the blank screen staring back at me.I set
Nora P.O.VI walked down the long hallway of the DiFronzo estate, the sound of my boots echoing off the marble floor. Today was my first official assignment as Lilian DiFronzo’s new bodyguard, and it was already starting to be a headache. I stopped in front of her door and knocked once, then stood at attention. The wait seemed to stretch on forever, and with each passing second, my patience wore thin. Still, there was no answer.I lifted my hand and knocked again, a little harder this time. That’s when I heard her voice from the other side of the door.“Tell my brother I am not coming out. I would not have his goon following me around like some shadow! I would not leave this room until he fires his new lapdog!” Her voice was muffled but filled with indignation.I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This was not exactly what I signed up for. “I am not paid enough to handle this in the morning,” I muttered under my breath before replying in a louder voice, “Well, unfortunately, ma’a
Lily P.O.VI walked up to my usual spot in the classroom, third row from the front. The gallery-style seats gave a clear view of everyone around.Emily, my best friend, followed me behind .We had this class together. Most of the students were already settling down in their seats. The class was just about to begin. I leaned back in my chair, opening my notebook and setting up my laptop, mentally preparing for another gruelling lecture from Professor Hudson.Just as I was settling in, I felt a poke on my shoulder. I turned to Emily, raising an eyebrow. “What’s up?” I whispered, noticing the uneasy look on her face.She leaned in close, her voice barely above a whisper. “Look at the girl at the back,” she murmured. “She has been staring at you.”My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?” I glanced over my shoulder, trying to figure out who Emily was talking about. My eyes scanned the last row, and sure enough, my new bodyguard,Patricia Walker, stared directly at me with the same intense e
Lily P.O.V I walked through the corridors of the college, Patricia trailing close behind. We stopped outside the library, where I paused to face her."I need to grab some books from inside," I said, keeping my voice casual. "You can wait here. It would not take long."Patricia’s brows furrowed, her eyes scanning the surrounding area as if a threat might emerge at any moment. She clearly was not thrilled with the idea of leaving me alone, even for a few minutes. "I should come with you," she said, her voice low but firm.I sighed. "I am just grabbing some textbooks, Patricia. It will take five minutes."She hesitated, her jaw clenching slightly, but eventually nodded. "Fine. Five minutes. I will be right here."Relieved, I gave her a small smile and entered the library. The atmosphere inside was quiet. The smell of old books and polished wood filled the air, and the soft sound of students murmuring or flipping pages was comforting. I headed straight for the section where my course tex
Nora P.O.VWe stepped out of the college gates, my eyes sweeping the surroundings, making sure everything was in place. The black sedan waiting for us was being driven by one of DiFronzo’s men. Another car, stationed a few metres back, was packed with more of DiFronzo's bodyguards. They were positioned at the corner, keeping a watchful eye from a distance. I do not know why they have to hire more trained bodyguards. They looked like they could go against big grizzly bears but one thing our field of work taught us, muscle strength is not everything. It is very important to use your brain .I opened the door for Lily, my current charge to get in. She slid into the backseat without a word but I could not blame her. She had gone through a lot today. Anyone who has been sexually assaulted will be behaving like that. She was completely frozen in fear when I found her in the library. The prick was assaulting her. As her bodyguard, it was my job to save her and I failed. I should never have l
Robert’s POVI was in the middle of a critical meeting in my office’s conference room, listening as Riccardo walked the foreign client through the details of our upcoming project. But my attention wavered when my phone vibrated against the polished table. Glancing down at the screen, I saw one of my men calling.One who was assigned to guard Lily.I stiffened. The last time something like this happened, Lily had been kidnapped. I could not let anything happen to her again. Not on my watch.“Excuse me, gentlemen,” I said, standing abruptly. I nodded at Riccardo to continue without me and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me. My gut churned as I answered the call.“DiFronzo,” I barked.There was a slight pause before the man spoke. “Boss, we have a situation. Miss DiFronzo’s car... it’s disappeared.”The blood drained from my face. A bolt of fear sliced through me before anger bubbled up from within.“What the hell do you mean her car’s disappeared?” My voice was a low gro
Callandria P.O.V Everyone has it wrong. Robert DiFronzo was not the devil. Riccardo is. I paced around the luxurious bathroom, muttering under my breath like a crazy person as I made the same circuit across the stone tile. I had already used the bathroom, checked the window, and scoured the shelves for a weapon. There was not anything of use. There was not even a bottle of cologne I could spray in his eyes to blind him. I was in no hurry to return to captivity. I even took a quick shower and stole a toothbrush from beneath the sink to delay the inevitable. My heart still races. Dio. No one has ever spoken to me the way he does or touched me as if I belong to him. It infuriates me and makes my blood run hot at the exact same time. I was so caught up in cursing him out that I didn't hear him approaching. The sharp rapping against the bathroom door made me jump, and my heart thudded against my ribcage, rattling my nerves. "I brought you something to wear," he said. "Would you like
Riccardo P.O.V My phone rings,vibrating across the countertop. I dipped my head under the water to rinse the soap out of it, turn the water off, and stepped from the shower to grab a towel. Steam swirls around me, fogging up the bathroom. "Merda," (Shit) I muttered under my breath when Robert's name flashed across the display. Whatever he has to say, I am almost positive I do not want to hear it, but I swipe to answer anyway. "You have Callandria Castellano chained to your bed?" he growled. "What the fuck are you and Mattia thinking?" "You are the one who decided to deliver a pile of bodies to Emilio Castellano's doorstep," I reminded him. "Mattia could not just leave her there after she spotted them.” "So you chained her to your bed?" he growled, his voice deadly quiet. Robert does not yell. He rarely ever raised his voice. When you are the king, you do not have to shout to be heard. People listen even if you fucking whisper. "God, Riccardo. Think! She is a principessa, not some
December P.O.V "You do that," he said, humor in his voice. "In the meantime, care to tell me why you are on my doorstep at midnight?" "Yes. No." I pressed a hand to my forehead when he frowned at me. He was half naked and I was spiraling. "I mean, I have a reason but maybe this is a bad idea. My issues are not your issues, and I should not even be here right now. Um, I should just go. Sorry for bothering you." I turned to do just that, suddenly afraid he would call the police himself. And then where will that leave me? D-E-A-D dead. Or arrested for assaulting him and a slew of other crimes I committed before landing on his doorstep. Some of which, I am ashamed to admit, I committed before I saw his brother off someone. "December, wait." He grabbed my arm before I could slip away. As soon as he touched me. I nearly lost my footing on the slick stoop. He cursed beneath his breath and grabbed me around the waist, pulling toward his body to prevent me from crashing to the cement. I
December P.O.V “I should not be here," I whispered to myself, fidgeting from foot to foot. I glanced over my shoulder, peering into the shadows. Nothing moved. If anyone followed me, they were keeping themselves hidden. My heart pounded like a drum anyway, sending anxiety churning through me with every heavy beat. The wind rustled through the trees, stirring leaves all up and down the dark block and blowing cold rain into my face. I pulled my coat tightly around me, shivering as my heart jumped up to my throat. And then I huffed at myself for being afraid of the frigid wind blowing in from the lake. I could not help it though. Approximately forty eight hours ago, I saw someone die. No, that is not right. I saw Robert DiFronzo, the biggest mobster in Chicago, kill a man and then drop his body into the river. When I heard the shot, like an idiot, I screamed. He saw me. I know he saw me. I have been running ever since, terrified he was going to come after me,find and end my life th
Callandria P.O.V "Ah," he says quietly, his smirk growing as he pushes the door slowly closed.The quiet click as the latch catched made me flinch. "So you heard what we were saying outside.” "You mean I heard you saying you were going to deal with me?" I demanded, inching closer to the nightstand as if it offers even an ounce of protection. It did not. But I would rather be standing my ground in front of it than beside the luxurious bed. "I swear I would not be easy to deal with, Riccardo DiFronzo." I glared in fury, refusing to show him just how terrified I am. I am a principessa. If he is going to kill me, I will die on my own two feets, screaming defiance. "No?" His smirk turned mocking, his expression hardening. "You are chained to my bed, principessa. Seems easy enough to me." Oh, I hate him. He is exactly like my father. A monster. "Does that make you feel powerful?" I snapped. "Is that what you enjoy? Taking helpless women against their wills?" I run my gaze up and down h
Callandria P.O.V I tossed my phone on my bed, cinching my robe tightly around my waist. It was after three in the morning, but sleep eludes me like usual. This house was too much like a prison. I might be free to come and go as I please, but I was in shackles, nonetheless. They locked into place around my ankles before I was even born. It comes with the territory when you are a Castellano. My grandfather, Tommaso, was one of the most infamous drug lords in Chicago. My father , Mark Castellano was in just as deep as he was. So was my older brother. The fact that I was female did not spare me. If anything, it bounded me even tighter. I may not have taken the vow of Omertà like they did, but I am no freer than my brother, Marcello. I was a principessa. Every moment of my life has been carefully mapped out and planned. I huffed at the reminder, casting a longing glance toward the window.How many times have I wished to climb out of it and disappear into the night? Too many to count. U
Robert P.O.V The crowd at the Chicago Grand Prix continued its rhythmic hum as I moved toward the exit. Castellano was already making his way out, his entourage trailing like obedient shadows. He walked with that same overconfident stride, the same smugness that made my fingers itch to wipe it off his face. He had no idea that this would be the last night he had ever walked so freely. Patricia’s voice echoed in my head as I strode through the crowd, the concern in her tone lingering. She had grown closer to me in a short period of time. I knew everything she did for Lily, though she lied because my sister asked her to,her loyalty still stood with us. She saved Lily's life several times. I just let her go away with lying does not mean I take betrayal kindly. Making her as my bodyguard was a way to keep an eye on her. I did not know what but something felt familiar about her. Patricia did not follow me immediately, but I knew she would. She was not the type to let things go unanswere
Robert P.O.V The crowd at the Chicago Grand Prix buzzed with excitement, their energy matching the roar of engines that reverberated through the night air. The city’s elite had gathered, dressed to impress, sipping on champagne, their conversations blending into the symphony of wealth and ambition. Everyone here was focused on the race, eyes fixed on the track, hearts pounding with the thrill of competition. But mine fixed on someone else. Waiting for someone who has been dancing away from my hold for too long. The race was nothing more than background noise. I was here for only one reason, one that had nothing to do with fast cars or status. Mark Castellano was supposed to be here tonight, and I am waiting for him here like Hades himself waiting for him to take him to my hell. He thought he could double cross me, that he could betray me and my operations and vanish into thin air without any consequences. He was wrong. I stood near the edge of the VIP section, my gaze fixed on the
Nora P.O.V I stepped into the adjacent VIP lounge, my pulse was as steady as possible at that time. I kept my senses on high alert. The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the same tension that accompanied every clandestine meeting in this part of the world. The men barely glanced at me as I entered. For them I was just another waitress, a faceless figure delivering drinks and blending into the background. I placed the tray on the table with a grace that a waitress can only emit, keeping my eyes lowered, feigning the air of someone disinterested in anything but her task. That surely became problematic because of the heels .The men were focused on their conversation, and for a brief moment, I was invisible to them which was helpful. “… no loose ends. We need those records gone by the end of the week,” one of the men, a burly figure with a scar running down his cheek, said in a gruff voice.“He has been in jail for too long. If the records are not wiped clean, it would not matter i