by Ella Miles
He grins. “That’s my line. I’m sorry. I should have trusted you with the plan. I should have told you.”
I shake my head. “I don’t care. I just want you safe.”
Matteo kisses me as men continue to fight around us. We should move somewhere safer, but we can’t. So instead, we lie on the ground making out, tongues swirling together as we wait for it to be over.
“I think we need to get you two to the hospital,” Arlo says over us.
Matteo looks over his shoulder. “Nah, I’ll have you stitch it up, and Eden is fine.”
Matteo helps me up, and I hold my shirt closed, Matteo wrapping his arms around me.
“I just checked the cabin. Enrico’s dead. I made sure this time. He’s really gone,” Arlo says.
“Eden killed him.”
“Thank you,” Arlo says.
I smile.
“You’re safe!” Nina cries when she finally gets to me.
We throw our arms around each other, hugging tightly as tears stream down our cheeks.
“You’re pregnant! And happy?” she asks, eyeing Matteo behind me.
I glance behind me to Matteo with a grin. “Very happy. Or at least we will be.”
Matteo pulls me back to him. “We need to talk,” he says, pulling me away from Arlo and Nina.
“Okay,” I say, not liking his tone.
“We haven’t talked much about our future. Whether we will be together or separate. Whether I will get to be part of our child’s life or not. And how to keep our family safe, while still doing what we want.”
I nod. “I don’t know the answers to most of those except that I want us to be together.”
“I have answers for a few.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“I made a deal with Clive and Erick.”
“They are still alive?” I ask.
He nods. “I needed help to try and take out Enrico. Although, apparently, I just needed you.”
I smirk.
He holds me tighter against his body. “I gave up everything.”
“What?”
“I gave up everything. The house. My job. The weapons. I gave up being a monster.”
My eyes widen and my pulse freezes, not understanding. “But it was your whole life. You loved being a Carini, ruler of Italy, and weapons trader. What will you do if you don’t do that?”
He smiles. “I’ll love you, and I’ll love this baby. We can live in America, or in Italy. I don’t care. Although, you might have to work and I’ll be a stay home dad for a while, until I figure out what I’m good at, other than killing people.”
I laugh.
“I love you, Matteo, but you will always be a bit of a monster to me. The kind with a big heart.”
He kisses me. “A monster that gave up everything for love.”
27
Matteo
I gave it all up.
Everything.
The guns. The lifestyle. The mansion. My security team and employees. Everything.
It’s gone.
None of that mattered anyway. The only thing that mattered was Eden. I was addicted to her from the moment I took her. I thought I was obsessed with Nina, but it was nothing compared to what I feel now for Eden.
The only thing I kept is money, but Eden will hardly let me spend it. We moved into her condo in Los Angeles, which is beautiful, light, and airy, but it’s not very big. Not when we are about to bring another life into this world.
“Matteo?” she moans on all fours, her gorgeous ass in the air, begging me to enter her.
I grab her hips and press my cock to her entrance. Eden is due to have our baby any day. But she’s insatiable. I didn’t think we should, but Eden begged for my cock, and I’m always happy to oblige.
“I love you, baby,” I say, kissing down her back.
“That doesn’t sound like fucking,” she snaps back sassily.
I laugh as I begin to push my cock inside her.
“Wait…ow…” she moans.
I stop and move to her head.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“I think that was a contraction.”
I grin. Yes. Finally. I don’t think I can take much more of a pregnant Eden. I love her. I want to spend my life with her forever. But her mood swings are killing me.
I help her off the bed and put a T-shirt and sweats on so we can go to the hospital in a few hours, since her contractions just started.
“Matteo, I think we need to get to the hospital. Now,” she says, gripping my hand tightly at a contraction.
It shouldn’t be this painful this early, should it? I think.
“Um… are you sure?”
Her look tells me she will kill me if I don’t get her to the hospital ASAP.
“Okay,” I say, as I grab the bag she packed, and then take her hand and lead her out of the condo, with her stopping every few feet to rest as another contraction hits her.
It takes us twenty minutes to make it to the elevator, and our car is parked in a garage three blocks away. I’m afraid we won’t make it.
We step into the elevator, while I try to figure out how to call an Uber.
“The baby is coming!” she screams. “The baby is coming, now!”
Shit, shit, shit.
“Okay, stay calm.”
She lies down on the floor, and I see the baby’s head crowning.
“This baby’s coming!” I shout.
She half laughs, half screams.
“Breathe baby. You got this. You are a fighter. You have survived much worse. Push our baby out.”
I’ve never helped deliver a baby before, but I know enough. As long as nothing goes wrong, I just need to catch the baby and keep it warm. If nothing goes wrong.
This is us. Everything bad will go wrong. But we didn’t survive everything we’ve been through for Eden to die in childbirth. Not going to happen.
“Push, baby,” I say.
Eden pushes and our daughter lands in my arms. I wrap the baby in my shirt, and hold her up to Eden’s chest.
My heart stops until I hear her cry. It’s a magnificent sound.
Eden cries, as well, as she holds our daughter. I wrap my arms around both of them, knowing I need to call an ambulance soon, but right now I can’t. I just want to be happy with Eden.
“That was one of the scariest moments of my life,” I say.
Eden smiles. “Me too. But we’re fine. And we have a daughter.”
I stroke our daughter’s cheek.
“What should we name her?”
She thinks for a moment. “Nora.”
“It’s beautiful.”
I reach into my pocket, pull out my phone, and call an ambulance. Then I call Arlo to tell Nina and Gia to meet us at the hospital to meet their new niece.
Everyone is living in LA now. None of us have jobs at the moment, but we will figure all of that out soon enough. We have each other, and we are safe.
I look down at my daughter and the woman I love. They are safe. I ensured their safety by giving up my life as a criminal, and by making Clive and Erick happy, giving them my empire. I knew they would always be running after us if I didn’t. We would never be safe. This was the only way.
I did everything I could to protect my family and today was still the scariest day of my life. Because I realized that sometimes we can’t save people. Sometimes they die anyway.
Today we beat the odds. Eden lived. We get to keep being a family for another day.
I was afraid to love Eden because I knew what it meant. Especially after loving Nina. I loved her, and she was taken from me. Eden could be taken from me just as easily. But it is still worth it to love her.
I may live my life afraid of losing her, but that is what love is. Love is fear. But that fear can’t keep us from living.
Epilogue
Gia
“Yes, Matteo, I’ll be careful. I’m just in Paris to see friends for a few days. How much trouble could I get in?” I say, steppi
ng off the plane.
“Don’t get upset with me for caring about you. I love you. I’m your big brother; I’m supposed to look out for you.”
“I know, I know,” I say, my heels clicking against the floor as I walk toward the exit of the airport to a taxi.
“When will you be back? Your niece, Nora, already misses you, and Nina is due any day now.”
“I’ll probably be gone a month,” I say, knowing he’s going to be upset.
“A month? Gia! You can’t be gone that long. Do you understand how much Nora will have grown in a month? And Eden needs your help.”
I laugh. “Eden does not need my help. She’s a wonderful mother. And as much as I love her offer to work for her at the law firm, I need to find my own way.”
I hop into a cab and hand the driver the address.
Matteo pauses. “I understand.”
I raise my eyebrows. My brother never understands. Eden has really changed him.
“I love you. Don’t worry about me. I simply need some time to figure out what I do next, now that I don’t have to worry about the Carini enemies coming after me all the time.”
“Did you take security? It’s not completely safe. It won’t be for a while, but it is safer.”
“Of course, I brought security,” I lie.
“Good. Who did you bring? Because Dierk isn’t bad, but don’t even get me started on Paul,” Matteo rambles.
“Um…oh sorry. I have to go; I just got to the airport, and the girls are waiting. Kisses. Love you. Bye,” I say, ending the call before I have to lie anymore to my brother. Lying to him used to be easy. But now that he’s turned into a saint, I struggle lying to him.
I ignore the cab driver, who is looking at me with suspicion after hearing my lie about arriving at the airport.
The cab driver finally parks the car in front of the Carini mansion.
“Thank you,” I say, before stepping out. The cab driver gets my bags and then drives off leaving me alone in the only home I’ve ever known. It may have sucked at times growing up, but it was still home. It’s hard figuring out what my life might be without it.
I stare at my phone in my hand. I can’t keep it. Matteo or Arlo could be tracking it. They could find out exactly where I am and come after me.
I drop the phone to the gravel driveway and stomp on it as hard as I can with my high heel, watching the phone shatter.
I smile, and stomp off to the front door. I ring the doorbell, feeling strange ringing my own doorbell. But it’s not my doorbell anymore. This house isn’t mine anymore. I have to stop pretending otherwise.
I wait no more than a couple of seconds before the door opens, and Roman stands in the doorway.
My grin reaches my eyes, elated when I see him. He’s just as handsome as I remember. Tall, dark, and beautiful.
“You came,” he says with a bright smile.
“You doubted me?”
Roman shrugs and pulls me into a tight hug. “After how I treated you, yes. I didn’t think you would show up.”
I take a deep breath, smelling his cologne I’ve missed so much. He may have hurt me, but all can be forgiven if he treats me right this time. I’m tired of being alone. That’s all I ever am, alone.
“When did you move into my home?” I ask, staring at Roman.
“About two weeks ago. I’m just living here while my company renovates the property for Clive and Erick to move into.”
My smile falters. I don’t like the thought of my home being renovated at all. I like it as it is. Darkness and all.
“You okay?” he asks.
I nod. “Of course. I’m here with you.”
I reach up to kiss him, but he turns, and my kiss hits his cheek. I frown. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just don’t want to move things too fast.”
I raise an eyebrow and step out from under his arm. “Since when?”
He puts his hands in his pockets and shrugs. “Since we want a deeper relationship.”
I study him. I want his words to be true, but I don’t believe him. People change. Arlo and Matteo are proof of that. But not this fast and not without a lot of help.
“Why did you invite me here? If it wasn’t for sex?”
“Everything doesn’t have to be about sex.”
I glare at him. “I want the truth. I know you. All you see when you look at me is sex. I’m hoping that can change with time, but right now, it can’t.”
He blushes, and I think he’s about to tell me the truth, finally. Tell me why I haven’t ever been more than just a sex object to him. Pour out his heart to me and tell me how sorry he is, but he’ll do better.
Instead, he glances behind me as a dozen men fill the room.
“What’s going on?” I ask, looking around behind me.
“I needed money Gia. I was in a lot of debt. I got five million out of the deal.”
My eyes widen, already understanding. It’s the world I grew up in. But I can’t fathom it’s happening to me.
“You got five million for what, Roman?”
“For you. I sold you.”
The End
* * *
Keep reading for Gia and Caspian’s story in Dirty Revenge…
Dirty Revenge
Prologue
Gia
I’m the princess of darkness.
My father was the king. My brothers, princes.
I thought being a princess meant I would live in an extravagant world. Princes would be knocking at my door every day, wanting me. Or at least that’s what happens in all the fairy tales. In reality, I sit locked away in the castle, and wait. Men are terrified to date me unless it assists them in doing a deal with my family. The Carini name holds too much power in this town.
I want out of the tower I’ve been locked away in for far too long. Dating isn’t an option unless my brothers have vetted the man and deemed him worthy first. To ensure him dating me doesn’t fuck with their empire. That’s all they care about.
But things are changing. I’m not the girl they can lock away in the tower anymore. They can’t keep me hidden from the world. I want to be free. If prince charming won’t come to me, then I’m going to knock down walls to find him.
I’m a grown ass woman now. I can make my own decisions about what I want to do with my life. Just like everyone else in my family.
Father has been knocked off his throne. He no longer belongs in this town.
Arlo is gone. He ran away with his own love, and I have a feeling he won’t be back. Ever.
And Matteo, he has a new plaything he’s already falling for. He may be the ruler of the Carini empire now, but soon the Carini empire will fall to love.
And when it does, where will that leave me? Alone, without even a tower to hide away in.
I apply my red lipstick and fluff my hair. I’m beautiful. I know that. I have deep olive skin, bright green eyes, and dark, flowing hair that falls down my back and stops just before the curve of my ass. I have striking features any woman would pay good money to have. My looks alone should be able to land me a handsome prince. If only I didn’t have my damn name to go with it.
It’s not fair. My brothers carry the Carini name with pride. As soon as a woman hears the Carini name fall from one of my brother’s lips, any woman falls at his feet, worshipping him, begging him to date her, fuck her, marry her.
Not me; men hear I’m a Carini and it sends them running. Well, the good guys at least. Occasionally, there is a man who hears my name, and it makes him want me more. Because he thinks dating me will get him an in with my brothers. Those men are disgusting. They are old, gross, and twisted. They are involved in a dark world where stealing, rape, and murder are everyday occurrences.
I don’t want to belong to the dark world I grew up in anymore. It served me well when I was a kid. I had a dozen rooms to myself. I never had to lift a finger to do a chore, make myself food, or go to the store for anything as simple as a toothbrush. I got to go on the best vacat
ions to the most exquisite places in the world. France, Bahamas, Greece, Australia, Maldives, Botswana - you name it, I’ve seen it all.
But now, I want my own life. I’m tired of being the dark princess. I want a normal life, with a normal boyfriend who has a normal job.
I frown, there is no way Matteo is going to let me date a normal guy with a normal job like a teacher or mechanic or something. He will say no normal guy will be able to offer me the protection I need to keep myself safe.
But maybe, normal is exactly what I need to escape this life. No one in Matteo’s world is going to care about me if I’m with a boring man who makes no money. I have plenty of money saved, what would I do with more money, anyway?
Tonight, I’m going to find an ordinary man. I look down at my dark black dress, fit for Cinderella to wear to the ball. Or at least, for Cinderella’s wicked stepsister. A dress like this isn’t going to work to find a normal man. A dress like this will attract a prince.
I step into my closet, although ‘closet’ isn’t the best word to describe it. It’s more like a dressing room filled with all of Italy’s designers’ most expensive dresses. Complete with a different high heel for every occasion. I love my collection of dresses and elegant shoes. But if I keep wearing them, I’m going to remain trapped in this world. I need to change.
So I slowly slip out of the sparkly dress, until I’m standing in my black heels, stockings that attach to my garter belt, and strapless bra complete with dark embroidered roses.
What do ordinary Italian women wear when looking for a man to take them home?
My hands run over the different fabrics. Silk, lace, chiffon. So many gorgeous fabrics cut to fit my body. I stop when I get to my dark jeans.
Jeans.
I’ve never worn jeans out of the house. I always wear a dress or a skirt. Jeans are meant for bumming around the house. Relaxing, not gaining the attention of a man.
I grab my darkest, nicest pair. One I don’t think I’ve ever even worn before. I slip it on and then scour my shirts. I settle on a simple black tank top with a little lace around the bust. This is the most underdressed ensemble I’ve ever put on. I feel wrong to be wearing something so informal.
