Novels by aestheny

I swallowed hard, heat blooming in my chest. I didn't know how to answer, so I just gave him a nervous smile, awkward, unsure, a little too wide. But Dante didn't seem to mind.He offered his arm, slowly, like he was giving me a choice.I hesitated only a second before slipping my hand through the crook of his elbow. His warmth was steady against me, grounding in a way I hadn't expected.We walked in silence toward the elevator, the soft click of my heels echoing in the hallway. I could feel his eyes on me again, a quiet weight on the side of my face."Red lips suit you," he said suddenly, voice low. "But it's the way you carry yourself... that's what people will remember."I didn't know how to respond to that either. My fingers tightened slightly around his arm.He leaned closer as the elevator doors slid open, the warm brush of his hand against the small of my back sending shivers straight down my spine."You're dangerous like this," he murmured, and I felt my breath catch. "If you

The door of the car slammed shut behind me with a soft finality, the sound echoing in the quiet night. The hum of the engine was a steady rhythm beneath me, but it couldn’t settle the whirlwind inside my chest. The city outside was a blur of lights, but I stayed still, trying to ground myself in the moment.I had done it. I’d struck a deal with Caruso. I’d held my ground. And yet, even now, my heart was still racing from the confrontation on the rooftop.I’d stood my ground. But why did it feel like my legs were made of glass now?I gripped the edge of the seat harder than I meant to, the leather cold beneath my fingers. My thoughts were tangled, and the silence between Dante and me only made everything feel sharper. His presence pressed against me, even in the stillness of the car.I didn’t look at him. Not yet. Because I knew if I did, I’d give away how much that encounter with Caruso had rattled me. I didn’t need him to see that.“You didn’t tell me you knew how to strike a deal.

The sunlight filtered in through sheer, ivory curtains, casting soft patterns over the polished marble floor. I blinked awake, the cold edge of the sheets brushing against my bare skin like ice. The bed beneath me was enormous, probably bigger than the entire bedroom back in my old apartment. The mattress was too soft, the silk sheets too smooth like sleeping on a lie.The room was fit for a queen, or a prisoner.Gilded molding lined the walls, and a crystal chandelier hung above like it belonged in a palace. To my left, a mirrored vanity stood with untouched perfumes and jewelry I hadn't dared to wear. A walk-in closet yawned open across the room, already filled with expensive clothes Dante's people had selected for me. None of them were mine. Not really.All this space... and still, I can't breathe.I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my bare feet touching the cold marble. The echo reminded me how alone I was. No creaky wood floors. No cheap heater rattling in the background.

The drive back from Mr. Caruso's office was a blur. It’s been rainy these week and as the raindrops streaked across the tinted windows, matching the chaos that stormed in my mind. Caruso's threats, the suffocating tension in that room, Dante's shadow hanging over every word. I couldn't escape it. I had done what Dante asked. I had sat there, smiled politely, played the loyal secretary while Caruso tried to intimidate me. And I had smiled through it. But now? Now, I wasn't sure if I was becoming brave or just numb.Is this who I'm becoming? Someone who smiles at wolves and pretends she's not bleeding?The sleek black car rolled to a stop in front of the Moretti estate. The gates opened slowly, like jaws parting to swallow me whole. Towering stone pillars framed the iron gates, carved with symbols I didn't understand but knew were meant to keep people like me in check. The kind of symbols that whispered like “You don't belong here unless you're owned.”The car doors clicked open. The si

The next day, I found myself standing in the sleek, towering building that was Moretti Enterprises. Dante's empire. The building loomed over me, its cold glass walls reflecting the gray sky. It was a monument to power, wealth, and everything I was about to be dragged into.Inside, polished marble stretched beneath my boots, the soft click of each step swallowed by the cavernous lobby. Security guards flanked the room, still and sharp like statues carved from stone. No one smiled. No one spoke. The silence was oppressive, the kind that made your pulse echo louder than it should.A man in a black suit appeared beside me that I think he’s also the one with Dante yesterday."Miss Leone, follow me," he said, not quite a request.I moved without question, my voice caught somewhere between reluctance and resignation. I didn't ask what I was doing here. I already knew.Work for him.The words had felt vague when Dante said them. Now, they clung to my ribs like shackles. The elevator doors sea

The rain hammered against the window i’m just here sitting, each drop tapping out a steady rhythm that mirrored the frantic beat of my heart. I stood there, staring at the darkened skyline of Chicago, the city lights barely piercing through the storm. My mind wasn't on the view though. It hadn't been for a long time.Luca. My brother. The one person who always had my back, always protected me from the mess our father had left behind. Now, he was gone, and I had no idea where he was.Two weeks. Two weeks since I'd last heard from him, since he'd disappeared without a trace. The police hadn't been much help. Just a few vague leads that went nowhere, a lot of questions left unanswered. They said it was just another missing persons case, but I knew better. Luca hadn't just gone off somewhere. He'd been taken.The photo on the table caught my eye. It was of Luca and me, taken during a summer we'd spent together when things had still felt normal. I reached out and traced the edges of the fr