MARKED BY THE MAFIA
Marked By The Mafia – Episode 49&50
[…BOUND BY DUTY…]
GENRE: Dark Romance
TAGS: MAFIAS, OBSESSION, POSSESSIVE, LOVE, STEAMY, LOVE TRIANGLE, EMPIRE, BETRAYAL, CRIME, VIOLENCE, DEATHS AND MANY MORE…
✧༺✰༻✧
✮{…THE SICKLY SMILE…}✮
AT THE PENTHOUSE, TRAINING ROOM*
Sweat glistened down Vixen’s temple as she drove her fists into the punching bag again and again, each hit landing brutally.
The bag swung violently on its chain, creaking under the impact. She didn’t stop, not when her knuckles ached, not when her breath grew ragged.
The door slid open.
“Hey Vixen” Maya’s voice came cool and clear. She stood in her black training gear, hair tied back, eyes glinting with challenge. “Let’s duel”
Vixen turned, jaw tight. “Sure”
They circled each other, and the fight began.
Vixen struck first with calculated moves, but Maya matched her with surprising agility. The air snapped with tension and flying kicks until, with one clever twist, Maya brought her down and pinned her arm.
Vixen exhaled sharply, chest heaving. Maya stepped back, smirking.
“You’re strong” she said, wiping sweat from her brow.
Vixen rose to her feet.
“You and Ace… dating already?”
Maya’s smirk deepened.
“Not yet. But listen, you had plenty of chances to be with him. You just never took them. I like him, and I go after what I want”
She slung her towel over her shoulder. “It’s your loss, Vixen”
Then she walked out, leaving Vixen standing alone, with a clenched fist.
Vixen grabbed a towel from the bench, wiping her neck and face, her breath still uneven from the duel.
The door creaked open again, and Blade strolled in, twirling his butterfly knife between his fingers with that usual lazy grin.
“Well, well” he drawled, eyeing the sweat dripping down her skin.
“You must have really practiced hard. You’re sweating like a Christmas goat”
Vixen didn’t even glance his way. She tossed the towel aside, grabbed her phone from the bench, and the screen lit up with a message.
AXEL: Hey.
Her eyes widened for a second before she quickly locked the phone and slipped it into her pocket. Without saying a word, she turned and walked out of the training room.
Blade watched her go, the grin fading from his face. He spun the knife once more, then flicked it shut and clenched his fist until the veins stood out on his forearm. His jaw tightened.
A moment later, the door opened again.
Storm walked in, hood up, a faint trail of smoke curling from the joint between his fingers. He stopped when he saw Blade’s expression.
“Care for one?” Storm asked, holding it out casually.
Blade forced a smile, shaking his head. “I’m good”
Storm shrugged and lit another drag, the air thick with silence. Blade turned back to the punching bag, eyes dark.
•••
The elevator doors slid open, and Maya stepped out, still in her black training outfit. Her hair was damp and clung to her neck, the faint scent of sweat and perfume trailing behind her. She stopped in front of Ace’s door and pressed the doorbell.
Moments later, the door opened and there he was.
Shirtless.
The warm glow from the suite behind him made every inked muscle stand out, his tattoos rippling slightly as he leaned on the doorframe.
Maya froze for a second, eyes wandering where they shouldn’t. Then she grinned, breaking the silence.
“You should be at fault for being this hot” she said, winking before brushing past him into the suite.
Ace’s lips twitched into a faint smirk as he shut the door behind her, the soft click echoing through the quiet space.
“Thanks for the gift” he said, glancing toward the red leather jacket draped neatly on the couch.
“Anything for you, baby” she replied lightly, her tone playful as she made her way to the kitchen. She opened one of the cabinets, clearly comfortable in the space.
“Eaten?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
He chuckled softly. “Oh, please don’t bother yourself. You’re the boss’s sister. You should be respected, not cooking for me”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Nonsense”
Her tone carried that same fearless warmth that always managed to disarm him. Ace leaned against the counter, watching her move around his kitchen.
Maya stood at the counter, a small knife in her hand as she sliced through a tomato. In For It by Tory Lanez blared softly from her phone, filling the kitchen with a slow, sensual rhythm. Ace leaned lazily against the wall, watching her with that quiet, unreadable gaze.
“You’re doing that like a pro” he teased, arms crossed over his bare chest.
She smirked without looking up. “Cooking’s part of seduction, baby”
Suddenly, the blade slipped and nicked her finger.
A sharp hiss escaped her lips as blood welled up instantly, sliding down to her palm.
“Maya” Ace said, moving fast. His tone carried a rare edge of concern. He reached for her hand, but before he could grab a cloth or tend to it, she lifted her finger and licked the blood away with a grin.
“It’s nothing” she said, laughing it off.
Ace didn’t find it funny. His eyes darkened as he caught her wrist, staring at the tiny cut. His jaw tightened, not from anger but from something else entirely.
The air between them changed.
Her smile faded as his gaze dropped lower, tracing her lips. Heat pulsed in the room, heavy and sudden. Maya’s breath caught, and she understood that look.
She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You want to kiss me, Ace?”
Before her lips could touch his, he stepped back.
Embarrassment flickered across her face. She gave a small, awkward laugh and turned back toward the counter.
“Guess not then”
Before she could finish, Ace’s hand caught her waist and spun her around.
His mouth crashed onto hers.
The kiss was fierce and unrestrained, his hand sliding to the back of her neck as if he’d lost control for the first time. Maya gasped against his lips, the sound swallowed by the heat between them.
He deepened the kiss.
Tory Lanez’s In For It pulsed around them, the bass thrumming in time with her racing heart. Ace’s kiss wasn’t gentle; it was a conquest, a claiming that stole the breath from her lungs and the sense from her head.
His hands, which had been gripping her waist, slid down to her thighs. He lifted her and placed her squarely on the cold, granite kitchen counter.
The shock of the cold surface against her heated skin made her gasp, a sound he swallowed hungrily.
Breaking the kiss for a mere second, her chest heaving, Maya looked down at him. His dark eyes were pure fire. Emboldened, her fingers went to the hem of her own damp training top.
She never broke eye contact as she pulled it up and over her head, tossing it to the floor. The cool air kissed her bare skin, but it was nothing compared to the heat of his gaze as it raked over her, now only in her sports bra.
His hands came up to cradle her face, his thumbs stroking her jawline as he leaned in again, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was slower, deeper, and infinitely more devastating.
His hands left her face, moving to the hem of his own shorts. His dark eyes never left hers as he pulled them down, letting it fall to the floor beside her abandoned top.
Maya was completely exposed, only wearing the bare minimum of her sports bra, yet she met his intense gaze without a hint of shyness.
Ace didn’t pause for a second breath. With a low, guttural sound, he drove forward, thrusting in one deep, claiming motion.
Maya arched her back against the cold granite, a shocked gasp escaping her lips. His heat consumed her, stealing the air from her lungs.
He immediately buried his face into the curve of her neck, his breath hot and ragged against her skin.
The sudden intimacy was overwhelming.
The soft music playing from her phone was completely drowned out by the heavy thud of flesh against flesh.
A raw, unrestrained sound tore from her throat, her head falling back against the marble as the pleasure became overwhelming.
“Ace!” she cried out, his name a desperate, ragged sound swallowed by the heat of the moment.
He drove into her faster, harder, pushing her toward a personal, shattering climax.
Just as he felt his own control starting to crumble, the edge of his own release searing, Ace let out a tight groan, his jaw clenching like iron.
With one last, deep thrust that sent a wave of final pleasure through Maya, he pulled out abruptly, turning his head away from her neck.
His body was trembling with exertion and effort. He collapsed against her, his skin hot and slick with sweat, his heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped drum.
“Damn it” he muttered, the words strained and low against her shoulder.
The only sounds left were their ragged breaths and the lingering bassline of the music. Maya, catching her breath, looked down at him and smiled.
•••
AT THE LITTLE CASTLE RESTAURANT*
Aurora and Matteo were seated at a sun-drenched table overlooking a small, tiered fountain.
The waiter presented the dishes, a perfect arrangement of the delicate Parisian fare: truffle pasta, roasted duck glazed in honey, and a small plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Aurora picked up her fork and twirled a bite of the truffle pasta. She lifted it to her lips, and the blend of rich truffle oil and creamy sauce hit her and a soft sound escaped her, a deep, involuntary moan of pure enjoyment.
Matteo watched her, his expression instantly darkening with intense, possessive desire. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a gravelly murmur that only she could hear over the gentle restaurant music.
“If food makes you make sounds like that, Mia,” he drawled, his eyes sweeping over her lips, “I need to replace all your meals with myself”
Aurora’s eyes flashed with mischief. She grinned, a brilliant, challenging smile that made his heart clench.
“Maybe you should stick to the duck for now, You have a long way to go”
Matteo’s phone vibrated discreetly on the table. He picked it up with a frown, seeing a message from Bianca.
He sent a terse, one-word reply before locking the screen.
As he pocketed the phone, he turned his head, his gaze sweeping the room.
His eyes immediately snagged on a man at a table two sections over, dining with his wife.
The man wasn’t looking at his food or his companion. He was looking directly at Aurora’s chest.
Aurora was wearing a slightly low-cut summer dress, and the man’s eyes were fixed with a naked, lustful stare.
Matteo’s smile became a sickly, terrifying attempt to control the volcanic surge of anger. He slowly pulled out his handkerchief and, with a subtle movement, tossed it casually over Aurora’s décolletage.
The cloth fluttered to her chest, covering her just enough. But the man didn’t even blink. His gaze remained glued to her, staring through the silk as if it were transparent.
Suddenly, the man pushed his chair back and got up, moving quickly, almost clumsily, toward the restrooms.
He was moving with a desperate, hurried gait that suggested more than just a quick trip.
Matteo’s eyes narrowed.
“A minute” he said to Aurora, his voice calm yet carrying a brittle edge. He rose smoothly from his chair.
“Is everything alright?” Aurora asked, immediately sensing the shift in atmosphere.
“Perfect” Matteo replied, his smile tight. “Just stretching my legs”
He walked briskly to the restroom entrance. He found the door slightly ajar, a low, thick sound coming from within. Matteo pushed the door open just wide enough to peer inside.
The man was leaning against the cool tiles of the wall, already partially exposed, his clothes clearly wet around the front.
His eyes were closed, his head tilted back, and he was grasping himself fiercely, moaning out loud in a quick, panicked release.
He hadn’t even made it to a stall. He was so overwhelmed by his lust for Aurora that he was completing his release in the open, desperate to finish the act that her presence had started.
Matteo’s eyes went dark and cold. The possessive instinct, the fierce, brutal need to protect and punish, took over.
This stranger had dared to defile what was his with nothing but a look, and then compounded the insult with this humiliating display right outside his sight.
He stepped fully into the room. The heavy click of the door closing behind him echoed unnervingly in the small, tiled space.
The sound cut off the man’s pleasure short.
The stranger’s eyes snapped open, wide with terror and shame as he realized he was not alone, and that the man standing before him was the one whose woman he had just violated with a look.
“You like what’s mine,” Matteo stated, his voice dangerously soft. “You looked at her as if you could touch her. You lost control because of her”
The man stumbled back against the tiled wall, whimpering. “I’m sorry, sir. Please. I didn’t mean anything. It was a mistake”
Matteo ignored the plea. His composure was unnerving, contrasting sharply with the horrific intent in his eyes.
His hand dove into the inner pocket of his suit and emerged with a gleaming, specialized stiletto blade, a tool of his trade.
“The part of you that betrayed my ownership must be removed” Matteo informed him, the words cold and devoid of feeling.
The man understood instantly and let out a strangled, desperate cry, sinking to his knees, his hands thrown up in futile defense.
“No! Please! Forgive me! I’ll never look at her again! I swear!”
Matteo ignored him.
A sound of sickening finality echoed off the tiles. Matteo had cut him down there and a raw, inhuman scream tore through the air, choked off quickly by a forceful shove against the porcelain.
Matteo stood over the writhing figure for a moment, his chest rising and falling, the initial blind rage now replaced by a chilling calm. He was not done.
He brought out a fountain pen from his pocket.
“You need to remember this, every day”
He plunged the sharp tip of the heavy pen into the man’s left eye with swift, targeted force.
The victim’s body convulsed, a new, agonizing sound tearing from his throat.
Matteo yanked the pen out, wiping the ink and blood on the man’s ruined shirt. He knelt, his face inches from the man’s remaining, functional eye.
“I leave you one eye, so you can see and regret what you did for the rest of your miserable life”
Matteo rose, his suit immaculate save for a few specks of blood that he quickly wiped away with a clean part of his handkerchief.
He stepped back into the restaurant, appearing calm. He walked over to the table where the man’s wife was sitting alone, delicately sipping her water.
He paused beside her.
“Ma’am,” Matteo said politely, but with a terrifying stillness in his eyes. “You should probably check on your husband”
He did not wait for her reaction. He walked straight back to his table where Aurora was waiting, looking completely lost in thought.
Matteo pulled out his chair and sat down. He lifted his wine glass, taking a deliberate sip as if nothing had happened.
“What happened?” She asked and he shrugged.
Just as he set the glass down, a piercing, bloodcurdling scream of pure horror ripped through the air from the direction of the restroom.
Aurora eyes snapped to the restroom door, her face draining of colour. The entire restaurant paused, staring.
Matteo smiled, a sharp, sickly twist of his lips.
•
•
TBC😈
