Cursed Angel

Dark Hearts Mafia Series

by
Euryia Larsen

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Copyright © 2023 by Euryia Larsen

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are

either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and
any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locals is
entirely coincidental. The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows, song
titles and lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes
and should in no way be seen as an advertisement. Trademark names are
used editorially with no intention of infringement of the respective owner's
trademark.

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or
by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the author.

For permission requests, email: [email protected]

Contains explicit love scenes and adult language. 18+

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 Table of Contents

Title Page
Copyright © 2023 by Euryia Larsen
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Epilogue
About the Author
Other Books by Euryia Larsen

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 Dedication

This story is dedicated to my dear friend, Donna.

Love you, lady!

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 Chapter 1

Dante

“Boss, you wanted to see me?” I asked my cousin and Don, Leonardo
Zima.

“Yeah, we got word of a train about to pull in with human cargo. We

think the Dominguez Cartel has found a new partner now that the Callum
Family is no longer an option for them. I need you to take men and find out
what’s going on. I’ll have the bus and crew on standby.”

I nodded as I listened to his orders. With Hazel, his wife, days away
from delivering their first child Leo refused to leave her side. Not that I
blamed him. If I ever found someone even remotely like Hazel, they’d be
lucky if I ever left their side. “How trustworthy is the source?”

“Seventy-five perfect I’d say but if they’re right…”

“Yeah. I’m surprised the Dominguez Cartel is still tempting fate after
Razor’s last vacation south,” I smirked. Razor was a scary son of a bitch.
He was Saint’s and the Dragon Skulls’ Enforcer. He was so good at what he
did, he’d turned death and torture into an art form. I couldn’t call the man a
friend but I would venture to say that we were as close as he would allow.

“He got as close to erasing that evil as anyone has. Ghost says one of the
out-of-town cousins took over but he has little intel on them yet.”

“We’ll be careful. Text me if Hazel goes into labor.”

He nodded and as I stood up to get my team and head out he said, “Be
safe, cuz. I need you.”

I smirked and gave him my cockiest, “Of course you do.”

 His chuckle followed me out the door. Pulling out my phone I called the
head of our security. “Giovanni, gather the men. We have a train to deal
with.” I hung up as my mind wandered to all the previous times we’d dealt
with this situation. Leo refused to allow human trafficking of any kind. It
was a nasty business that went against every code ever instilled in us.

I prayed that the intel was wrong, but I knew it was most likely correct. I
gathered up my weaponry, carrying multiple guns and knives in my vest
and night gear. Suits had their place but not on a job like this.

Heading outside I met up with the men in front of our black SUVs. “The
Don received word that the Dominguez Cartel is trying to move back and
regain a foothold in our city. A train is arriving that has human cargo.
Unfortunately, we don’t have many details but we can’t let them even think
they’re welcome.”

The men nodded and scowled. Every man in this team fought alongside
Leo and me against the sale of humans. I could trust that they had my back
because they’d proven their loyalty. We climbed into the cars and headed to
the train yard.

*~*~*~*

Pulling the pin out, I threw a grenade in front of the train, right where
the enemy was. They were trying to hide, which was unacceptable. We’d
done our research on the Dominguez Cartel. They were abusing, murdering,
and raping scum. I felt only satisfaction with each dead member.

I didn’t care if that made me a bad person. If we turned over our

evidence and let the authorities handle it, only a few would be staying in
jail, and justice wouldn’t be served. The system was corrupt and broken.

I hid around the corner of a crate as the loud explosion went off. The
sight and sounds never failed to make me smirk. It pleased that dark part of
my soul that enjoyed their suffering. Their groans of pain and shock were
all I needed to let me know it was a good throw.
 Using the smoke and disorientation, with both pistols in my hands, I
walked out from behind the crate and finished off any survivors with a swift
bullet between the eyes. I felt no remorse for the demise of these men. They
could burn in hell for all I cared.

After several more minutes of fighting, all started to fall silent. The night
air filled with the sounds of my men calling out “Clear.”

“I want the entire train searched. The cargo we’ll sort out later. Look for
signs of human trafficking. If you find any women, you know what to do.
Make me proud.”

“Yes, boss,” sounded in unison as I walked towards the freight car in

front of me.

My eyes adjusted to the dark interior to find multiple cages filled with
women. I sighed at what this meant. Pulling out my cell I snapped a quick
photo and sent it off to Leo. He wasn’t going to be happy.

“Ladies, my name is Dante Zima. My men and I are here to help you.
We have no intention of harming you, attacking you, or selling you. I will
open the cages and my men will help you off this train to where we can get
you medical treatment and hopefully help you return home to your former
lives. I swear to you none of my men will harm you in any way. Your
captors are dead.”

As I spoke, I opened up the cages with a bolt cutter. The women stood
up and looked at me nervously as they exited their cell. They were dirty,
scared, and hungry but for the most part, appeared unharmed. I opened up
the last cage when one of the women approached me. “Willow… you must
save Willow. Please. She sacrificed herself to those men to protect us.”

“This is the last cage in this car. Do you know where she is?”
 When the woman pointed to a corner, I looked at her puzzled. As I took
a step, to see if I could find this poor girl, the woman grabbed my arm. I
glanced at her in surprise. “They weren’t kind to her. They tried to destroy
her soul as well as her body. She told me she had no one and wanted to
protect those that did. She deserves saving more than anyone on this train.”

The tears in her eyes told me all that I needed to know. Patting her hand,
I nodded and turned toward the darkened corner. I pushed a group of boxes
out of the way and that was when I found her. A naked girl chained around
her neck to the wall. She lay curled in a heap on the floor. I wasn’t sure she
was even alive until I heard a slight moan escape from her lips. That sound
wrenched open my heart and attached itself to me.

She was too thin, with bruises covering her body. Her dark hair covered
her face but I couldn’t tell its color from the dirt in it as well as the lighting
in this part of the train car. Using my radio, I ordered, “Giovanni, car four
and bring a blanket right away.”

Crouching down, I slowly moved her hair out of her face. My gloved
fingers only slightly touched her skin. With a scream, she jerked to
awareness and scrambled away from me as far as her chain would allow
her. Her eyes of liquid silver looked at me wildly, I knew she’d hurt herself
if she panicked any further.

“Shhh, amore. I won’t hurt you,” I said softly, my hands held up trying
to calm her. “I just want to free you of that chain. Do you know where the
key is?”

Her eyebrows furthered slightly as she watched me. As my words seeped

through her panic she looked around until her eyes stopped on the body of
one of her captors. “D-d-dead?” Her eyes jumped back to me as she asked,
her voice sounding hoarse and painful.

“Yes, amore. All those that hurt you are dead except for their leader who
will soon wish he’d been killed as well. I will make him pay for everything
he did to you.” Her eyes jumped back and forth between me and the body.
She opened her mouth to speak when I shook my head no. “Amore, don’t
speak. Your neck is covered in bruises. Save your voice.”

“Boss,” I heard Giovanni call out and immediately Willow screeched

and wrapped herself into a tight ball, trying to protect herself as best she
could.

I stood back up and quickly went to Giovanni. “I have a severely

traumatized victim here. Keep your voice down. She has a chain wrapped
around her neck and she’s locked to the train car. I need a key. Get it from
that piece of shit.”

“Yes, boss,” he replied softly as he handed me the blanket I requested.

I returned to Willow and crouched back down in front of her. “Shhh,

amore. It was just one of my men. He’s retrieving the key so I can remove
that chain.” I kept my voice gentle in an effort to keep her from panicking
further. I placed the blanket around her body and pushed her hair back out
of her face. My heart started to beat as she leaned into my hand. “I promise,
no one will ever hurt you again.”

Looking up at me, I saw gut-wrenching pain in her eyes. “P-please just

end me, too.”

“Amore…” I was a hard man who enjoyed hurting those that hurt the
innocent. Anger and pain filled me as this little angel begged for death. I
would exact vengeance for her a hundredfold.

She blinked at me several times before her shaking hand reached out and
captured a tear that escaped my eye without my knowledge. I softly
captured her hand with mine and closed my eyes as I leaned into her touch.
“Amore… I beg of you, let me save you.”

Without a word in response, her hand dropped to the ground and she
closed her eyes. She pulled the blanket more tightly to her and leaned her
head against the wall of the car. I just couldn’t give up on her. I would do
everything in my power to save her and give her back her smile and will to
live. I didn’t care how long it took.

Hearing footsteps I stood up to meet Giovanni before he could frighten

Willow again. “He had it around his neck,” his voice soft. “We checked the
rest of the train. All the women are on the bus. She’s the last.”

“Send the bus to the house where the rest of the medical staff are waiting
for them. Take him to the warehouse. I’ll see to him personally later. I want
him alive and body parts intact.”

Giovanni smirked as he replied, “We can work with that. Thank you, sir.
And the girl?”

“Call Leo and let him know I need his doctor. She begged me to end her,
Gio,” I explained as I rubbed my hand over my face.

“Fuck.” The anger emitting from him matched my own. “I’ll take care of
it.”

“Thank you.” I turned back to Willow and found her unconscious. Not
wanting to scare her if she were only sleeping I called out, “Amore…
Willow, it’s time to wake up.” When she didn’t acknowledge hearing my
voice I frowned in worry. Removing my glove, I put my hand over her
forehead. Feeling the intense heat, I moved my hand to her neck. She was
burning with a fever.

As quickly and gently as I could, I released her from the chain and
wrapped the blanket around her body as I scooped her up into my arms.
Even through the blanket and my clothing, I could feel the heat from her
body. She moaned once but didn’t regain consciousness. I quickly carried
her out of the train car and headed towards the SUVs.

“Willow!” the woman who had begged me called out. One of the men
tried to prevent her from running over to us.
 “Let her be,” I ordered. The woman approached as I asked, “What is
your name?”

“Kaily, sir.”

With a nod, I told her, “She has a high fever. I’m taking her to a doctor I
trust. She’ll feel better if she sees you with her if she wakes. I don’t want to
keep you from returning home, though.”

“I have no one waiting for me. Please, I’d like to help her in any way I
can. She was the first they captured and she always made sure to keep their
attention off of us in any way she could. So helping her is the least I can
do.” Tears were rolling down her face and I knew the truth of her words.

“Come, we must hurry.”

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 Chapter 2

Dante

“Fucking Christ,” Leo mumbled in horror beside me as he got a glimpse

of Willow. “The doctor is set up in the guest room.”

“Thank you. Keep Hazel away. I don’t want her to see and go into labor.
This is Kaily, one of the other women. She knows Willow and wanted to
help her.”

Leo smiled kindly at her. “I’ll have the bedroom next door to Willow’s
set up for you Kaily. I’ll make sure no one bothers you but the doctor and
his nurse. Please make sure to allow the doctor to look at you as well. I’ll
send clean clothes for both of you. Don’t worry, Dante. It’s gonna be
alright.” His words were comforting, relaxing me slightly.

Our personal doctor met us at the guest room door. Dr. Lionedes looked
over Willow immediately, his facial expression giving nothing away. I
entered the guest room and placed her on the bed softly. Her body relaxed
slightly, her limbs going slack as she sank into the mattress. “Doctor, this is
Willow, please take care of her.”

“Of course, son.”

“I’m Kaily, sir. I know Willow. I want to help in any way I can.”

“Thank you, young lady. How about you shower and get changed? My
nurse will be here shortly and she can take a look at your injuries and then
you can help her clean Willow up. If she wakes, having a friendly face will
help her stay calm.” Kaily nodded before Leo showed her out to the other
guestroom.

Dr. Lionedes pushed me out of the way and began to examine Willow,
taking her vitals and placing an IV port into her arm. She didn’t even flinch,
making me wonder how hurt she was. Standing at the end of the bed, I
watched the doctor in silence as he gave her a head-to-toe examination.

He cleaned every wound, no matter how big or small the cut. None of
them seemed deep enough to require stitches, but that didn’t make it easier
to watch. When he parted Willow’s legs, I almost lost it. Her pussy was
swollen and bruised, blood dripping out of her. More blood and fluids were
caked to her thighs, down to her scraped knees.

“You don’t have to watch this, you know,” he stated without glancing
my way.

“I want to.” I had to watch this, so I never forgot what the Dominguez
Cartel did to my angel. I needed to ingrain every gut-wrenching detail in
my mind and let these memories fuel my anger.

Dr. Lionedes pulled out a few syringes and vials from his bags and took
a blood sample along with samples of the fluids dried on her skin. After
that, he took the samples and his bag to the desk that was in the room and
set up what looked like a mini lab. A few minutes later, there was a soft
knock on the door before it opened. A woman I’d never seen before walked
in.

Dr. Lionedes introduced her before I had a chance to say anything. “This
is Kim, my nurse.”

She nodded at me. Dropping her bag on the floor, she quickly walked to
Willow’s side and began to gently clean the rest of her body, applying
ointments to her cuts as she moved. The doctor reappeared on the other side
of the bed and using his fingertips, he felt alongside Willow’s stomach as if
he was looking for something in particular.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, panic bubbling up again.

“She is going to be okay. I know she looks bad, but most of her injuries
are superficial and will heal completely within the next few weeks. As far
as I can tell, she has no broken bones or internal bleeding. While she does
have a serious infection, her vitals are good, and her oxygen is normal.”

“What about all of that blood?”

Dr. Lionedes looked up at me and sighed, “As far as I can tell, there was
tearing and damage but as the bleeding has stopped and I see no sign of
internal hemorrhaging, I believe she’ll be fine. Of course, we’ll keep an eye
on her.”

“So physically, will she recover completely?” The mental part would be
a whole other question.

“As I said, I have to run some more tests to confirm everything, but I’m
certain she’ll be fine. She just needs time and patience.”

I nodded as I collapsed down in one of the chairs and waited for Kaily.
Once she returned I was going to go have some fun exacting vengeance for
my angel. He would painfully suffer every minute he continued to be alive.

*~*~*~*

Willow

There was nothing but pain. So much pain, I couldn’t even pinpoint
where it was coming from. I must have been hit by a car. Any minute now,
I’d wake up in some hospital, my parents standing beside my bed, worrying
and waiting for me to open my eyes. The smell of rubbing alcohol was thick
in the air, adding to my hospital theory. The only thing missing was the
sound of a heart-rate monitor beeping in the background. I strained my ears,
trying to make out any other sound, but there was nothing for a long time.

When I finally heard the creaking of a door, I tried to pry my eyes open,
but they felt like someone glued them shut. “She looks like she’s in pain,” a
deep voice said. The man’s voice sounded somewhat familiar, but I couldn’t
match it to a face at the moment.
 “I haven’t given her any pain medicine yet. I just got the toxicology
report back. I had to know what kind of drugs she was given,” another man
explained. I didn’t think I knew this guy at all. At least his voice sounded
completely foreign to me.

Someone touched my arm, and my body jolted, sending ripples of pain

across my skin. “Give her the pain meds already. I don’t want her like this
when Dante gets back.” The voice was closer now as if he was standing
right next to me.

I gave opening my eyes another try, forcing my heavy eyelids to open

just a tiny bit. It took a lot of energy, but I was finally able to get my eyelids
to move. At first, I couldn’t see anything but bright light. After I blinked a
few times, my blurry vision slowly adjusted and I’m able to make out two
men. Both stood beside my bed, and I don’t know either of them. I don’t
know why I thought I did.

My first instinct was to be scared, to scramble off the bed and get away
from them, but one look at his face had me pausing to reevaluate. Both men
had kind eyes that were soft, and creases of concern were edged into their
foreheads.

“Don’t try to get up. Just relax and let the medicine work,” the man that
looked like a doctor said. “This should take care of the pain. You will be
much more comfortable soon.” I watched him attach something to the IV
drip that stood next to my bed.

It took me another moment to realize that IV was attached to my arm.

My gaze wandered from the clear tube sticking out of my arm to the bruised
skin around my wrist. What happened? Why was I here, and where was I?
The man, who I thought was a doctor, stepped away, but the other man
remained by my side. “My name is Leo and that is Dr. Lionedes. You are
safe, Willow. No one will harm you while you are inside these walls.”
 I opened my mouth to ask him why I was there, but my throat was so dry
it only made me cough. The sudden movement had pain exploding through
my chest and abdomen. My eyes squeezed shut as tears rolled down my
cheeks. I tried to curl up, wanting to hold my torso, but my arms were so
heavy.

When I opened my eyes again, Leo was holding out a glass of water in
front of my lips. Sliding his hand under my neck, he lifted my head
carefully so I could drink. I took a greedy sip, letting the cold liquid soothe
my burning throat. With the same gentle touch, he laid my head back and
set the glass on the nightstand. Just as I let myself sink back into the soft
pillow, I could feel the medicine spreading through my veins. Slowly, the
pain faded away, and a warm and fuzzy feeling took its place.

“Get some rest,” Leo instructed before turning around to leave.

Suddenly, I was scared. Scared to be alone, and I didn’t know why.

“Wait,” I croaked, making him stop to look at me over his shoulder. “I-I
don’t… I mean, I…” I stumbled over the words. How did I tell him that I
didn’t want to be alone? It didn’t make any sense, and no matter how crazy
it sounded in my head, I would rather have this stranger with me than be by
myself. I felt safe with him for some reason. Maybe safe wasn’t the right
word… less afraid might be better.

Walking back to the bed, he pulled up a chair and sat down next to me.
“No one will harm you here. You are completely safe. I’ll stay until Dante
or your friend Kaily returns.”

I wanted to say thank you, but my tongue felt heavy, just like the rest of
my body. My eyes fluttered closed, and I’m pulled back into darkness, only
this time there was no pain. I had no idea how long I was out, could be
minutes or hours, all I knew was that when I opened my eyes next, it was
nighttime.

The room was mostly dark, the only light came from a dim lamp sitting
on the nightstand. My eyes focused on the strange room before I started to
wonder again how I ended up here. My mind was hazy, and I couldn’t recall
what happened. The last thing I remembered was leaving work. After that,
everything started to get confusing.

I felt like I was at a beach, and all my memories were beneath the sand. I
was trying desperately to uncover them, but every time I reached one,
another wave crashed onto the shore, adding more sand. Confused and
desperate for answers, I groaned in frustration. That’s when I caught some
movement in the dark corner of the room. I froze, panic clawing its way up
my spine as I realized I wasn’t alone.

“Willow! You’re awake. I’m so relieved.” The woman that came running
to my side knew me but I was struggling to remember her. She was
beautiful but had some bruising around her face.

“I-I,” I struggled to say something, anything. She smoothed back my

hair and had the kindest look in her eyes. I immediately felt at ease with her.
“I think I know you, but…”

“The doctor said this might happen. You had such a traumatic
experience followed by a really bad fever. I’m Kaily. You saved me and
others.”

“I did?” I asked, confusion in my question.

She nodded as she caressed my face. “We became friends, at least to me

we did.”

“Wha-what happened? I need to know. Please.”

I watched as she sat down on a chair and held my hand. “Are you sure?”

I nodded and held on tightly.

“You were leaving work when men kidnapped you. They hurt you,
Willow. They hurt you badly.” I remembered waking up and being in pain
before, but as I was mentally checking where I was hurting, all I could feel
was a dull ache in my lower abdomen. Only when I moved my legs and
tried to scoot up a little did a more profound pain between my legs appear.
No. My eyes widened in terror. No… but one look at Kaily told me all I
needed to know.

“You weren’t alone for long. They kidnapped more women and put us
into cages. When I arrived you started to call them names and pulled their
attention away from me. You saved me. I asked you why you did that. You
said…”

“I have no one, my life isn’t a happy one. I’m already beyond repair but
if I can protect you and the others then I will gladly give myself to that,” I
whispered, tears flowing down my face. The nightmarish memories flooded
me, slowly drowning me in their intensity.

Kaily stood up and hugged me as we both cried. “We were saved. Dante
and his men saved us. The men that hurt you are all dead save one. That one
I’m sure wishes he was. Dante brought you and me here. Do you remember
Dante?”

My brain was still dealing with every memory that was flooding back. I
barely heard a word she was saying. It was like I was locked in my worst
nightmare, as I descended further and further into my memories. I heard
someone faintly call my name but my voice was frozen. Without any
awareness of what I was doing, I started to scream and tried to hide, curling
my body into a ball. The more I tried the harder the others hurt me. I
screamed and begged for death. Over and over until I felt I would be lost
forever.

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 Chapter 3

Dante

I stood looking down at the naked man strapped to the table in front of
me. This man, Carlos Diaz, had done despicable things to my angel. He was
a sick monster that I was going to enjoy torturing.

“Gio, what’s the pool this time?” I called out.

“Ten minutes.”

“Then I must be slacking. I learned something fascinating the other day.

Did you know in the anatomy of a man’s testicle there are nearly six
hundred meters of thin spaghetti-like tubules? Astounding isn’t it? How
about we take a look and see how factual that information is?”

Carlos looked a tad green at the moment. When I was done I was going
to have to send this video to Razor. He was a fellow sadist who taught me a
lot of the torturing techniques I used. We regularly exchanged ideas.

Using latex gloves, because who knew what diseases this monster had, I
took a scalpel in hand and smiled at Carlos. “Before we begin, let’s see how
cooperative you are. How many men remain in the Dominguez Cartel?”

“Tu mamá es una puta cuyo coño está tan estirado que tuve que usar su
culo para cualquier placer!”

“I bet you think I don’t have a clue what you just said. Surprise, bitch.
You just earned more time exploring a few more fun techniques I recently
learned about.”

Taking hold of one of his ball sacks. Using my scalpel, I delicately

removed the outer layer of skin. The amount of blood was impressive but
rather messy. “Well now, let’s see how well I know my anatomy. Here we
have the Testis with the Epididymis.” His screams had started to become
nonsensical almost as soon as I started and I enjoyed every second of it.

“Inside the Epididymis consists of a single heavily coiled duct. It can be

divided into three parts; head, body, and tail.” As I named each part I made
sure to squeeze it just enough to have poor Carlos begging for mercy.

“Now, let’s take a look inside the Testis which is filled with seminiferous
tubules. Well, now, will you look at that? It does look like spaghetti. Let’s
see how long it stretches.”

“Ummm, boss? Carlos passed out.” Giovanni refused to look below my

eyes.

I glanced around the warehouse and chuckled at the number of men that
were either physically ill or had their hands protecting their crotches.
“Time?”

“Four minutes thirty-seven seconds.”

“Awesome. Now let’s give him a nice jolt of adrenaline. I still want to
dissect his dick. Plus, Razor said I really needed to try doing a Blood Eagle.
I think ole Carlos here is the perfect candidate.”

I watched as Gio brought over the adrenaline injection and stabbed him
in the heart. Almost instantly Carlos was awake. I’m sure we could have
probably used water but where was the fun in that? “Gio, what do you think
will finally kill ole Carlos here? Will his heart explode from the adrenaline
or will the Blood Eagle kill him or will he bleed out from our anatomy
lesson?”

“Hmmm… that’s a hard one, boss. Let me see what the guys think.” Gio
shook his head as he smirked. He was used to my theatrics and hadn’t been
taken down by the gore yet.

*~*~*~*
 Several hours later Leo joined us to see what we found out. “Holy shit,
Dante. Fuck. What all did you do? What is all this worm-looking stuff
hanging from those hooks?”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. I was covered in blood and I’m
sure I looked like a demented demon. I was a sadist when I was torturing
but I had never been more than dominant in the bedroom. A little pain
added to the pleasure. Too much took away from it.

“Ya see, boss. I recently learned that in each testicle a man had nearly six
hundred meters of this wormy stuff. I decided to see if it was true and low
and behold, it's true. Then I couldn’t forget his dick. And since he kept
insulting Mom, we finished up with the Blood Eagle. That ended up being
the messiest but man it’s a glorious sight.”

“Jesus, Dante. They call me the Devil but I have nothing on you. Thank
God you’re on my side. Did you manage to learn anything useful before his
heart gave out?”

“Rafino Dominguez is now running things and he’s determined to

rebuild their trafficking network. Carlos and Rafino argued about coming
back into our territory but Rafino shot him in the leg and refused to listen.
After that, it was all gibberish.”

“Well, at least we have a name now. I’d recommend taking a shower

here and a longer one at the house so you don’t traumatize poor Willow any
further. Make sure you show off to Razor. He is your kind and crazy and
would enjoy this I’m sure.”

“Already done. I’m excited to see what he has to say!” I sounded like an
excited kid and was sure it made me seem even more demented.

Leo shook his head as he said, “The both of you need a special kind of
help but you’re handy to have. I’ll see you at home.” He continued to shake
his head as he left, making me chuckle.
 *~*~*~*

Finally feeling clean once more, I headed to Willow’s room when I

heard her screams. In a panic, I bolted down the stairs to her room. I arrived
ahead of the guards that appeared to make sure we hadn’t been attacked.
What I found was far worse. Willow had ripped free of her IV and was
curled up in a corner, screaming and filled with terror.

Kaily was trying to stem the flow of blood down her arm while
consoling her. She looked up at me, the pain obvious in her eyes. “She
begged me to tell her what happened. She couldn’t remember. I didn’t
know… help her please.”

I nodded, irked that Kaily hadn’t waited to tell her. Pulling her out of the
way, I crouched down in front of my angel and whispered into her ear,
“Amore, I’m here. Your Dante is here. Come back to me, my beautiful
angel.”

Willow gasped before whispering so softly I almost didn’t hear her,

“Dante?”

Pushing her hair out of her face, I smiled at her. “Amore, it’s me. You’re
no longer on that train and the men that hurt you are no more. You were
freed, my angel.”

Before I could say another word, she threw herself into my arms,
wrapping herself around me like the sweetest monkey. She buried her face
in my neck and whispered, “You saved me. You saved me. You saved me.”

I moved to the bed and held her tight. Looking up at Kaily, I mouthed,
“Doctor.” Watching her as she nodded and ran out of the room, I continued
to rub circles on Willow’s skin. “Amore, I have you. You’re safe now.”

As each moment passed, I felt Willow slowly relax her tense muscles.
Even when the doctor appeared and took care of her arm, she barely
reacted. The only reaction I felt was a slight tightened around my neck.
After we were alone again, I found myself humming a childhood song to
her. It wasn’t long before I felt her completely relax as she slept.

*~*~*~*

Willow

Slowly, I woke up once again, my memories of the night before a

chaotic mess. Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye, I squinted
trying to make out the ominous figure across the room. The outline of a tall
man with broad shoulders came into view as he took two steps toward me. I
wanted to sit up so I felt less vulnerable, but fear had me paralyzed, holding
me prisoner in my own body. I watched as he took two more strides before
he stepped out of the shadows.

I knew this man, it was Dante. I relaxed, sinking back into the mattress,
and exhaled a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Dante stopped beside the
bed, looking over me before sinking down to the chair next to me. Now that
he was close, I could see dark circles that painted the skin below his eyes.
Had he been awake all night?

Taking my hand in his. “Amore, how are you feeling?” His low and
raspy voice sounded just as tired as he looked.

“Tired, sore, scared…” I stopped talking before I said too much. “It
happened.”

With a heavy sigh, he nodded. “It did.”

“Why did you save me? Why?”

“Because I had to. You deserve to live, to be happy, and to love.”

I closed my eyes as tears escaped my eyes. “I have nothing and no one.

How can I ever be happy again? Who would ever love me now? I’m broken
into a million jagged pieces.”

I felt his hand cup my cheek as he leaned his forehead against mine.
“You have Kaily and you have me. Let me pick up all of your pieces. I’ll
help put the pieces back together no matter how much they cut me and I
bleed. Let me bleed for you, my angel.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close. He picked me
up so he could sit on the bed while he held me in his arms. “I’ll keep you
safe, amore. I’ll help you to feel strong. Together we will bring your smile
back. Until then rest, my sweet Willow. You’re safe.”

“Safe… I like that.”

“Me too, amore. Are you hungry? Do you want some more water?”

I thought for a moment before I answered. “I just really want to wash my

body. I hate the way I smell, how my skin feels. I want to remove them
from my skin.”

I gasped as he swept me up into his arms. I held on tightly and hid my

face into his neck, scared of where he was taking me. “Dante,” I cried out in
distress.

“I don’t want you to get hurt further. I just want to take care of you for as
long as you need me to. Is that ok with you?”

I pulled back and looked deeply into his brown eyes for several long
moments. Finally, I nodded and said, “Okay, I trust you.” When he smiled, I
was struck by how big and handsome he was. He had short black hair and
dark brown eyes that held a look of gentleness in them. I wasn’t used to that
look in anyone in my life. I wasn’t sure how it made me feel but I liked how
safe I felt. I closed my eyes and let that sense of safety cover me like a soft
blanket.
OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 4

Dante

“Okay, I trust you.” Willow’s words as she smiled the sweetest smile
I’ve ever seen destroyed any walls I had ever erected around my heart. I
didn’t know what they’d done to this sweet angel, but she was mine to take
care of now. She cuddled closer to my chest as we walked. She was so light
and just fit perfectly in my arms. I carried her into the bathroom, and as I
sat her on the counter, I asked, “A lot of bubbles or no bubbles?”

“A lot.” Her soft giggle made me chuckle as I turned towards the large
tub and turned on the water. I opened the cabinet that was near the tub. I
pulled out a towel, a large terry cloth robe, and of course, soap. I also pulled
out a bottle of lotion for her. I was going to make sure that her skin had all
it’d been deprived.

I laid everything within reach of the tub before taking the soap solution
and pouring a generous amount under the water. Turning back to Willow, I
smiled as she watched every move I made. I watched as she furrowed her
forehead and bit her bottom lip. Something was bothering her. “What is it,
Willow?”

“I’m so… dirty.”

Her nervous way of speaking didn’t bother me, and I knew that the more
she was around me, the more confident she would feel and the better it
would get. I wanted her to have everything she needed to thrive and be
happy, even if she decided not to be with me. Before that, though, “Would
you like to take a shower to rinse off before taking a bubble bath?”

She nodded happily. I lifted her off the counter and took her hand, and
led her to the shower. “Let me show you how it works. This turns the water
on and off. This adjusts the temperature. Up will make it hotter, and down
will make it colder. I’m going to leave you be so you can have some
privacy, but if you need me, you just call me, okay?”

“Dante… thank you.”

“Absolutely, amore. I’ll also check on you. I’m going to start our food.”
Leaning down, I gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before turning to
leave, making sure the bathroom door was closed.

As I walked into the room I moved to the bed and started to strip the
bedding. Willow deserved fresh and clean. After making a large pile, Dr.
Leonides walked in with Leo. “Hey, boss.”

“Where is Willow?”

“Taking a shower and then a bubble bath. She wanted to feel free of
them completely. How is she, doc?”

“Physically she’ll be fine. She tested negative for all STDs and negative
for pregnancy. She still has that infection but a round or two of antibiotics
will fix that. I’m more concerned about her mental health.”

I nodded as I told them, “I want to make her feel as safe as possible here.
She doesn’t have any family and from what I can tell was living out of her
vehicle. I would like her to stay here if that’s okay with you, Leo.”

“I talked it over with Hazel. She agrees with you. We’d also like Kaily to
stay if she wants. It will be good for Hazel to have women around that
aren’t the staff. Besides, Gio has a bit of a crush on Kaily.”

I chuckled at him. Now that he had the love of his life by his side, Leo
wanted all of us to be happy as well. Happy men were loyal men. “Were
you able to get Willow some clothing?”

“I think so. She’s a similar height to Hazel.”

 “She is but she’s too skinny. They were starving her. Her skin is bruised
and injured, so long as it’s soft clothing.”

“How about a couple of sweatshirts and leggings? Hazel swears they are
the most comfortable clothing ever made. You know, Hazel is particularly
fond of my sweatshirts. I just happened to grab one or two of yours.”

I smirked at my cousin. “Just happened huh? Well, it’s a good thing

chance was on my side because that is perfect. Thank you.”

“I’ll let you help her order personal items.”

“With all of her injuries, loose-fitting clothing is best for a time, at least
until she is in less pain. Here are some pain meds and her antibiotics. When
she ripped out the IV, she bruised up the vein. Her other arm is too bruised.
I could put it in her arm but I was concerned she would feel restrained and I
didn’t want to trigger another episode.” Dr. Leonides was a good man. I
knew he’d continue to take great care of my angel.

“Will the pills be strong enough?” I asked as I looked down at the pill
bottles he handed me.

He nodded as he explained, “She had nearly twenty-four hours of

antibiotics via the IV. They’ll be fine. Call me if you need me.”

“Thank you, doc.”

“I’ll see you out, doctor. Dante come to see me when you can,” Leo
ordered as he placed a pile of clothes on the bed.

I nodded as I decided to check on Willow. Approaching the door quietly,

I smiled to myself as I heard her softly humming to herself. She felt safe
and relaxed. The joy filling my soul was immeasurable.

“Dante?” Her small voice tentatively called out.

 Hurrying back to the bathroom door, I asked, without opening it, “Hey,
amore, did you need anything?”

“I-I need your help, please?”

“Can I come in?” I asked. I knew that continually putting the power and
control in her hands would add to the feeling of safety.

“Yes.”

Opening the door and making sure to only look at her face. “How can I
help you, angel?”

“Umm… I can’t wash my back. I don’t know what to use on my hair.” I

watched as she held a long piece of hair in front of her face. It looked
almost red in color. I couldn’t wait to see the beautiful color hiding under
all that dirt and grime.

Getting down to my knees, I picked up the loofah and put some soap on
it while she leaned forward, and wrapped her arms around her knees, her
eyes always watching me. “How does the rest of your skin feel?” I asked
her softly.

“So good. I washed it three times in the shower.”

As I gently started to wash the dirt and grime off her back, I froze when
I felt her lean her head on my arm that I used as support against the tub. I
looked down and saw that her eyes were closed as she relaxed. I continued
washing her back with a smile on my face.

“Dante?”

“Yes, amore?”

“I’m sorry to be such a burden.”

 “Willow, you aren’t a bother to me or to anyone. I just want you to feel
safe. You are so special to me already, and when I see you smile or feel you
relax with me, you bring so much joy to my heart.” I took a chance and
placed a soft kiss on her forehead. The happy sigh she released made me
smile.

“Now, your back is looking all pink and shiny. Do you want me to help
with your hair?”

She nodded without opening her eyes.

“Leo brought some soft clean clothes for you to wear. They’ll be gentle
on your skin and be clean.”

She opened her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered softly.

I continued to wash her hair as she closed her eyes again and relaxed.
“You have such beautiful red hair, my angel.”

“Why do you call me that?”

“Kaily told me how you protected them and when I saw you brought my
cold heart back to life. You’re as beautiful as an angel inside and out.” Her
eyes were still closed as tears escaped. Placing a soft kiss on her temple I
whispered, “Amore, I know you don’t think you’re worth saving. What
Kaily told me is true. You above everyone deserve to be saved and to be
loved. Even if you don’t believe that, I’ll believe it for you.”

Willow opened her eyes and searched in mine for something she would
never see. Instead, she saw the truth in my words. Caressing my cheek, she
placed the softest kiss on my lips and closed her eyes again so I could finish
her hair.

Once I was done, I left so she could get out in privacy. Looking at the
clothes, I pulled out an old soft sweatshirt of mine and leggings from Hazel.
The rest I folded up and placed on the dresser.
 I turned at the sound of the bathroom door opening. “Sit on the bed,
amore. I’ll dry your hair for you.” I walked into the bathroom and grabbed a
dry towel and the spare brush in the drawer. I came back into the room and I
saw her standing, chewing her lip nervously.

I sat in the middle of the bed and patted the mattress between my knees.
She gave me a small smile before joining me on the bed. “What is bothering
you, my angel?” I asked as I started to dry her hair.

“I overheard one of the men on the train talking about the bosses in
Mexico. Were those men part of a gang?”

“They were part of the Dominguez Cartel. We’ve worked hard to

remove them from our city.”

She turned her head and looked at me confused. “Are you cops?”

“No, amore. I am part of the Zima Family. My cousin, Leo, is the Don.
We control the underworld of this city and others. You will always be safe
here for as long as you wish to stay.”

Willow blinked at me, her mind processing everything I told her. “A-Are
you mafia?”

With a sigh, I started to brush her hair. “I will never lie to you, angel.
You deserve the truth. Yes, we are mafia. I’m not a good man, amore.”

Willow was quiet for a long time, her eyes closed as brushed her hair.
When I finished I slowly wrapped my arms around her. “Do you wish to
leave, amore? I will make sure you’re safe and have all that you need, no
matter where you are.”

She opened her eyes and turned around in my arms, looking me in the
eyes. “Will you ever hurt me?”
 “Never.”

“Will you ever sell me?”

“NEVER!” I looked at her horrified.

“Will you ever force me to do something I don’t want to do?”

“Never.”

“Then you aren’t an evil man. In this world, even the good men aren’t as
they appear. I was taken as I was leaving work. What I haven’t told anyone
is that the man that kidnapped me was a man I thought was sweet who had
asked to take me out to dinner. I was so excited I let my guard down.”

“Amore…” I began but paused when she placed a finger on my lips.

“In this world, there are only shades of gray. The hidden evil is what
scares me. I’m a broken soul and I don’t know that I’ll ever be who I was. I
don’t think I can be or in truth, want to be. All I know is that you refuse to
let me give up. The good I feel, it’s because of you. I don’t know if I can
ever…”

“Enough, angel. None of that matters. All that matters is you getting
better. Once your body heals, I’ll show you how you can protect yourself.
I’ll show you how to be strong, for yourself. I’ll hope you want to stay here
with me but I will never force you. If one day you want to leave, then I will
help you.”

“And you say you aren’t a good man,” she whispered as she climbed
into my lap and hugged me close.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 5

Dante

I blinked awake at the soft sound of a knock. Looking around I realized

Willow and I had fallen asleep on her bed. She was curled up to my side,
one hand holding tightly onto my shirt and the other holding my hand. I
looked at her peaceful beautiful face and knew she was it for me and always
would be.

Another knock on the door reminded me of what woke me up. As gently

as possible I pulled free from Willow. The frown on my angel’s face made
me smile. Quickly going to the door, I opened it to a smiling and very
pregnant Hazel. “Hazel, what are you doing here?”

“I escaped Leo while he was working out. How is she?”

“She slept well so I’m hoping she's better today.”

She looked up at me and smiled as she reached up and caressed my

cheek, “Always the protector. She is lucky to have you.”

I pulled her into a hug and soaked up her gentle strength. I didn’t always
have to be strong when I was with my family. “She already has my heart. It
scares me.”

“Sometimes it is like that. We meet that missing part of our soul, and we
just know.”

I nodded before I placed a tender kiss on her head. “You better

skedaddle. Leo’s head will explode if he can’t find you.”

She giggled as she blushed. “If she’s ready, bring her to breakfast.”

*~*~*~*
 Willow

I watched the people sitting around the table nervously as Dante carried
me into the room. He told me that Leo’s wife had invited me to breakfast if
I felt up to it. I really didn’t feel hungry but I didn’t want to insult anyone. I
also wanted to thank them for allowing me to stay in their home. I didn’t
understand how everything worked but I didn’t want to appear ungrateful or
rude.

Dante was being silly. He refused to let me walk but I had to admit I
loved his attention. After he sat me on a chair, he said, “Hazel, this is
Willow. Amore, this is Hazel, Leo’s beautiful wife. The rest of these
worthless men are what goes for the family around here.”

I looked up in surprise at his face as he sat down next to me. Breathing a

sigh of relief at him teasing them, I looked shyly at Hazel. “Thank you for
letting me stay here.”

Hazel reached across the empty chair between them and took hold of her
hand. “You are more than welcome. If Dante becomes too much of a
handful just let me know.”

I giggled shyly as I nodded.

“Willow!” I heard as I turned my head. I smiled brightly as Kaily sat

down in the empty chair next to me and pulled me into a hug. I fought back
a pained groan, not wanting to upset her. “You look so much better. How
are you feeling?”

“Better, thanks to Dante,” I answered softly. Dante heard and smiled as

he kissed my temple. I blushed brightly at his attention. Taking hold of
Dante’s hand, I kept him close. He was the only one who made me feel
safe.
 Breakfast was a lively event. I had to admit I loved Dante’s family. They
were everything I had ever longed for growing up. Hazel was so sweet and
funny. I could tell she was going to be the best momma.

Looking at her shyly, I told her, “I think you’re going to make a really
good mom. When are you due?.”

“Oh goodness. Thank you, I hope so. I’m due any day now. It’s why my
husband, Leo, is so attached to me right now.”

At his fake glare at her, I couldn’t hold back a giggle. He smiled kindly
at me and went back to talking to one of the other men at the table.

“I know the two of you just met, but Dante is so different in a wonderful
way with you. He’s a protector at heart but he built this wall to protect his
heart. You’ve already managed to break through that wall. So, thank you.”
She patted my hand as Kaily smiled at us.

Kaily leaned down and whispered in my ear. “That gorgeous man has it
bad for you.” I felt my cheeks heat up as I smiled at her.

I hid my smile behind my hands as Dante bopped me softly on the nose,

causing me to giggle shyly. “Everyone is really nice,” I whispered so that
only he could hear.

“They try to convince everyone that they are big bad men so don’t tell
them that they are nice. It’ll be a blow to their ego that they might not
recover from. Then they’ll be miserable lumps.” I covered my mouth as I
tried not to laugh. This family, no matter what they did, was kinder to each
other than any family I’d ever seen. I loved it.

*~*~*~*

Dante
 Breakfast turned out to be the best thing for Willow. It was excruciating
but worth the torment. With each bite, her eyes would close, and she would
make a soft moan of pleasure that went straight to my cock, making it hard
as stone. My internal mantra became, ‘Nope, nope, nope.’ That would not
happen with her. Not now, not for a long time, if ever. Now I just needed to
convince my body of that.

She was exhausted afterward but happier than I could have hoped for at
this point. She’d fallen asleep before we’d reached her room so I gently laid
her on her bed and tucked a blanket around her to keep her warm. I needed
to touch base with Leo so I left her room and quietly closed the door to let
her sleep.

Leo was standing in the hall waiting for me with a smile. “How is she? It
was good to see her smiling.”

“It was, but she’s worn out. She’s still recovering.”

He nodded his agreement. “She’s strong. She’s broken, but with your
love and support, she will no doubt become the best version of herself. Feed
her, help her, love her. Be open and honest with her but keep her and this
family protected. If she is anything like Hazel, she can handle more than
you know.”

I nodded as I agreed with what he said. “I just don’t want to do the

wrong thing. She’s it for me.”

“Just like I knew Hazel was it for me. We Zima men seem to know right
away. We love hard and we love deep. Let her be your guide. Let her feel in
control as much as you can but realize she’s as terrified as a small child
right now. Mostly though, do as you have been doing, just love her.”

Suddenly I heard a yell coming from her room. Nodding at Leo I went
back into her room. I worried Willow was having another nightmare. I
found her sitting up. There was a look I recognized in her eyes as she
looked up at me. I’d seen it in mine when my parents had been killed. I
came over to her and kneeled before her, asking softly, “What’s wrong,
amore?”

The despair I’d recognized broke free, and a sob ripped free from her as
she immediately hid her face. I pulled her into my arms and held her close.
“Hey, hey, angel, it’s ok. You’re safe now. I know everything is
overwhelming and terrifying right now, but you aren’t alone. I promise.”

As her sobs slowed, I continued to hold her close. She wiped her face on
the sleeve of the sweatshirt she wore. Wiping a spot or two that she missed,
I placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She climbed into my lap and with a sad
sigh she told me, “I woke up from a nightmare about the train and I didn’t
recognize the room at first and you were gone. I got so scared. I’m sorry,
Dante. I’m such a needy burden. I feel like everything is my fault,” she
admitted, her eyes downcast.

“Why would you think that?”

“I thought about canceling and not going out with that guy. A coworker
even offered me a ride. Maybe if I had…”

“Don’t,” I snapped. When she flinched at my tone, I immediately felt

bad. “Don’t you dare blame yourself, Willow. None of this is your fault.
Those men were evil. If they hadn’t gotten you then, they would have found
another way.”

“I just wish I wasn’t so weak.”

“Amore, you’re the strongest person I know. No matter how much life
has thrown at you, you haven’t given up. Instead, you sacrificed yourself to
save women you didn’t even know. A heart that loving, that kind, is the
strongest of all.”

“I don’t feel strong. I just did what I felt was the right thing to do.”

“Do you realize how few people are as wonderful as you are?”
 “I basically offered my body to keep them safe. There isn’t anything
special to that.”

“You made a decision and did what you had to. I bet if I called Kaily in
here right now she’d agree with me completely. Should I go get her?”

“No, no, please.”

I smiled at her and sighed dramatically. “Fine, but I want you to listen to
me.”

She was quiet for a moment before she looked at me and nodded. “I’ll
try my best. What is going to happen next?”

“You’ll stay here until you’re all healed up, and then we’ll figure it out,
okay?”

“Okay. Can you let me up? I need to use the restroom.”

Instead of letting her get up, I stood up with her in my arms. “You never
let me walk,” she said with a shy smile on her lips.

I chuckled as I smiled brightly at her. “Of course not. I like holding you
in my arms, so you might as well get used to it.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 6

Willow

Over the next week, the doctor and his nurse were in and out of my
room, making sure I was comfortable and not in any pain. Dante was with
me so much I felt bad. I know he had to be so busy. Whenever I mentioned
it to him though, he told me not to worry so much and to just concentrate on
feeling better. So that’s what I’ve been doing.

I slept more than my eyes were open, but I was starting to feel better.
When I was alone, I listened to the sounds of the house as I looked at the
ceiling. Surprisingly, I wasn’t bored. I wasn’t scared or worried. Most of the
time I just felt numb. I wasn’t sure if it was the medicine the doctor gave
me or if I was just so overwhelmed that I shut down.

My body ached but not badly. As I lay there and tried to figure out what
woke me I heard a knock. The door opened and I realized the approach of
the nurse must have been what woke me.

“Good, you’re awake.” I only nodded since I doubted she’d appreciate it

if I pointed out that she woke me up. She’d been nothing but kind, though,
like the doctor.

“How about we get you on your feet some more this morning?
Movement is important for healing. The more you move around, the
quicker your body will mend itself.”

I didn’t have it in me to argue so with a sigh I simply nodded. Pain flared

to life as soon as I sat up and lowered my legs over the side of the bed. Parts
of my body I didn’t know existed suddenly screamed out.

“Deep breaths,” the nurse instructed in a soft voice. “You’re doing fine.”
I don’t know if I agreed or not but I managed to stand on shaky legs before
dragging one foot, then the other, across the room. The room seemed to
grow even larger than it was. By the time we reached the bathroom my
entire lower half pulsed with pain.

“You’re doing just great,” she insisted. I felt anything but great. I felt
weak and hurt and crumpled.

I looked even worse. It was seeing myself in the mirror for the first time
that broke me. At first, I recoiled in shock. That couldn’t be me, the girl
whose face was so swollen, the girl with ugly bruises all over her throat.
The finger marks were a hideous tattoo, like a phantom hand.

After that, I just refused to look in the mirror at all. “All of this will get
better. Bruises fade. Swelling goes down. None of the damage was
permanent. This will only be a memory.” Only a memory… like that wasn’t
worse.

“I need to lie down,” I whispered, keeping my eyes away from my

reflection. She helped me back to bed, and I thanked her in a weak voice.

I wanted to forget what I’d gone through. I wanted to be in a place where

my body no longer hurt. Instead, there was a soft knock on the door before
it opened. I held my breath, hoping it was Dante, but it was Kaily.

“Hi, there,” she murmured. “I wanted to check on you. I heard it was

time for you to get up and move around again.”

“She did just fine,” the nurse announced. I almost wanted to ask her to
stop pretending that I was being heroic since I felt anything but. It wasn’t
her fault though.

The women exchanged the kind of brief, tight smile people wore when
they were uncomfortable but trying their best. The nurse decided it was best
to leave us alone, but she promised she’d be back.

“Are you hungry?” Kaily asked, taking a few slow steps closer to the
bed. “It was chaos this morning when Hazel’s water broke so I don’t think
any of us ate much.”

I shook my head no as tears threatened once again. I hated this. The pity,
the pain, everything. I wanted to go back to the girl I used to be. The girl
who didn’t need anyone.

Before I knew what was happening, Kaily had me wrapped in a hug.

That simple kindness broke the hold I had on my tears. “You’re going to be
okay, I promise. Dante and I are going to make sure of it.”

“I’m so angry, so sad, and so scared all the time. I hate it. I hate it so
much,” I sobbed.

“I know. So am I. Maybe we just need to let it out. I have an idea. Stay

here,” she ordered as she ran out of the room. Leaving me confused.

Before long she returned with Dante who wore a bright smile. As he
picked me up he said, “Hi, angel.”

“Hi. What’s going on?”

“You’ll see,” Kaily smirked as she followed us.

Dante carried me down the hall and out the back door. In the distance, I
could see some kind of plain building. “Kaily told me that you both needed
a release. Normally I’d recommend the punching bag but you’re not healed
enough for that. Instead, Kaily had a better idea.”

“What?”

We entered the building before he had a chance to respond. It was well-

lit with a wall of guns and weaponry and what looked to be bowling lanes
or something. I was completely confused. “What is this place?”

“I’m going to teach you, ladies, to shoot. When I can’t be with you,
amore, you’ll have a small pistol to keep near you to help you feel in
control and safe.”

I blinked at him and slowly nodded my head as a smile formed.

“Do you think you can stand or would you prefer to sit?”

“Sit, please.” I smiled at Kaily as she brought over a chair and couldn’t
hold back the giggle as she clapped her hands and bounced around.

Over the next hour, Dante taught us everything we needed to know about
pistol safety. He taught us how to load it, how to unload it, and how to
respect it for what it was. I was becoming quite tired but I wanted to try
shooting. “Are you sure, angel? We can come back after you rest.”

“Please, Dante? I just want to shoot it once,” I begged.

He chuckled and relented as he picked up the pistol and showed me how

to aim. Looking at the target, I saw the bastard’s face. Aiming for his face, I
fired once, twice, three times. I was breathing hard as Dante took the gun
from me. Laying it down, he scooped me into his arms and carried me out
of the building.

“Kaily?”

“She’s fine, amore. Gio is taking over.”

I tightened my hold around his neck and buried my face in his chest. I
was probably crying again like the stupid broken girl that I was. “Why
didn’t you just let me go when I begged?” I asked softly, anguish pouring
out of every word. I felt him tense at my words but he didn’t answer.

He didn’t take me back to my room. He took me to his room. He sat

down on a big chair in the corner. Pulling away from me, he wiped my face.
“The moment I saw you, even in that horrible situation, I knew that my
heart belonged to you. Leo told me once that the Zima men seem to know
the love of their life the moment we see them. That’s how it was for me. So
as selfish as it was, I couldn’t live in a world where you weren’t alive.
Everything in me pleaded for me to save you. That's why I couldn’t do it.”

“How can you feel any of that after knowing what they did?”

“How could I not? Kaily told me why you sacrificed yourself. Even if
that was all I knew I wouldn’t do it. I love you, baby. Just as we are in this
moment, I love you and need nothing more than for you to let me love you
the best way I know how. I hope for more one day but I don’t expect it.
Even if nothing changes, being just like this is perfect.”

I hid my face in his neck as I thought about his words. “You love me?”

“I love you, every sharp jagged piece of you.”

“I want to say it back… but not yet. I don’t want to feel so broken when
I do.”

“Then I’ll love for the both of us until that day.”

I leaned back and cupped his cheeks. I looked into his beautiful eyes and
saw nothing but love there. Kissing him softly, I knew I’d get there with his
help.

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 Chapter 7

Willow
One month later

I sat in the garden and enjoyed the peaceful evening. I was starting to
feel at peace and even found myself happy occasionally. I’d been seeing a
trauma therapist who was helping me immensely.

It was Dante’s love that helped me most of all. When he realized that
sleeping with him helped my nightmares, he moved me into his room and
never looked back. He didn’t push for more, just held me every night. When
he had to work, I curled up in my favorite chair and read a book until he
came home.

He and Leo were at some kind of meeting but I was sure he’d be back
soon. In the meantime, I relaxed outside. I heard someone approach me
from behind and thinking it was Dante, I turned and smiled brightly.

Only it wasn’t Dante. This man instantly made fear bubble up inside of
me. I was sure I knew him but I didn’t know from where. “I finally found
the pequeña perra. You got all my best men killed. I will make sure you beg
for death before I am done with you.”

I could only stumble backward. “Get out of here.”

“Who’s going to make me? Not you. I’ve seen what happens when
you’re overpowered, Willow. You don’t put up much of a fight.”

“What are you talking about?” Fear poured out of me. I couldn’t let this
happen again. If only Dante was home.

“You don’t remember? Well, you weren’t in very good shape, so I guess
you wouldn’t.” A shark smile filled his face, his eyes were empty. “We
spent a very special night together.”
 I was shaking, my body in fight or flight mode. “You’re a monster.
You’re a fucking evil piece of shit.” He responded with a grotesque pout.
His cold laughter chilled my blood. He didn’t have a soul. How could he? I
turned away, my head was spinning, my heartbeat pounding in my ears like
a drum. I could hardly see as I panted for air.

“It’s time to leave, puta.” I heard him coming toward me as sirens blared
in my head. He was going to hurt me. I had to stop him. My mind spun
around until I remembered. The cute little pistol that Dante taught me to
use. I kept it with me.

“Come on, it’s time to have fun before you die.” His hand landed on my
shoulder like a deadly spider. His touch was soft but instantly tightened into
a vise grip. I pivoted and reached behind me, grabbing hold of my gun.
Before I even had it pointed at him I had the safety off, just like Dante
taught me.

The monster never saw it coming. I fired it over and over until I was out
of bullets. He let go of me, covering the red blooms that were spreading
over his shirt with his hands. He looked down, then up at me, his mouth
hung open and his eyes bulged.

He dropped to the ground on his back, gasping, blood soaking through

his clothes onto the ground below. A rush of something like joy rolled
through me, and I laughed until the wave subsided and pulled back. It left
the cold, hard truth behind. I felt no regret.

I stared at the dead body sprawled out on the ground. Blood seeped from
the multiple gunshot wounds decorating his chest like a piece of art. I knew
I should’ve probably been freaking out. I should’ve felt terrible for what I’d
done, but all I could think of was how relieved I felt that he was gone. No…
it was more than relief. I felt proud. I was proud of what I’d done.

For the first time, I felt like I was taking control back. I was the powerful
one. I was the one who decided to fight back and protect myself. I had to
live with the consequences. Surprisingly, though, I wasn’t scared of
whatever they were.

I sat back down on the garden bench staring at the body and smirked.
This was my choice and I felt good knowing I rid the world of him. My
breathing was calm. My heartbeat in an even rhythm as I set the gun down
next to me.

Time seemed to be moving slowly as I heard feet running in my

direction. At the sound of Dante’s panicked voice, time suddenly sped back
up. “Willow! What happened? Are you hurt?” He reached for me, moving
his hands over me looking for wounds. I tried to move away, shaking my
head no, but he held me in place.

“I’m not. This isn’t my blood. I killed him. He came to take me back. He
told me he was going to rape me and destroy my body before he was going
to kill me. So I shot him with all of my bullets. He’s definitely dead, good
riddance.”

His face worked through his emotions, the muscles jumping, eyes
darting over my face like he wasn’t sure what to believe. “You killed him?”

“I did everything you taught me. I did it and I would do it again.”

Dante pulled me into his arms and held me close. “You did real good,
amore. I’m so proud of you.”

“Dante? Who was he?” I asked blinking up at him.

“Rafino Dominguez. Last remaining member of the Dominguez Family

and Cartel. With him gone, the Dominguez Cartel is no more.”

“I did that. I delivered the final blow.”

*~*~*~*
 Dante

After we confirmed no one else had penetrated our defenses the night
Willow killed Rafino, I set about figuring out who betrayed us. Turned out
one of the guards was in deep with the Russians and Rafino agreed to pay
off that debt in exchange for letting him on to the compound. The man was
given to the Russians, and his innocent family provided for.

I walked into my office to find Willow curled on my chair wearing her

favorite outfit, my sweatshirt with leggings. I thought she looked so
adorable right now. “Hey angel, how is school going?”

“Good. I got a perfect score on my last exam.” When Willow told me the
one thing she regretted was never finishing high school, I helped her do just
that. She decided to further her education by taking online courses in
business economics. She was just so smart.

Her emotional healing was going well, albeit slowly. She became timid
when we left the compound and she was around those she didn’t know, but
she thrived around her close circle of friends and family. Placing a kiss on
the top of her head, I smiled proudly at her. “Haven’t I always said that
you’re smart? This is just proving I’m right.” I loved to make her blush. She
held up her hands and cupped her cheeks, trying to hide her pink cheeks.

When I went to work, she worked on classwork. I made sure she had her
computer and area to work and anything she could possibly need but
inevitably, she always ended up in my chair at my desk working on her
laptop. I could only smile like a fool in love which I was.

“Dante, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Of course, angel.” Picking Willow up off the chair, I sat down before
pulling her onto my lap.

I smiled as she curled up close to me and looked thoughtful before she

said, “Can you teach me how to use a knife like Gio is teaching Kaily?”
 Holding her close, I asked, “Are you wanting to know because Kaily
knows? Knives are up close and personal. They are messy and bloody.”

She nodded fiercely. “I want to be prepared so no one can take me like

that without a real fight.”

“If you want this, then I will gladly teach you. You’re so strong.
Stronger than you even know..”

She tucked her head under my chin before saying softly, “I’m tired of
being scared.”

“There’s no reason to be scared. I swear it’ll be easy peasy for you.”

“Easy peasy?” Willow giggled until she was trying to catch her breath.

“Never thought you’d hear a mafia guy say ‘easy peasy,’ did you?”
Willow’s laugh sounded like music as she shook her head no.

“Remember when I told you how I would always provide for you? Well,
I got you a wallet that has all of your credit cards. And do you remember
when we went and got you an identification card? Your ID card is also in
the wallet.”

Willow looked up at me in surprise. “But, Dante, I don’t have credit

cards.”

I smirked as I replied, “Yes, you do. Don’t worry about the details. Just
use them as you want if you ever see anything that you want to buy.”

“Dante, you’ve done so much for me. Now this…”

“Amore, I love you. What is mine is yours. If something were to happen

to me, not that it will, I want you to be provided for and taken care of.” I
wiped the tears on her cheeks away.
 “Okay,” she whispered. I was shocked when Willow suddenly kissed my
cheek. She’d never done anything like that before. “You are so wonderful.”

This time I felt myself blushing. Wrapping my arms around her, holding
close, I quickly changed the subject and said, “So show me today’s lesson.”

At dinner, I watched her proudly as she teased Leo about changing

diapers. When I first met her she wouldn’t even think about doing that. It
was hard to even get her to smile. Now she knew she was safe and welcome
here. As my boss and best friend laughed at what she said, I smiled at her
joy.

I barely listened to what was being said as I got lost looking at her. I was
so madly in love with this woman. Every night I laid in bed and simply held
her, showing my love for her. I had no clue if she even remotely felt the
same as I did, but I could dream and dream I did every night.

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 Chapter 8

Willow

I watched as Dante washed his face and got ready for bed. My feelings
for him ran deep. I knew that his did as well. He told me every day in all the
ways he cared for me. I just knew that I loved him. How could I not after
everything he did for me daily?

Tonight, I had a plan. I was going to do what I really wanted to do nearly

every night. I would push Dante to stop fighting his desires for me. I
wanted to take control back and love the man who meant everything to me.

I was scared but my therapist thought I was ready as well. She said only
I could decide if it was time and that I shouldn’t let fear take control. We
both knew that was easier said than done but I was determined.

I found myself wondering what it would be like if Dante was touching

me right now. Would his touch be rougher, stronger, harder? Or would he be
gentle? The thought of his touch on my skin made my nipples harden and
my clit throb. It wasn’t the first time I thought about him like this. He was
older than me and was so wise in everything compared to me. He never
made me feel stupid or inadequate in any way. I worried that my past
trauma would suddenly appear, but I also knew that Dante would take care
of me and do what was needed.

He would know exactly what to do with a woman. He wouldn’t fumble

around in the dark like the horrible idiots that stole my innocence and
abused me. No man had ever made me orgasm, but I bet Dante would know
precisely what he was doing and how to make me come. I desperately
craved Dante on an intensely deep level, and I needed tonight to be the one
night I really tried.

“Are you ready for bed, amore?” he asked, pulling me out of my anxious
thoughts.
 I nodded as I held his hand tightly in mine. I took a deep, steadying
breath, and then nodded my head again. When he pulled me close and
placed a tender kiss on my forehead, I immediately felt better and smiled
brightly at him. “I love you, Dante. I love you so much and I wanted you to
know.”

“My amore. You are my everything. Your heart and soul bring lightness
to my darkness. With you I feel joy I never knew and never thought
possible. I love you, my angel.” He cupped my face and kissed me tenderly
before kissing away my tears.

I placed my forehead on his as I told him, “I need you.” I pulled him

close and pressed my lips to his, tasting and kissing him.

“Willow,” he rumbled in a husky voice, causing me to shiver. He

captured my lips in a desperate kiss causing the both of us to groan.
“Willow, I need you so badly but I’m afraid I’m going to hurt you. I want to
make sure you’re ready. We don’t have to rush this.”

“Dante, I want you, all of you. Please. My body aches and craves the
feel of your touch..”

Dante groaned loudly at my words as he kissed me deeply. I broke the

kiss and bit down on my lip as I pulled the ties on his night pants. His eyes
looked deep into mine as he tugged them off and tossed them to the floor..

He wasn’t wearing any boxers and his dick was large, hard, and standing
at attention. He played with the hem of the nightshirt that I wore. “You sure
you want this, angel?” He asked gruffly, sliding his hand into my hair to
hold the back of my head. The way he stared at me, he was looking into my
soul.

I reached down and pulled the shirt I was wearing over my head and
tossed it where his pants were, my eyes never losing contact with his. “I’m
sure,” I told him, my hand caressing his chest. “Make me yours, Dante.
Please.”

His arms wrapped around my waist as he placed tender kisses on my

neck as he told me. “I love you, Willow. You are the other half of me. I was
in love with you when we first met on that train, and I will love you beyond
this life. You claimed my heart as yours, and I knew that I wanted you
forever by my side.”

“Dante,” I gasped as he sucked on a particular spot that caused my toes

to curl. Pulling away, I reached up and grasped his face in my hands so that
I could look into his dark eyes that twinkled like the night sky. “I love you,
too. Without you, the world terrifies me. I want you by my side.”

Dante smiled beautifully before capturing my lips in a hard, demanding

kiss and took everything from me, more than I knew I had. He was laying
claim to me, showing me with his body what our minds were finally ready
to admit. Before I realized it, he had me lying on the bed, his body covering
my own.

Sliding his hands up the outside of my thighs, he gripped my hips rolling

us over, taking me with him so that I was straddling his middle. He took
ownership of my body but let me control just how far we took this and how
fast. My breasts pressed against his chest, the delicate hairs brushing against
my hard nipples as he kissed down my neck and slid his hands over my hips
to grasp my ass. “Beautiful, I’m big, and I don’t want to ever cause you any
pain.”

“I’m told a little pain can enhance the pleasure. I’m so wet for you,
Dante. Only for you. I want you. I want to move past my fears and allow
myself to discover all that I liked, with you.” I grabbed his face and gave a
deep passionate kiss, pouring all of my love into it.

As we kissed, he pushed me so that my wet pussy slid over his hard cock
where it hit my pulsing clit, making me moan. “Oh,” I cried out. Looking
into his dark eyes, I smiled, rubbing my wet pussy lips up and down his
hard cock. “Dante,” I moan breathlessly.

“Willow, you’re going to drive me crazy. Rub that wet pussy all over
me,” he groaned, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

I kissed up his chest to his neck, sucking and nipping until I got to his
earlobe and sucked it into my mouth. I released it, dragging my teeth
against his lobe. “I need more,” I moaned against his ear.

Dante grasped my face and said against my lips, “I am yours, baby, take
everything you want.”

When I sat up, he gripped his dick in his fist and held it up for me.
Unable to resist, I crawled down his body so I could do something I’d been
thinking about. I’ve wondered what he would taste like every night that I’ve
slept in his bed. The desire to find out was too strong to resist. Keeping my
eyes locked on his, I licked up the base of his cock, sucking the head into
my mouth, moaning at our combined flavor. “Fuck, baby. Do it again,” he
growled.
I smirked, proud of myself that I was pushing him toward the edge. That
was me and only me. Sliding as much of his dick down my throat as I
could, I swallowed as I gently massaged his balls in my hands. “Holy fuck,
Willow. You’re going to have me coming if you don’t stop.”

That’s exactly what I wanted, for my Dante to lose complete control. In

and out, I pumped him. What I couldn’t swallow, I used my hand on. His
grunts and groans became more and more erratic as he moved his hands to
my head and tightened his grip on my short hair. I loved every minute of it.
Before he knew what hit him, Dante roared out his release as I swallowed
every bit of it.

“Willow,” he panted out as he pulled me up and held me close. “Amore,

you didn’t have to.”
 I put my finger to his lips before kissing him tenderly. “I know. I wanted
to. Plus, it’ll make you a bit smaller,” I smirked.

He chuckled against my lips as he rolled me over onto my back, kissing

me passionately. As he nipped along my jaw, he murmured, “Tonight,
you’re in charge, baby. You tell me how much and how hard you want me.”

As he moved down and took a nipple into his mouth, I couldn’t help but
moan at how good it felt. Sex had never been a pleasurable act for me, but
with Dante, it was completely different. With him, there was so much
emotion flowing between us that pleasing each other became utterly natural.

He nipped at one nipple while pinching the other, his tongue

immediately soothing the first one and then the other, only to repeat the
process. I cried out at the powerful sensations. “Dante! More,” I begged
him.

He smirked as he moved down my body and lapped up my juices from

my thighs. Suddenly his tongue lapped up the juices along my slit. Dipping
in and out, tasting me, and teasing me. He avoided touching my clit as I
began to moan and begged for relief. In and out, each time, his tongue
moved a little deeper, and still, he refused to give attention to my button.
Suddenly, his tongue was right where I needed it, and I was screaming my
release as it crashed over my body, nearly drowning me in sensation.

Moving up, he captured my lips in a claiming kiss as he moaned,

“Mine!”

Smiling, I rolled us over, and I swung my leg over him so that I was
straddling his hips. I slid over him until he was at my entrance. Slowly I
pulled him inside of me. My eyes were locked onto his, our souls
connecting deeply as I let him inside me. An inch in, and I already knew I
wanted no other man but Dante to ever come near me again.

“Take me, baby. Take all of me.”

 Biting my lip and staring into his dark eyes, I slid down as far as I could
take him. Dante helped, holding my hips as I moved up and down until I’d
taken all of him. By the time he was fully seated inside, I knew it wouldn’t
take much for him to take me over the edge.

“That’s it. Ride me. Use your man. Take what is yours and only yours.”

I looked at him and kissed him deeply as I started to move, sliding up

and down his cock, my clit rubbing against him, making me moan. He was
touching and claiming a part of me I’d never felt before that no one else had
ever touched. He made me feel things I’d only dreamed I could feel.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, Willow, my naughty little angel.” Gasping,

I moved faster, my pussy starting to contract as I began to unravel.

“You’re mine, Willow, mine for the rest of our days. You’ve been mine
since the day I saw you, and I’m never letting you go. Never,” he growled.

His words caused me to shatter, calling his name as the biggest orgasm
I’d ever experienced exploded inside me. I fell apart, my whole body
vibrating. Seconds later, Dante flipped us over as he suddenly started to
pound into me over and over again, drawing out my orgasm as I screamed
his name until I was hoarse. When he finally came, he released rope after
rope of cum inside me, filling me full.

We laid there in each other’s arms with him inside me for a long time.
Dante curled around me, covering me, shielding me from the world. He
gave me everything I wanted and so much more. For the first time in my
life, I had a pure moment of bliss.

Running my fingers along his jawline and down his neck until I got to
his tattoos, and I traced them with my fingers. “I love you so much, Dante.
Please don’t ever leave me,” I whispered against his chest.

“Never, Willow, never. I am yours until the day I die and beyond that
because one life just won’t be enough with you. I’ll only accept forever
with you. I love you, angel. My beautiful Willow.”

“My Dante, my protector, my love. Forever is all I want with you.

Forever and ever.”

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 Epilogue

Willow
Five years later

I relaxed as I watched my husband and daughter play hide and seek in

our garden, my hand resting on my belly. Our son would be here soon and
we couldn't be more excited. Niccolo would work with his cousin to keep
the family strong and powerful.

Alea had her father and most of the Zima men wholly wrapped around
her little finger. She would be a heartbreaker as she got older, but her heart
was filled with kindness and love, and we would always protect that. On the
day she was born, Dante made an oath to me that she would only marry for
love, never for business.

Some had wanted Dante to marry a daughter from another family to

build alliances, but he refused and Leo dealt with all dissent swiftly. So in
the fastest, largest wedding I’d ever seen, we were married.

“Oof!” I exclaimed as my son kicked me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Amore, is our son kicking you too hard? My son, you must be kind to
your momma, always. No one will be there like your momma. I love you,
little man.” My heart melted as Dante talked to my belly. His voice always
had a calming effect on our son.

“You are wrong, my handsome man.”

“Oh? How so?”

“He will have both of us to love and protect him no matter what.” I ran
my hand through his silky hair before caressing his cheek.

“Always listen to your momma, little man. She knows best.”

 “Silly man!” I laughed as he wrapped his arms around me and placed a
tender kiss on my forehead. Laying on the ground next to me, his head in
my lap. We watched the sunset as our daughter played, and we looked
forward to a life filled with children, laughter, and most of all… love.

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 About the Author
Euryia Larsen grew up thinking that what she was being told about the
world was only part of the story. She loves myths both historical and
modern and often sees the the possibility in 'what if'. A good romance with
strong 'alpha' heroes and even stronger heroines that can be a partner for
them are her favorite kinds of books. If the heroines are just a tad crazy,
even better.

Euryia is a stay at home mom of two beautiful daughters, three crazy

cats, three crazier dogs and a husband to round out the bunch. She deals
with her fair share of issues while dealing with Fibromyalgia and other
complications and as a result, she's finds an escape in books where there is
always a happily ever after. She's always been creative and has written for
herself as an audience for longer than she can remember.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this or myths or books in general or

even just a hello.

Check me out at
http://www.EuryiaLarsen.com
or feel free to email me at
[email protected]

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Other Books by Euryia Larsen

Broken Butterfly Dreams

Flower of the Month Series:

The Mobster's Violet

Standalone Novellas:
Clover's Luck
Touch of Gluttony
Halloween Darkness
Another Notch On Her Toolbelt
Beautiful Smile
Devil's Desire

The Dark Side (Dragon Skulls MC)

with Kyra Nyx:
Saint

Belladonna Club
To Trap A Kiss
Love Searching (Coming Soon)
Cursed Angel (Coming Soon)

Menage Series:
Masked Surprise
Sweet Cherry Pie
Home on the Ranch
 Perfect Storm

Hope Club:
Boxset (Coming Soon)

Not the Good Guy (Kazon Brothers)

with Kyra Nyx:
Kazon Brothers Box Set
The Dark
The Beast
The Villain

Saga of The Realms:

Power of Love – Prequel Novella (Paperback)
Power of Love – Prequel Novella (Free Ebook)
Bonded By Destiny
War of Giants

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