A Don's Pet No Longer

For three years, I was the secret lover of Nico Carbone, Don of the notorious Chicago family. And for three years, the fire between us never died.

Before me, Nico was Chicago's most infamous playboy.

After me, his bed was empty. There was only me.

He promised me a surprise on my birthday.

I thought he was finally going to make us official. But the moment the clock struck twelve, Nico called.

"Ava, get to the Glory Casino in the neutral zone. Now. My mother's St. Christopher charm—give it to Bianca Russo."

For a moment, I couldn't believe my ears.

Before I could react, Nico’s patience snapped. "Don't just stand there like an idiot! Get moving! Bianca and I are waiting!"

Bianca Russo. A pawn sent by a rival family for a marriage alliance.

The color drained from my face. "You're with her, Nico? Then… what am I to you?"

Nico was silent for a moment before letting out a low, cruel chuckle.

"You? You're just a useful little pet. Nothing more."

So, the surprise wasn't about us. It was about me, deluding myself with a love that was never real.

The illusion shattered on my 25th birthday.

After that, a carefully orchestrated "car accident" changed my life forever.

The next time I saw Nico Carbone, he would learn that you can't win back the heart of a pet you so carelessly discard.

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1

In that moment, the blood drained from my face, a cold numbness spreading as everything went red. I couldn't utter a single word.

On the other end of the line, the undisguised amusement in his voice hit me like a physical blow. As if teasing a favorite pet, he purred, "You didn't actually think this was real, did you, Ava?"

That mocking tone pushed me over the edge. I hung up without a word.

The room plunged into an oppressive silence, so heavy it was hard to breathe. Then, my phone lit up again.

A message from Nico Carbone: the location of the Glory Casino.

I stared blankly at the address for a long time, my heart a hollow ache where something had been brutally carved out.

That night, I didn't sleep a wink. Every time I closed my eyes, Nico's insults echoed in my mind.

I met him three years ago. He was the Don of the Carbone family; I was just a graduate student in art history.

To be honest, I never imagined I would step into this dark, seductive world.

Everyone in it lived on a knife's edge. Coming from nothing, I had given everything for the protection and status he promised.

Back then, I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world, never imagining that even better things were in store.

At a private dinner, the man every woman in Chicago dreamed of had, in front of everyone, chosen me to be by his side.

After that, we laundered the family's money together, we dodged bullets together, and we spent countless nights tangled in sweat-soaked sheets.

By day, he was the cold, ruthless Don. At night, he became rough and uninhibited, pinning me beneath him, possessing me with a desperate abandon.

At the peak of our passion, he would whisper against my ear that I was the only light in his dark kingdom. Afterward, he would gently wash my body, his lips tracing the marks he’d left on my skin.

I thought those were things only lovers did. The most intimate of lovers. And now he was telling me I was just a pet?

A bitter smile touched my lips. I pinched my thigh, hard. The sharp pain screamed that this was not a dream.

I sat by the bed for a long time. It wasn't until the first ray of dawn cut across my face and my alarm blared that I jolted from my trance and shuffled into the bathroom like a zombie.

When I emerged, I found Nico had let himself in. He was sitting on my sofa.

He eyed me, wrapped only in a bath towel, and raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you go to the casino last night?" he asked calmly.

I froze, the sheer absurdity of the situation making me want to laugh. He had come all this way, this early, just to question me?

Before I could answer, he rose, pulling an encrypted flash drive from his jacket and tossing it onto the coffee table. "Just as well. Saved you the trouble of getting your hands dirty."

"Bianca's not feeling well. This is the intel on a new shipment she was supposed to run. You handle the analysis."

For a second, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

He was talking about his new flame so casually and even asking me to handle her share of the family's dirty work?

Tears instantly welled in my eyes. I stared at the man I had loved for three years. "Nico, are you replacing me with her?"

He paused, then smiled, the picture of utter indifference. "Replace? Ava, don't be so childish. But the Russo family is very useful."

He propped his chin on one hand, his gaze sweeping over me as if I were merchandise. "Their territory, their channels… this alliance solves a lot of problems for the Carbone family. Besides, she's obedient. Not like you."

"Enough!" I couldn't listen anymore and cut him off.

I snatched the flash drive and pushed him toward the door. "Mr. Carbone, I understand my task. You can leave now."

Hearing the cold formality in my voice, Nico froze. He didn't get angry. Instead, the corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk as he seized my wrist. "Ava Sloane, are you angry?"

I pushed hard against his chest, stiffly denying it, only to be slammed against the wall the next second.

His fingers traced my lips, then brushed the corner of my eye, collecting a tear. He chuckled softly.

"Still denying it? You're so angry you're crying," he whispered. "Ava, you look like a stray kitten. I much prefer you when you're smiling."

He lifted my chin, his eyes locking on my lips. Then, he slowly leaned in.

I closed my eyes on instinct. The kiss never came. Instead, his cold voice slithered into my ear. "Be a good girl. Do that, and I'll keep you around. But if you pull another stunt like last night, neither the Carbone family nor I will have any use for you."

There wasn't a hint of a joke in his tone. I knew he was dead serious.

With that, he walked out. Pausing at the door, he added, "Oh, and from now on, the family car won't be picking you up. Bianca lives farther away."

The moment the door clicked shut, I slid down the wall and collapsed, covering my face as uncontrollable sobs wracked my body.

I thought Nico had feelings for me, but I was just a toy he could discard at any moment. What did three years of love and companionship even mean?

I looked down at the flash drive in my palm, my cheek stinging as if I'd been slapped. After crying for what felt like an eternity, I finally pulled myself together and changed.

But when I reached the door, I paused. I didn't even know how to get a car to the estate. For three years, Nico's private driver had been my only transport.

Numb, I stepped out into the biting Chicago wind and hailed a cab. Just as I got out in front of the family estate, a heavy snow began to fall.

Shielding my head with my hands, I ran through the flurries, only to stop short. Across the street, I saw Nico. He was holding an umbrella, walking toward me.

For a dizzying second, hope surged through me, and I couldn't stop myself from calling his name. "Nico..."

Nico smiled, but not at me. He strode right past me, stopping in front of another woman. He held the umbrella over her head and draped his overcoat around her shoulders.

He wrapped an arm around Bianca Russo, his tone a mix of scolding and affection. "Didn't I tell you to rest? Why did you come out?"

She tapped his chest shyly. "Because I wanted to see you, Don Carbone."

Seeing them so intimate made my fleeting hope feel like a cruel joke. I lowered my arm and slowly walked toward the estate, letting the snowflakes soak my clothes.

Nico glanced at me, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, but he said nothing.

The moment I entered my office, everyone stared at my drenched state. I ignored them and silently sat down.

After a while, I nudged my friend beside me. "Jenna," I whispered. "You once mentioned you had contacts in Los Angeles, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but it's Grimaldi syndicate territory. They have iron-clad rules, so most people don't dare try their luck there. What's up?"

"I want to go."

Jenna Morales shot up from her seat. "Ava, are you serious? Nico treats you so well, and you want to leave?"

I pressed a finger to my lips, shushing her. "This isn't about him. It's about my career. Please, Jenna. I need this."

Jenna wanted to ask more, but seeing my resolute expression, she finally agreed.

She contacted the middleman in Los Angeles. After hanging up, she wrote down an encrypted number for me. "It's arranged. Use this to contact them. The rest is up to you."

As I took the slip of paper, a wave of relief washed over me. What I’d told her wasn't a complete lie.

While Nico had shattered my heart, that wasn't the only reason I wanted to leave. In my three years with the Carbone family, I had never been truly happy.

Nico often said he doted on me, but that meant most of my work was for show. I was less an art consultant and more a pretty pet to accompany him to meetings.

A pet. The word twisted in my gut like a knife.

Since my master no longer needed me, I wouldn't beg to stay. On my 25th birthday, I decided it was time to leave and reclaim my freedom.