MARKED BY THE MAFIA
Marked By The Mafia – Episode 51&52
[…BOUND BY DUTY…]
GENRE: Dark Romance
TAGS: MAFIAS, OBSESSION, POSSESSIVE, LOVE, STEAMY, LOVE TRIANGLE, EMPIRE, BETRAYAL, CRIME, VIOLENCE, DEATHS AND MANY MORE…
✧༺✰༻✧
✮{…THE CALL…}✮
BACK AT THE PENTHOUSE, ACE’S SUITE*
Maya was dressed again, her black training gear back in place. Ace was pulling on a clean t-shirt, avoiding her gaze as he spoke.
“I don’t know what this is, but Boss mustn’t find out that I screwed you, his sister” Ace stated, his voice flat.
Maya’s jaw dropped. “Are you joking? So you’re going to pretend like none of this happened?”
“It’s better this way, Maya”
A sharp, painful laugh escaped her. “Fuck you, Ace Marino! You’re just a coward” she spat out.
Ace finally looked at her, his dark eyes shadowed with genuine conflict.
“I know. You’re the Boss’s sister and I should have respected that. Boss trusts me and I want to retain that, and not be fucking around with his sister”
“Who cares?” she challenged, her voice rising. “Matteo has a love life, I should have mine too! Ace, I love you, very much, it hurts. I know you still like Vixen, but I’m still hoping here”
He ran a hand roughly over the back of his neck, his muscles tight.
“Let’s talk about this later, I need to think, please”
With a choked sound of fury and hurt, Maya grabbed the small silver salt shaker from the counter and hurled it at him. It bounced harmlessly off his chest, but the act was brutal enough.
She didn’t spare him another glance, spinning on her heel and storming out of the suite. The heavy door slammed shut behind her, the sound rattling the expensive glassware.
Ace stood still for a long moment, the silence of the room deafening after the chaos. He picked up the shaker and placed it back on the counter.
Just then, his phone, which he’d left on the kitchen island, lit up with a new message.
It was from Matteo.
The message was brief.
MATTEO: Gather everyone at the lounge. Now.
Ace’s internal conflict vanished, replaced by the instinct of duty.
Ace snatched his pistol and shoulder holster from the bedroom, strapping the weapon to his chest beneath his shirt. He was moving before the final click of the strap, already dialing Blade.
“Boss just messaged. Lounge. Now. Don’t be late” he barked into the phone.
•••
NIGHT*
The city lights of Paris flickered through the glass walls. They are gathered again at the lounge after the first gathering in the morning.
Ace leaned against the table, jaw tight, hands in his pockets. Around him, the others gathered.
Blade sat sprawled on the couch, flipping his knife like a restless kid. Storm adjusted his gloves, eyes glued to the blueprints spread across the table. Axe stood near the window, watching the rain fall like it had insulted him.
Viper was perched on the armrest, legs crossed, and Scarlett stood beside Rosa
Sylvia sat with her laptop open, fingers tapping rapidly as she pulled up security footage of the gala. Across the room, Vixen poured herself a drink, the scent of smoke and danger following her every move.
Maya was the only one who looked irritated. She kept her gaze fixed anywhere but on Ace, pretending to be focused while her jaw clenched with barely restrained anger.
“Relax” Viper drawled, filing her nails. “You’d think we were heading to a funeral, not a party”
Storm gave her a dry look. “Same thing, depending on how the night goes”
Before anyone could respond, the elevator chimed open.
Matteo stepped out in a black suit that screamed control. Aurora followed beside him, wearing a sleek silver gown that made her look both untouchable and dangerous.
Instant silence. The air shifted, and everyone straightened.
Matteo stopped in front of the table. “We all know why we’re here,” he said, voice low but commanding. “The gala starts in an hour. Antonio DeLuca will be there.”
His eyes swept across the room, slow and deliberate. “No mistakes tonight. We go in calm. We blend in. Observe and we make sure we’re noticed by the right people”
He looked directly at Bianca. “That means Nicholas”
Bianca smirked, crossing one leg over the other. “Already planning on it. He won’t forget me this time”
Viper laughed softly. “Maybe he’ll forget again, bella. Not every man’s that easy”
Bianca’s gaze snapped to her, tone icy. “And yet some men still prefer me over snakes”
The air tensed instantly.
Ace stepped forward. “Enough. Save the catfight for another night”
Vixen leaned against the bar, eyes flicking between them. “I think I’ll enjoy this gala more than I thought” she murmured.
Matteo ignored the tension, focusing instead on the task.
“We’re going there as guests, not killers. Keep your covers clean. If Antonio sees us, it should be because we want him to”
He looked to Sylvia. “Surveillance?”
“Handled,” she replied without looking up. “I’ve hacked the feed. We’ll have eyes everywhere inside”
Matteo nodded once. “Good. We’re not there to cause chaos, not yet”
Aurora adjusted his cufflinksa and Matteo’s gaze flicked to her briefly, and for a second, something unreadable passed between them.
Bianca noticed and her smile vanished.
“Everyone get dressed,” Matteo ordered, straightening. “We leave in thirty minutes. Make Paris remember us”
Matteo’s cold command hung in the air for a moment before he turned away, straightening his cufflinks once more.
Aurora looped her arm through his as they headed toward the elevator, their reflection merging in the glass wall… all elegance and authority.
No one spoke until the elevator doors slid shut behind them.
Maya was the next person to leave without a word.
The silence that followed was heavy, and then it happened.
Viper reached for the bottle of whiskey sitting on the counter, just as Vixen did.
Their hands brushed.
Both froze.
Viper’s red lips curved into a venomous smirk. “Careful, sweetheart,” she purred, eyes glittering with mock warning. “You wouldn’t want to break a nail”
Vixen’s fingers tightened around the glass. “At least mine aren’t dipped in poison” she replied smoothly.
Viper tilted her head, her smile all teeth. “Still bitter, you should’ve learned by now that I always win”
Vixen’s laughter was dangerous, dripping with venom and history. “You won last time because I let you. Don’t push it”
Ace sighed under his breath. Storm muttered something in Italian and sank further into his seat.
Blade, of course, was grinning.
He leaned back, twirling his knife lazily and said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Oh, it’s about to go down”
Scarlett groaned. “Don’t start, Blade”
But the corner of her lips twitched, because everyone knew what was coming.
Viper and Vixen locked eyes again, both refusing to move first. The whiskey bottle stood like a trophy between them, a reminder of everything that had gone wrong years ago.
Finally, Vixen let go, brushing her hair back with a slow, deliberate motion.
“Keep it,” she said, her tone pure disdain. “You always did love taking what’s not yours”
Viper’s gaze hardened, but she lifted the bottle anyway, pouring herself a drink with a mocking smile. “And I’m very good at it”
Blade let out a low whistle. “Damn. If we’re lucky, one of them throws a glass next”
Storm didn’t look up from his gloves. “If they do, you’re cleaning it up”
Rosa chuckled softly. “Or dodging it”
Ace finally spoke, his patience thinning. “Enough, all of you. We’ve got thirty minutes to look like people who don’t kill for fun. Get dressed”
Viper downed her drink in one swallow and set the glass down hard enough to make it clink.
Vixen smiled faintly, her eyes cold.
Storm hesitated, then pushed away from the table and moved toward her.
Blade smirked instantly. Scarlett glanced up with mild interest. Even Ace’s eyes flicked toward them for a moment.
Storm stopped beside Viper, hands in his pockets, voice low. “You should take it easy on her, you know. “You are reading from www.mhiztaemy.com.ng” The tension between you two is like a grenade waiting to go off”
Viper didn’t even look at him. “I handle my own grenades, Storm,” she said coolly.
He tried again. “Still… you don’t always have to go off on everyone. You could try being nice once in a while”
This time she turned her head, just slightly, her cold eyes meeting his.
“Nice doesn’t keep me alive” she said and walked past him without another word.
Storm stood there, shoulders stiff.
Blade let out a snort of laughter from the couch. “Just forget about her, dude”
Scarlett shook her head with a half-smile. “She clearly doesn’t see you, bro”
Rosa added, “She won’t. Not now, not ever”
Sylvia didn’t say a word, she just looked up briefly from her laptop and shook her head slowly before returning to her screen.
Storm gave a dry laugh that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Yeah, I know,” he muttered under his breath. Then he turned and walked out of the lounge, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Blade whistled softly. “Man, love really doesn’t stand a chance in this clan”
Ace didn’t respond. He just exhaled, eyes fixed on the dark skyline outside.
Because deep down, he knew Blade was right.
Meanwhile, Aurora and Matteo were back to their suite and hefore Aurora could even release his arm, Matteo grabbed her, pulling her close and crashing his mouth on hers.
The kiss was immediate, desperate, and possessive, completely unlike his controlled demeanor moments before.
His hands gripped the small of her back, pulling her against the hard line of his suit. Aurora responded fiercely, wrapping her arms around his neck, her silver dress rustling as the urgency between them ignited.
Matteo lifted her slightly off the ground, spinning her toward the bedroom door without breaking the kiss. He kicked the door shut behind them, the soft click swallowed by the deep groan that tore from his chest.
He finally broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, both of them breathing hard, their eyes dark with desire.
“Damn, I wish I could fuck you right now” he muttered, his voice a raw, gravelly sound of frustration and aching need.
Aurora reached up, her fingers tracing the sharp, cold line of his jaw.
She pulled back just enough to look him in the eye, her own gaze soft yet determined.
“Me too, we can endure for two weeks right?”
His eyes closed briefly in a silent, punishing acknowledgment. He knew the risk. He wouldn’t hurt her.
Aurora smiled, a slow, sensual promise. She took his tie between her fingers and slowly pulled it loose, her eyes never leaving his.
“But just because you can’t be inside me… doesn’t mean you have to go to that gala unsatisfied” she purred, dropping the tie to the floor. She knelt smoothly before him, her silver gown pooling around her.
She looked up, a dark, dangerous invitation in her eyes. “Let me take care of you”
Matteo watched her, his expression a mixture of surprise, dark pleasure, and absolute surrender. He ran a trembling hand through his hair, his control finally fracturing. He was hers completely.
“Mia” he choked out, his voice thick with devotion.
He braced himself against the wall, allowing her to claim the moment.
•••
The Lumière Fundraising Gala*
Golden light spilled from the chandeliers, soft jazz humming. Guests in glittering gowns and tailored suits drifted between tables, the scent of champagne and roses thick in the room.
Maya and Aurora sat together at one of the corner tables, a little removed from the center of attention. Their glasses of wine caught the light, ruby red.
The others were scattered across the room, and Matteo was not in sight. They all arrived 30 minutes ago.
Maya looked stunning as always, but her eyes were distant. Aurora noticed.
“You’ve been quiet all evening,” Aurora said gently, swirling her wine. “That’s not like you”
Maya gave a low, humorless laugh. “Guess I ran out of things to say”
Aurora tilted her head. “Or maybe someone made you lose your words”
Maya’s smirk was faint. “You could say that”
Aurora followed her gaze unconsciously and caught sight of Ace across the room, standing near the bar, his posture rigid. He wasn’t looking their way, but the tension between them was almost tangible.
Maya’s jaw tightened. “He’s good at pretending,” she muttered.
Aurora frowned. “Did something happen?”
Maya downed the rest of her wine before answering. “Something I wish I could undo.” She forced a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “But don’t worry. I’m fine”
Aurora reached across the table, touching her hand lightly. “You don’t look fine”
Maya gave a soft snort. “I’m Matteo’s twin, remember? We’re not allowed to look weak”
Aurora smiled faintly at that, but before she could respond, a sudden urge struck her. She sighed and rose to her feet. “I’ll be right back. Nature calls”
“Go,” Maya said with a wave, forcing a teasing grin. “And don’t fall in. Those fancy bathrooms can be tricky”
Aurora chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re impossible”
Aurora left with a small smile tugging at her lips.
Behind her, Maya leaned back in her chair, her gaze finding Ace again and holding, just for a second too long.
He looked up at that exact moment. Their eyes met across the crowded room, loaded with all the words they couldn’t say.
Maya looked away first.
She reached for her glass, but her hand trembled slightly.
The orchestra played on, bright and careless, as if nothing had ever happened.
Aurora got to the restroom. She washed her hands, retouched her lipstick, and exhaled, grateful for a moment of silence away from the crowd.
Just as she reached for her clutch, her phone buzzed.
She frowned and glanced at the screen. The name flashing made her eyes widen.
Enzo.
Her lips parted in surprise, and then a smile broke through. She hadn’t seen him since her brief visit home weeks ago.
It still felt strange holding this phone… the new expensive Matteo had bought her after destroying the last one.
Without hesitation, she swiped to answer. “Enzo?”
“Aurora” came his voice, warm and teasing as ever.
Her heart lifted instantly. “Enzo! I can’t believe this! You didn’t even tell me you were going to call”
“I’ve been calling actually, and I’m lucky it finally went through” he said lightly.
Aurora laughed, leaning against the counter. “I’m glad too. How are you? It’s been weeks”
“”I’m in Paris”
Her brows shot up. “You’re what?”
“In Paris,” Enzo repeated, amusement lacing his tone. “Le Monarch Hotel. A day ago”
Aurora blinked, still smiling. “You’re kidding”
“Nope. And I need to see you, Aurora. I’ve got something to tell you”
She hesitated only for a heartbeat, long enough to feel the echo of curiosity stir inside her. “Something important?”
“You could say that,” he said softly. “Can you come by?”
Aurora exhaled, glancing at her reflection in the mirror, her own smile tugging at her lips. “You really think I’d say no?”
“I was counting on that” Enzo said with a grin she could practically hear.
“Text me the address,” she murmured. “I’ll be there.”
“See you soon, Feather”
When the call ended, Aurora stood still for a moment. She misses him alot.
She picked up her clutch and left the restroom, heels clicking softly against the marble floor.
As she turned down the corridor, lost in thought, she bumped into someone. The impact made her clutch slip.
“I’m so sorry” she muttered quickly, bending to grab it without even looking up.
The man, Nicholas, smiled faintly, watching her retreat. “We meet again,” he murmured under his breath as she disappeared into the crowd.
Aurora didn’t look back.
Within minutes, she slipped quietly past the side exit of the ballroom, unnoticed amid the swirl of glitter and chatter. The night air was cool against her skin as she stepped out into the Paris streets.
A taxi slowed beside her, and without hesitation, she got in.
“Le Monarch Hotel” she told the driver.
The car pulled away.
The taxi came to a smooth stop in front of Le Monarch Hotel, a towering masterpiece of glass and gold. The marble pillars gleamed beneath the Parisian night, and the soft glow of chandeliers spilled through the lobby’s grand windows.
Aurora stepped out, the cool air brushing her bare shoulders. She tugged her clutch closer, took a steadying breath, and walked through the revolving doors.
Inside, the receptionist greeted her with a polite smile. She already had the room number Enzo had texted her — Room 807.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she stepped into the elevator, pressing the button to the eighth floor. The mirrored walls reflected her calm exterior, though her heart beat faster with each passing second.
When the elevator chimed open, she stepped into a quiet hallway lined with golden sconces. She found the room and hesitated briefly before knocking.
The door opened almost instantly.
Enzo stood there, a faint smile curving his lips. Before she could speak, he pulled her into a warm hug.
Aurora laughed softly against his chest. “You haven’t changed” she murmured, pulling back slightly to look at him.
“Neither have you,” Enzo replied, his eyes lighting up. “You look… Paris suits you”
She smiled faintly. “I’m not going to stay long here. What do you want to tell me that’s so important?”
Enzo’s smile deepened… that same boyish grin she remembered from home. “Just relax first. You just got here”
He moved to the minibar, pouring two glasses of champagne. The soft pop of the bottle echoed through the quiet room.
Aurora folded her arms, watching him with mild impatience as he handed her a glass.
“Enzo” she said warningly, but there was a hint of fondness in her tone.
He raised his own glass, meeting her gaze.
She sighed but clinked her glass against his anyway. “You’ve always had a dramatic way of doing things”
“That’s why you like me” Enzo teased, settling into the sofa beside her.
Aurora took a sip of her drink, eyes narrowing slightly. “Now start talking before I walk out”
He chuckled and leaned back, his expression softening. “Alright, Feather. I’ll tell you everything”
Aurora barely had time to set her glass down before a strange warmth washed over her. The edges of the room seemed to blur, the golden lights stretching and twisting.
“Enzo?” she whispered, her voice unsteady.
He was there, smiling softly, but something felt… off. Her knees buckled slightly, and the champagne glass slipped from her fingers, shattering on the floor.
Her vision swam. The room tilted, colors merging, sounds muffled. She tried to move, to speak, to call out but nothing obeyed her.
Every attempt to lift her hand or step back failed. Her body was locked in place, as though invisible chains bound her.
Enzo’s voice came closer, soothing yet impossibly near. “Relax, Aurora. It’s alright. Just breathe…”
Panic surged through her chest, but her body refused to respond. She could only watch, helpless, as he leaned in, pressing his lips to the sensitive skin of her neck. The heat of his mouth sent a shiver racing down her spine, and a flash of panic and confusion consumed her.
Then he began undressing her.
•
•
TBC😈
