31. DAHLIA HARPER

(A WEEK BEFORE THE WEDDING)

Sofia's excited face bounced on my phone screen, her voice high-pitched and brimming with enthusiasm. "I am so excited for the party and the pool!" She looked absolutely stunning in her sequined, short, backless dress that shimmered under the light, drawing attention to her long legs and radiant smile.

Her energy was contagious, and I couldn't help but smile. "I know, Sof. It's going to be amazing!" I replied, though a part of me couldn't help but feel a bit of nerves bubbling under the surface.

As if reading my thoughts, Niko's voice entered the conversation, dripping with frustration. "Sof, don't be stubborn. Let me come, and I promise I'll stay out of your way. I'll just watch over you girls."

"MEN," Josie sighed dramatically from the background as she carefully applied her signature red lipstick. She wasn't paying much attention to the conversation but I could hear the disdain in her voice.

Camilla, always composed, nodded as she adjusted the curl in her blonde hair. "They don't understand, do they?" she commented softly, eyes on the mirror.

Sofia crossed her arms, clearly unwavering in her stance. "In this case, you're the one being stubborn, Niko. It's a bachelorette party, and I didn't tag along to your bachelor party yesterday, so why would I need you there tonight?"

"There's a pool," Niko continued, trying to reason. "And it's natural that there are going to be some assholes there too."

Sofia didn't flinch. "We booked the place for ourselves. There's going to be no one. My answer is no. And if you don't stop, I'm going to tell Dad," she said, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

It was no secret that Sofia had mastered the art of using her power over her brother, Alex Volkov. It was one of her talents—getting what she wanted with the strategic use of that infamous charm.

Niko, not willing to let it go, opened his mouth to protest. But before he could speak, Sofia raised her voice, unleashing the trump card. "DAD! Niko's bothering me!"

Within moments, Uncle Alex was in the room. His presence always commanded attention, and his protective nature made it impossible for Sofia to be ignored.

I stifled a laugh as I watched the exchange, knowing exactly what Sofia was doing. She had won this round.

Uncle Alex, always the doting father, glanced at his son. "Niko is arguing with me about whether he should come to Lia's bachelorette party," Sofia explained, her voice sugary sweet.

"I agree with him," Uncle Alex said, surprising everyone. "You should let him come."

Sofia gave him a cheeky look. "You too? Let me tell Mom all this."

"Not so fast." Uncle Alex tried to steer the conversation in his favor, but Sofia was already preparing to make her exit.

"Bye, girls, I'll meet you at the party," she announced and cut off the call before anyone could respond.

Camilla, who had been listening intently, turned to me with a mischievous grin. "Dad was suggesting we send a bodyguard with us too, but Mom rejected him. She said if he did that, she wouldn't talk to him for a week." Her laughter bubbled up, and I couldn't help but join in.

The women in this family knew how to use their power over the men. We had all witnessed it.

Josie, ever the one to enjoy a bit of family gossip, leaned in with a wink. "Same here. It was Mom who handled Dad. She's the only one who could make legendary Dante Russo quiet. He was ready to fly back from Italy, but no one tells Viv anything."

"True," Camilla laughed. "She's got him wrapped around her finger. What about Marco?"

I paused for a moment, considering her question. "He didn't protest. He's letting me go," I replied, though part of me was still surprised by how easy he had made it. I half expected him to put up more of a fight, but he hadn't.

Josie raised a brow. "He must be planning something."

"I wouldn't be surprised," I admitted, a smirk curling on my lips.

 "Okay, outfit check. How do I look, girls?"

Josie stood up, striking a pose in her stunning wine-red dress that clung to her curves and fell to mid-thigh. The front had a deep V-cut, and the back was entirely open, showing off her toned back. Her long black hair cascaded down in waves, perfectly complementing the dramatic red lipstick she was known for.

"You look sexy as hell, baby girl," I said, giving her a thumbs up.

Camilla was the next to stand, revealing her own dress—a sequin, sweetheart neckline, short pink dress with long balloon sleeves. Her blonde waves framed her face perfectly, and she was every bit the picture of elegance.

"Amazing, Cami," Josie complimented, nodding in approval. "You're ready to turn heads."

"Beautiful as ever," I added, admiring my friend.

Josie turned to me with a glint in her eye. "Now, it's your turn. Tell me—should I keep my hair down or tuck it up?"

I stood up, twirling to give them a full view of my taupe short dress. The fabric sparkled under the light, and the off-shoulder design accentuated my neckline. I felt confident as I glanced at the two girls before me.

"You look hot, Lia. There might be more marriage proposals tonight," Josie teased, fanning herself dramatically.

"I agree with her," Camilla chimed in as she adjusted her earrings. "You should definitely keep your hair down. Let those natural waves shine."

"I agree," Josie added, nodding decisively. "I'm leaving this call now, but you look amazing. See you at the party!" With that, she exited the conversation, leaving the two of us to chat a little longer.

"I'm leaving too, Lia. Meet you at the party in an hour," Camilla waved, her voice full of excitement.

I grinned, already feeling the energy of the night. It was going to be a night to remember.

I finished my final touch-ups and adjusted the strap of my dress, then glanced over at my bag. I checked it again, making sure I had the essentials—phone, lipstick, and a few other things. I'd already taken off my bikini for the night, but the excitement of what was ahead still buzzed in the air. The party was calling, and it was time to step out.

Marco was driving me there, as he had promised. The venue we were heading to was one of the hottest spots in town—a renowned bar with an exclusive pool. The type of place where you could rent out the entire pool for yourself and your friends for the night. I'd made sure to book the best one for the girls and me. The staff had been given clear instructions: no interruptions, no distractions. It was our night.

I stepped into the living room, my heels clicking softly against the floor. Before I could take another step, I felt a presence behind me.

Marco appeared, his figure outlined by the soft lighting in the hallway. His gaze swept over me, and I felt his eyes warm as they landed on me. "You look beautiful tonight," he murmured, his breath warm against my skin as he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to the hollow of my neck and the curve of my shoulder.

A shiver ran through me. He knew exactly where my weaknesses were, how to touch me, where to kiss me to make my pulse race.

 "Remember, you can't kiss or fuck me until the wedding. This is a violation of the rules." I smiled mischievously. 

"You didn't specify where I can't kiss you," Marco said innocently, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I raised an eyebrow at him, my fingers trailing lightly up his jaw. "You can't kiss me anywhere until the wedding," I replied firmly, though I couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at my lips.

His expression shifted, a playful sigh escaping him. "I don't know why I agreed to this challenge. I can't resist you."

I stepped closer, my lips brushing against his jaw as I kissed the tender spot beneath his ear. His breath hitched, and I knew I was testing his resolve, but I couldn't help myself. He was tempting me to push him, just a little.

"You are the great legend in the business. Marco Russo, the man known for his ruthless security measures. The CEO who tripled the fortune of the Russo Group and created a buzz across Manhattan when he took over. The man who set a record for hitting a $5 billion net worth in record time." I paused, meeting his gaze. "I believe you could accomplish this little challenge, too."

He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "You will be the death of me, diamond."

I couldn't help but smile at his dramatic response, feeling the pull between us even though I was teasing him. "It's time for my party. We should go," I reminded him, stepping away from the intimacy of the moment.

Marco didn't hesitate, his expression softening as he took my hand. "You remember, if anything happens, I'm just a call away," he said as we slid into the car. His voice was low, protective, and there was no mistaking the weight of his words.

"Nothing will happen to me, and I remember this very well." I squeezed his hand, my heart warming at the thought of his constant care for me. I paused, considering something else. "I'm a little surprised you didn't urge me to stay with you tonight. You're usually so protective."

His lips curled into a sly smirk as he settled back in his seat. "I love surprising others."

It hit me then, Josephine's teasing words from earlier. "Are you boys planning to sneak up on us behind our backs?" I asked, half-joking, half-suspicious.

He glanced at me quickly, then shook his head with a chuckle. "No. I didn't. You enjoy your party, and I'll box with Taehyung in Valhalla."

I couldn't help but laugh at his response, relieved and amused. "That's nice," I said happily. The thought of him spending time with Taehyung, of him doing his own thing, put me at ease. Whatever he had planned, I was sure it would be a night to remember.

With that, we drove off, the night unfolding ahead of us, full of excitement and the thrill of what was to come.

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I, Josie, Sofia, and Camilla slumped into the plush seats of the bar beside our private pool, catching our breath after two hours of relentless dancing. The lively music still pulsed in the background, but we were all ready for a break.

"My feet are killing me after all that dancing," Sofia groaned, taking a long sip from her cocktail. She leaned back in her chair, stretching her legs out in front of her. "We should go into the pool."

Josie, half-drunk and clearly enjoying herself, nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! My bikini is dying for some attention. It's been in my bag for far too long."

"I vote for the pool too," Camilla chimed in, taking a sip of her tequila. "After that, we could have dinner and head home. Isn't that what we planned?"

Our party wasn't extravagant, but it didn't need to be. We were here to enjoy each other's company, away from the noise and chaos of a typical nightclub. I wasn't interested in the crowds; I just wanted a peaceful night with my girls, and so far, it was perfect.

"Yeah, let me have one more drink, and then we can hit the pool," I said, signaling the bartender. She was a kind, humble girl, and I had specifically asked the staff to keep the men away tonight, so they assigned a female bartender to serve us.

We took our time finishing the drinks, enjoying the warm atmosphere and the peaceful vibe. Once we were done, we made our way to the changing rooms to slip into our swimwear. I had brought a sleek black bikini, and we all took a few photos in front of the mirror to preserve the memory.

Laughing, we finally returned to the pool, ready to dive in and cool off—but when we reached the poolside, we froze.

There, lounging in the water, were four large, burly men. My immediate reaction was one of confusion, then annoyance. The pool was supposed to be ours for the night.

I quickly scanned the area for the bartender and found her cleaning glasses behind the bar. I hurried over to her, my voice tight with frustration.

"What are these men doing here?" I demanded.

The bartender looked apologetic, but there was nothing she could do. "Ma'am, they come here regularly. They're spoiled, and I tried to tell them the place was booked for the night. But they called the manager, and he said if I did anything, he'd fire me. I'm sorry, but I'm going home now." With a soft, apologetic smile, she gathered her things and slipped out, leaving us with the situation.

I returned to the poolside just as Josephine and Sofia were already engaged in a heated argument with the men. Sofia, who was never one to back down, had her hands on her hips, her voice rising in a challenging tone.

"You guys need to leave," Josephine was saying, her voice firm but her eyes flashing with irritation. "This is a private booking. You don't belong here."

The largest of the men, clearly drunk, gave a mocking laugh. "And who's gonna make us?" he taunted, his tone dripping with arrogance.

I stepped forward, my patience thinning. "I'm saying this politely, even after your trespassing," I said, my voice calm but commanding. "Get out of here right now."

The men exchanged looks, clearly not expecting someone to stand up to them. The tension in the air was thick, and I could feel the adrenaline building in my chest. I wasn't about to let them ruin our night.

"The red one speaks a lot. I would love to see her choking with my cock inside her mouth." A bloke with strawberry blonde hair said this to Josephine. "How would you do that with a cock the size of a peanut?" Josie aimed at the man's ego. "YOU BITCH!!!!" The blonde one yelled at her, clearly offended by Josie's comment. "SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU ASSHOLES!!" Camilla yelled at them. "GET OUT OF THIS POOL, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS, OR I WILL BREAK YOUR BONES." Sofia joined Camilla.

"I am getting that white one. I have this strange attraction to blondes." One of them said:."I am going with the blue one." One of them pointed at Sofia.And then all ofThey gripped us and yanked us into the pool. One of the guys grabbed my hair and pulled me towards him.We should have brought men with us.