The Mafia’s Wanted Desires

ASHLEY

The beach was crowded but that was the fun of it! You get to feed your eyes with so many crazy things happening around you. Several people were hanging around, barely clothed. The females were in their colorful swimsuits and bikinis while the males were draped in shorts and flannel shirts of just shorts. They engaged themselves in various activities; diving and swimming in the water, hosting various picnics, and roaming around the place in cliques. The loud music blaring through the speakers that were far from being in sight aided the bubbly atmosphere.

I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips at the sight of these people. Their energy was so contagious.

“And voila!” Dawn squealed, snapping out of my daze and I looked to my front, spotting the space I knew belonged to us. It was occupied by three sun loungers, a clothed plastic table with different cocktails on a tray, alongside a basket filled with snacks. I dropped my bag and took a seat on the recliner, taking off my kimono because I wanted to feel the warm sun on my skin. I was grateful for the fact that I had incorporated my sunscreen into my routine while I was dressing up.

Ivana handed me my all-time favorite cocktail; Pina Colada.

I was obsessed with the creamy goodness. I took a long sip from it, my eyes fluttering shut as I allowed the cold coco-pine blend to soothe my taste buds, relishing in the after-taste of the rum.

“Golden,” I commented, and the girls giggled. Dawn looked to my rear, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief and a hint of seduction. Her gaze lingered on someone I was so sure was a male standing a few feets away from me. I couldn’t resist the urge to roll my eyes before I looked over my shoulder, my gaze zeroing in on the familiar frame of one of my bodyguards, Chris.

I wouldn’t blame her. The man was a sight for sore eyes.

“Geez! Dawn, you are practically undressing the man with your eyes!” Ivana chided her, calling her back to order. Dawn tucked her lips between her teeth, a flirty smile crawling up her face. She eyed the man beneath her lashes before her gaze slowly drifted back to Ivana.

“What?” She eyed Ivana warily.

“Have you seen the man? He’s a hunk. What’s his name, Ashley?” She diverted her last question to me, her eyes sparkling with hope.

“Chris,” I said dryly.

“Sheesh,” She drew her words lazily in a purr.

“Dawn!” Ivana cried and I chuckled, drowning in the waves of the beach clashing against one another.

“You said you had something to tell us!” Dawn chirped, squinting her eyes at me when she saw how my forehead was quick to crease in confusion.

“Yes, Ash. You mentioned it this morning.” Ivana aided her in jogging my memory. I stared into space for a while, trying to look through my mind to see if I would remember saying something of such to them.

Then, it clicked.

My eyes widened in realization and I exhaled afterwards. I opened my mouth to speak but I was cut short by the presence of Chris.

“Ma’am, do you need us to help you vacate the people from the beach?” He asked me, keeping a straight face. I wouldn’t lie. His question caught me off guard because I didn’t know why he would think I wanted that or why he thought I would want to do that to innocent people who just wanted to have fun.

It was baffling.

“Huh?” I demanded, unable to conceal my shock.

“I was asking__”

“No, Chris. I don’t want that. What’s the fun of being at a beach if it’s void of people? This isn’t a private beach, Chris, just leave the people to have their fun, okay?” I cut him off, my tone a little stern. He nodded his head in response, bowing slightly before he returned to his post, which was standing at a safe distance behind me.

“God! He’s sexier up close!” Dawn purred.

“Shut the fuck up, Dawn.” Ivana chided and Dawn stuck out her tongue at Ivana, childishly, to spite her. The duo were acting like overgrown babies and it was so amusing to watch.

“Yeah, about what you asked. I did say I had something to tell you guys.” I sat up, and their bright faces were quick to morph into worried ones and it had doubts settling into me about what I wanted to tell them. I didn’t know how they were going to take this. I should have told them but I had been a little scared of their reaction because I knew how protective they could get.

“Ash?” Dawn urged me on with a slight arch of her brows. Ivana didn’t look as aggravated as Dawn did. She was a lot calmer, her eyes filled with warmth and assurance that slightly overrode the worry those amber orbs held.

“Uh…yeah…”

My voice trailed off and I clasped my hands together, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Okay so, a few weeks back. A strange lady came into the house and at first, I didn’t want to jump to conclusions because I wanted her to introduce herself but she turned out to be Arden’s ex-fiancee…” I paused, examining the look on their faces. If Ivana looked shocked, she was doing a very great job in concealing it but Dawn? Her eyes were almost the size of saucers, her mouth slightly ajar.

“Ex-fiancee?!” Dawn screeched.

“Wow. I mean…wow. Not like he’s not entitled to having someone in his life before he met you but I am still shocked. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of a person that does attachment.” Ivana mused, her tone conveying how applied she was.

“Oh, he does have one, and boy, I have never met a bigger bitch. She’s gorgeous. I’ll give her that. Very gorgeous,” I revealed, scoffing.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“She’s an Italian woman,” I added.

“Uh…what’s her name again? Yeah, Allegra Moretti, I think. I can’t remember the name that comes before__”

“The Italian designer?” Dawn queried, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. I was stunned at the new revelation. I didn’t know she was a designer. But then, it made a lot of sense because her fashion sense was impeccable and very exquisite. The aura that she gave off was so…sleek.

“I have heard of her a few times,” Ivana said, disdain evident in her voice.

“The bitch came to my house and tried to hit on my man. She was so lucky that she left before I pulled the fucking trigger!” I growled, not in the least interested in holding my anger. The girls suddenly grew quiet and I was forced to peel my eyes off the nothingness I stared into, meeting their horrified gazes. I arched a brow at them in confusion but then, it soon occurred to me that I mentioned the part where I wanted to pull the trigger.

“Oh,” I mumbled.

“You used a gun?!”

“You threatened her with a gun?!”

They threw questions at me, all at once.

“Yes!” I answered, throwing my hands up in the air as I grew aggravated by their questions. Talking about her riled me up so much, poking my truckload of insecurities. I mean, the girl was like a fucking goddess, and me? I was just…

Me.

“I threatened her with Duncan’s gun. I just got so angry and I didn’t…I didn’t even know what I was doing, I just pulled the Glock out of his waistband and pointed it at her. I was so angry…she was touching him and…I was just so angry…” I was rambling and tears were starting to well up in my eyes.

“It’s alright, Ash.” Ivana consoled me, reaching over to squeeze my hand in reassurance. Dawn threw me a soft look and I sent her a tight-lipped smile.

“Babes, you shouldn’t feel threatened by her. You are the real deal and she’s the fraud. She has no place in your home. I don’t like Jaxon but I have seen the way the man looks at you. He cares about you, Sweetie.” Dawn crooned, her eyes simmering with warmth.

“Dawn’s right, Ash. She has nothing on you. She’s just trying to make you feel intimidated because she knows she has lost to you. She’s not worth your time, love. Don’t waste your thoughts dwelling on her.” Ivana spoke, giving a dismissive wave of her hands in the air.

“She doesn’t get to be mad,” I began, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. I couldn’t control the anger brewing in me, simmering through my veins and enveloping me.

“She was the one who walked out of his life. She was the one who decided she doesn’t want him anymore. I met the man, I wanted him and I am the one wearing his fucking ring, so he belongs to me. He’s mine and she’s in for one hell of a surprise if she thinks she can take him away from me. I own that man. Every inch of him.” I spat out my words venomously, my voice thick with a possessiveness that stunned me after I uttered those words.

But then, I meant every word.

Arden is all mine.

I wasn’t going to allow one bitch, who walked out of his life, waltzed back into it, and tried to get him back as though she never left or broke him in the first place. There was no way in hell I was going to allow that.

“Okay, slow down, Tiger.” Ivana jeered, her tone dripping with amusement. She had a teasing smile tugging at her lower lip and I rolled my eyes, flipping her off.

“Geez, you should have seen how hot you look staking your claim on him,” Dawn said without mincing words, sporting a smirk on her face.

“I am just stating the obvious.” I shrugged casually, leaning to rest my back on the sun lounger.

“Ash is all loved up! Ivana’s going to be a Mrs in a few weeks. Gosh, I am so proud of you girls.” Dawn cried, faking a sniff and I chuckled where I lay, Ivana’s giggles seeping into my ears.

I slowly drifted away from the conversation they were having, my mind straying to a certain green-eyed man that had been crawling around my thoughts lately. My lips slowly stretched in an unconscious smile that I could barely repress. I was trying so hard to push him to the innermost part of my mind but it wasn’t working. Instead, trying to shake his thoughts off only aggravated them further.

It felt like he was here to stay and that…

That scared me.

A whole lot.