DEVOTION—COMMITMENT—FAMILY—LOVE
The third story in this series, Deviant Doms, had this reader engrossed in the tale and kept the pages turning as the story unfolds. It is a mixture of family, loyalty, secrets, lies, betrayal, mystery, suspense, life and death, danger, and an action romance.
It is time for Elise Regazza to pay, and it comes with an arranged marriage to Ottavi ‘Tavi’ Rossi. He has been holding her in the dungeon and treating her like a prisoner, but their relationship will change. Tavi and Elise become the godparents of Orlando and Angelina’s son. They have plans to marry, but first, Tavi and Elise are going to Tuscany to identify a relative’s body for Romeo. During the trip, these two change the perimeters of their relationship and become lovers—against how the family does things.
“We don’t have a relationship. I’m only a checkmark on a list of to-dos for him—no more, no less.”
Tavi: Listen—f the mob rules. F what’s expected of us. They can go f themselves if they think I’m gonna wait until our wedding night to have you.
Elise: You should tell me how you really feel, and no need to censor your language Who?
Tavi: All of ‘em.
Elsie: Mhm. Agreed. What are they gonna do anyway? Give me back? Pretty sure there’s a no-return policy.
Tavi decides that four more weeks until their wedding is out of the question and asks to move it up to the following week. He allows Elsie to order the wedding dress of her dreams and has his sisters to help her—his mother is getting a wedding finally from one of her sons. But, no matter what, it is still an arranged marriage.
“Tomorrow, I won’t marry the man I love. I’ll marry the man I will learn how to love.”
No matter what, Tavi and Elise have strong chemistry and attraction. He is willing to laugh off tradition because he needs to be with her and senses she needs him. These two need time together, not attending their bachelor or bachelorette party—and that is precisely what they do—just the two of them, a quiet, heartfelt evening together.
Elise: This is bad luck. We don’t need bad luck, Tavi.
Tavi: I don’t believe in good luck or bad luck, baby. I believe we dig our own graves or make our own fortunes.
“Will we exorcise each other’s demons that we wrestle, or will they destroy us?
The story has the good, the bad, and the ugly. When things seem to be working out between Tavi and Elise, trouble comes along. The trip to Tuscany is for business, but it gives these two time to really get to know each other—only, they each still carry secrets. Tuscany leads to more questions than answers, and Elise is very observant and helpful. Then, their wedding comes with double trouble that sends them back to Tuscany. Who is loyal, and who is a traitor to the Rossi family?
“What’s in the past can stay in the past, Elise. Can we make a pact? Right now. Between the two of us. We’ll forgive what happened in the past and put it behind us. Tomorrow, we start over.”
The story has so many secrets, lies, deceit, and betrayal. It makes people start questioning those around them, people they had faith in, believed loyal, yet now are questioning things. Life and death, threats and attempts, not even blood ties are trustworthy. The one thing that Tavi learns is his mafia princess isn’t a wallflower; she knows when and how to deliver a message that packs a punch. She has married into a caring family and isn’t afraid to show it. It isn’t easy for her to learn of how she has been played and betrayed, but what she has learned, the Rossi family is unlike the Regazza family.
“All that matters is Elise. All that matters is we’re together. All that matters is what was once me and her has become—us.”
“I have everything I need, right here.”
While the story doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, it still has many unanswered questions. I think there are several more stories in this series to come.