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Blurb She ran away from the mafia families because she wanted nothing to do with them, but fate had other plans for her. A mafia lord named Antonio Valencio has requested that she be delivered to him in exchange for not killing her family. But Amari wants nothing to do with the mafia. Can she avoid Antonio and still save her family? Or will she bring about their deaths?
Chapter One
Amari's POV
Martinis. Italian beef. Then Manhattans.
I'm trying to remember something that has to do with why I'm here, but it all seems fuzzy. Like the jazz tune playing on the stereo. This is supposed to be a stop for jazz fans, like people really into that genre of blessed sounds, but here we are.
A trio. Poking our noses.
All I know is, Marco and Isabella suggested someplace called The Green Mill on the North side of Chicago for some drinks. Why? No goddamn idea.
I look around the place and all I see are patrons dressed in jeans and t-shirts and hats; a couple are dressed in just shorts and sandals, their upper half bare.
"Some fashion here," I say.
Marco flashes a smile at me. He's been giving Isabella a lot of those since we sat down at this table. "Don't be sarcastic. The fashion is much more relaxed and less formal than it was in the past. It's all about being comfortable. Goditi la musica."
"You don't say. What did they wear in the past?"
Marco leans towards me like what he's about to say doesn't demand another listening ear. "Back in the nineteen twenties and nineteen thirteens, jazz fans would often dress in suits and ties, or with fur coats and jewelry. For men, hats were a must, and fedoras were particularly popular. For women, hats and gloves were important accessories. And of course, high heels and stockings were essential."
"Sounds like a cult to me," I comment. "What the hell is playing on the stereo anyway?"
Marco just smiles. Isabella laughs. I nurse my Manhattan.
A cool breeze drifts in through the open windows of the bar, bringing with it the sounds of the city outside. The hustle and bustle of the streets out there seems far away from the cozy interior of the bar, where everything seems soft and slow.
I try to relax my nerves, but it is so hard to shake the feeling of anticipation that has been plaguing me all day like a dog at a bone. I can't seem to put my finger on it, but something feels off. Like, there's something about to happen that's gonna change my life forever.
Marco and Isabella share a laugh. I get sick of it.
I sip my Manhattan, rise from my chair, and walk to the bar where I sit on a stool and watch the clock tick its way around.
"You okay, signora?" the bartender asks.
I sigh. Tell him that I probably need better company in Italian. He shrugs, cleans off a tumbler, and walks off.
I sit here for a few minutes, then as if summoned by my words, someone comes and sits down next to me. I don't need to turn. I can tell it's a man.
As he sits down, I catch a whiff of his cologne. It is light and fresh, but also somehow earthy. I cannot help but take a deep breath, trying to place the scent. Is it sandalwood? Maybe sage?
The bartender comes over.
"Manhattan cocktail."
His voice is smooth and deep, like rich, dark chocolate. I don't even know why this comes to mind.
Bartender nods. "Same as the lady."
I notice him turn to me. "Nice to meet an indulger."
I feel my heart skip a beat. I don't know what it is about this man, but something about him feels... magnetic.
"I'm Antonio," he says, extending his hand.
I turn to him and I take his hand tentatively, like a peace offering. And experience a spark of electricity. It is like nothing I have ever felt before.
"Amari," I say, though my voice comes out in a whisper.
Antonio raises an eyebrow. "Amari. Lovely name. Pleasure to meet you." He releases my hand just as the bartender brings him order. Antonio immediately takes a sip of his drink, like he's been craving for it.
"Said that before," I remind him, and scoff. "And pleasure? Not when it means bitterness."
"But does it matter?"
I try to collect myself, but I can't help but feel a little breathless. I say something about needing better company, and one comes like a wish granted by a djinn.
"Looks like you needed that," I say, finally finding my voice. "Is that what brought you here?"
Antonio leans in a little closer, and I can feel his breath on my cheek.
"I'm here on business," he says, his voice low and conspiratorial. "I'm in this part of town for a few days and wanted to find a place to relax after a long day."
I nod, my heart still racing. There is something about Antonio that makes me feel off-balance, like I'm a pirate ship tossed in a storm. But I don't want to leave. I want to stay right where I am, in this strange, electric moment.
I like strange.
Antonio takes another sip of his drink. "What about you? What brings you to this bar on this particular night?"
I hesitate, unsure what to say. I don't want to tell Antonio the truth, that this was a suggestion but the novelty of it was what drew me to this bar, like a moth to a flame. Finally, I lie, "I just felt like going out. Gioviti la musica."
Antonio smiles. "I don't believe you. There's something else going on here, I can tell."
I feel my face flush, and the sting.
He notices. "Feel like I'm putting you on the spot? No offence. Just that I'm a bit of a people-watcher, and I can tell when someone is hiding something. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."
I am surprised by Antonio's sincerity. It is unexpected, but also refreshing. I take a deep breath. "It's okay. It's just...it's complicated."
"Hmm," he says, eyes still fixed on me.
"I've just been feeling like there's something missing from my life. I'm not sure what it is, but it's been on my mind a lot lately."
Antonio nods. "I can understand that. Sometimes, we just know something is missing, even if we can't quite put our finger on what it is. And it can be frustrating."
I feel a sense of relief wash over me. Well, Antonio seems to understand me better than Marco or Isabella, and I feel like I can be honest with him.
This stranger.
"Maybe you just need to try something new," Antonio ventures. "Something that will shake up your routine and make you feel alive again."
He looks at me expectantly, as if waiting for a response.
I think for a moment. I am so used to going through the motions of my life, doing the same things every day. But I know Antonio is right. I nee to do something different. "What would you suggest?"
Antonio smiles, like he's been waiting for this question. "I have a few ideas. Why don't we start small, and then we can work our way up to something more adventurous."
"Something like?"
"Ever danced in a bar before?"
I am rendered speechless for a moment, then I spurt out a laugh. "What?"
"A dance in a bar, Amari."
"No, I have not danced in a bar before and I have no intentions of doing so in this life."
"What did we say about doing things differently?"
"Not this, which I guess you have done plenty of times," I say, with some pang of jealousy. Why should I even be? He's handsome. Tall. Dark hair. Blue eyes. And a mouth that can warm one's insides, if given the chance. If he's been a bad boy, why should I feel bad?
"This is my first time too," he says.
And I have to scoff. "So you're willing to make me your first dance partner?"
"If you can trust me, Amari," he says, conditionally.
I look back at Marco and Isabella. His head is buried in her neck, and her left hand fingers his ear. Finally, some smooching is about to take place. Why should I be left out then?
I smile at him. "I think I can."
The music plays softly, and the lights are dim. We stand facing each other, and Antonio takes my hand in his. He places his other hand on my waist, bringing up a lot of tingles in my body, and we begin to move in time to the music. I feel the warmth of his hand on my waist, and I am so acutely aware of his body close to mine. Tingles of excitement flow through me as we move across the floor. The dance seems to go on forever, then it is over all too soon. The song ends but we don't move apart. Instead, we stand close together, looking into each other's eyes. There is a moment of awkwardness, as we both seem unsure what to do next.
Then, Antonio speaks. "Would you like to come with me to my room for a drink?"
Blurb: After her sister runs away two days before her wedding, Jelena is forced to take her place by marrying a man she had hurt in the past to save her mother's business from her wicked stepmother. What happens when they finally meet after years? Will he learn to love her above the past? And what happens when the runaway sister comes back with a child for her husband?
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
"I'm going to tell you what I have in mind," he murmured. "First you're going to strip down until you're completely naked," he whispered against her ear. "Then I'm going to tie you up so you're completely powerless and subject to my every whim." "Mmm, sounds good so far," she murmured. "Then I'm going to insert a plug to prepare you for me. After that I'm going to spank that sweet ass of yours until it's rosy with my marks." She shivered uncontrollably, her mind exploding with the images he evoked. She let out a small whimper as he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. God, she could cum with just his words. She was already aching with need. Her nipples tingled and hardened to painful points. Her clit pulsed and twitched between her legs until she clamped her thighs together to alleviate the burn. "And then I'm going to f**k your mouth. But I won't cum. Not yet. When I'm close, I'll flog you again until your ass is burning and you're on fire with the need for relief. And then I'm going to f**k that ass. I'm going to take you hard and rough, to the very limits of what you can withstand. I won't be gentle. Not tonight. I'm going to take you as roughly as you can stand. And then I'm going to cum all over your ass. Are you ready to be completely and utterly dominated?"
My boyfriend called, "Baby!" as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to pull his pants off the ground. "Please, I can explain my love." Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried not to cry when I realized that my dream of the man not being my boyfriend had been dashed. "What?" I asked, "What do you want to explain?" How did you lie about having a business meeting while you were in bed enjoying yourself with my best friend, even though I told you I was in serious pain, is that it?" I stood there, my heart pounding, and tears streaming down my face...
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!