An enigmatic photographer who is desperate to connect may have met his match. She's a beautiful savant and his favorite person to be around. The problem? His one chance at true love just so happens to be a mafia princess. *** After seven years as Scott's best friend, Stacy drops the bombshell that she is returning to Chicago for an arranged marriage. Only then does Scott finally realize he is in love with her. He begs her to stay, not knowing her fiance is Luca Cattaneo, a future don. The situation gets out of control, ending in a passionate kiss captured on live TV. Fearing for Scott's safety after their kiss goes live, Stacy uses the dead man's switch she has spent seven years creating to stand up to her father, Don Angelo. He just so happens to be the most powerful don in America, but she refuses to marry Luca anyway. When it looks like Scott and Stacy are fighting a losing battle against two powerful dons, she begs him to let her go. Time and again, he keeps chasing her anyway. As love blooms between these best friends, can Stacy outrun her past for a chance at a future with Scott? Or will her criminal past ruin them? Sometimes love comes softly... sometimes it means being willing to risk life and limb just to stay together.
Chapter 1 Stacy-We went live pt 1
There's this joke that goes, "I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness."
If daddy was God, then Scott was my bike. And every single time I went back home was me asking for forgiveness for knowing him.
Waking up in Scott's arms was bad for my resolve. I tried so hard to tell him last night that I was leaving, this time for good. But when I looked into his warm brown eyes and his goofy smile revealed his dimples, I lost my nerve. Now here I was, lying in his bed next to him, gently brushing his dark curls with my fingers, thinking about how much time we had left before my flight tonight.
"You've accomplished absolutely nothing in the last seven years. It's time to come home," daddy had decreed.
I couldn't exactly say he was wrong. With my father uprooting me every couple of months to come home and "Take care of business", I still hadn't declared a major. If I had, NYU likely would have academically excluded me by now. My life was such a mess of going back and forth that I couldn't even keep my job at a coffee shop. Of all things, a coffee shop.
There was no point in telling daddy that he was partly to blame though. In the end, I was always going to have to live the life daddy had planned for me. At least when I left tonight, I could finally let go of the guilt that I might be endangering Scott's life every time I walked back into it.
"I'm leaving, Scott," I said, the words finally slipping out my mouth.
He was just beginning to stir, but he heard me.
"Grab a shower first. I'll make pancakes, then I'll drive you to class," he said groggily, thinking nothing of my words as he unwrapped his arms from around me for the last time, got up and stumbled towards the kitchen.
"Scott we need to-"
"Blueberry. Dusted with powdered sugar instead of syrup, because you're a freak. I know," he called back and I lost my nerve once more.
An hour and a half later, we went out to meet Kenny, who was stuck covering another puff piece for his news station.
"Come on, it's the largest cookie in New York City. How cool is that? I'm excited. And there's plenty of time before your first class," said Scott, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for me to agree.
"You're a good friend. The best," I said, glancing at the large coffee in the cup holder. "Kenny's still down about being passed over for the promotion?"
"Little bit, but also giant cookie," said Scott, like showing up for his friend on his day off was a no brainer.
It probably was. I was really going to miss our adventures. We got out of the car and headed into a little bakery to meet Kenny and the cameraman.
"Stacy Kendrick, as I live and breathe. I guess that answers the did you go home last night question. I'm going to start making you pay rent," said Kenny with an easy smile. "Or I could take you out on a date and we can call it even."
"He's not down enough to stop hitting on me," I whispered to Scott.
"Exactly why you're the right person to bring along," Scott whispered back. "Men forget all their woes around you."
He said this without even looking my way. I felt a blush creep up to my cheeks. Kenny had a conspiracy theory going about Scott and me having a secret relationship. Sometimes, every once in a blue moon, I couldn't help but think that Kenny made some valid points.
"I already have a friends with benefits thing going with Scott. As long as you don't mind that, we can talk," I joked, batting my eyelashes at Kenny.
Kenny took a moment to absorb this information.
"You're not getting me this time. That's not true," said Kenny, looking doubtful. "Is it?" he leaned in and asked. "No, it's not. Scott would have told me. Right? Right Scott?"
"Shut up and drink your coffee," said Scott, pushing Kenny away from me before handing him his coffee.
After some small talk, Kenny reluctantly left us to go and speak to the owner of the bakery. It was just Scott and me, looking around the place. Somewhere in the background, Kenny and the cameraman were getting ready to go live.
"Anything look good?"
"I'm going back to Chicago," I blurted out.
Saying the words was like taking a thousand tiny daggers to my heart, and this wasn't coming out the way I wanted it to, but at least the words were out there now.
"Again? You just got back a few weeks ago. It's the start of the semester, Stace. Just last night you were saying you wanted to finish school. How is that ever going to happen-"
"It's not. I'm going back home to get married," I said meekly to a frustrated Scott.
"What are you talking about?" Scott said, his voice rising in pitch. Realizing he was being loud, he lowered his voice and tried again. "You're not getting married."
He said it like it was fact. Like there was no conceivable way it could be true. I wanted to remain calm as we stood before the display case next to other customers. He had earned the truth after seven years of friendship and I wanted to give it to him. Instead the moment overwhelmed my senses.
The near dead silence in preparation for going live, the smell of freshly baked bread and sugary frosting, the slight coolness coming from the display case, the taste of bile rising up in my throat. Finally, the feeling of his hand cupped around the side of my neck.
"Stacy?" he said, sounding less certain than a moment ago.
I could hear my pulse pounding noisily in my ears. Never in the last seven years had I felt more compelled to tell him the truth about who I was than in that moment. Instead, something else tumbled out of my mouth.
"What, because no one would want to marry me? I'm hot, Scott. I have people looking at me wherever I go. Both sexes, not just men," I said, unable to make sense of what had come over me.
"I never said no one..." Scott stepped away and turned his back on me.
Chapter 1 Stacy-We went live pt 1
28/03/2025
Chapter 2 Stacy-We went live pt 2
28/03/2025
Chapter 3 Stacy - I declared a major
28/03/2025
Chapter 4 Stacy- He was my best friend
28/03/2025
Chapter 5 Scott- She was a mobster
28/03/2025
Chapter 6 Stacy-I had a visitor
28/03/2025
Chapter 7 Scott- Scott says
28/03/2025
Chapter 8 Scott- She told me who she was
28/03/2025
Chapter 9 Scott- she told me who she was pt 2
28/03/2025
Chapter 10 Stacy- he played for keeps pt 1
28/03/2025
Chapter 11 Stacy-he played for keeps pt 2
28/03/2025
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