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“And you,” he hurries to add. “So you should… get any reward you want. Even if that’s Victor.”
“Thank you for your permission, Santino,” I say, deadpan. But I release her. “Go on, if you’d like. Please try not to get blood on the dress.”
“That means don’t grope me, Angelo,” Lucia says, just as dryly.
Angelo grins at her, but he bends down to take the kiss she offers without grabbing her—for once.
She goes to Santino third, kissing him a little more softly, a little more sweetly, and he lets out a small noise against her lips.
Our work isn’t done—my empire isn’t where I want it yet, either—but for the first time in years, I feel almost… satisfied.
Lucia smiles at me again, and I smile back.
Kidnapping her really was the best decision I’d ever made.
Thank you for reading Loving Lucia! We hope you’ll take a moment to leave a review at Amazon, Bookbub, and/or Goodreads!
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You didn’t really think the boys were going to be all kittens and rainbows from here on out, right? Get an idea of what Lucia’s life with the men will be following Loving Lucia in the bonus scene Playing With Lucia!
Read our Christmas novella, Giving Lucia, which is set somewhere in the nebulous future, and sign up for our newsletter!
Please join our group, Addison & Raissa’s Darkest Hearts, for updates and information about our projects!
Vanessa’s story picks up in Claiming Vanessa (Breeding Contempt #1). Keep reading for the first chapter and pre-order now!
CLAIMING VANESSA (BREEDING CONTEMPT #1)
CHAPTER 1: VANESSA
The sign on the building says “XXX — Strippers — Private Dances” with an arrow pointing to a stairway below. Next to it is a rundown Chinese restaurant, and on the other side a convenience store. The building facade itself is dark and grimy.
I stare at the blinking sign, dread pooling in my stomach. This can’t be happening. This can’t actually be real.
The hand on the back of my neck tightens and I gasp.
“Keep moving,” Damien says quietly, guiding me toward the stairs.
Damien Rossi, consigliere to Emilio Pavone, one of the most powerful men in the dark underbelly of the east coast. He’s only an inch taller than me, but I still feel like I need to crane my neck to look at him.
Ahead of us, already halfway down the stairs, is Giulio Pavone, Emilio’s son. Giulio pauses and turns around. “What’s the hold-up?”
“Nothing,” Damien says, nudging me forward.
I stumble, glad I’m wearing flats and not heels as I catch myself, but the fabric of the bridesmaid’s dress doesn’t make it any easier to move. My sister hadn’t gone for any crazy designs, but she’d still been trying to satisfy Emilio’s desire to have the “perfect” wedding, with the perfect clothing at the perfect ceremony.
The ceremony that had been crashed with guns and mafia men determined to start a gang war.
I swallow hard, trying to convince myself that Lucia is all right, but I just don’t know what happened after Damien and Giulio forced me into the car at the church. A few hours of driving to New Bristol has done nothing to soothe my nerves, especially considering the loud technopop that had been blaring through the speakers the entire time.
More of the same music comes blasting into the alley as Giulio opens the door to the strip club, and Damien keeps his hold on my neck as he urges me to keep moving.
All three of us are out of place in this dingy building, me in my expensive bridesmaid dress, Giulio and Damien both in suits.
My eyes land on Giulio’s feet, where instead of proper dress shoes he’s wearing sandals. As soon as we’d gotten to the car, he’d switched shoes.
Giulio pauses by the door to talk to a large, muscled man with a buzz-cut. “Yo, Bernardo! How’s today been so far?”
