Nobela ni Haylle James

A sharp, blaring alarm shattered the thick tension in the room. The sudden noise sent a jolt through Serena, her body snapping to alert as flashing red lights filled the study.Lucian and Enzo stiffened instantly, their sharp gazes flicking toward the doorway just as it burst open.One of Lucian’s men rushed in and his face was pale with urgency.“Boss! We’re under attack!”The words barely left his lips before the distant sound of gunfire echoed through the halls and Serena’s pulse spiked.She had grown up in this world, had witnessed the violence that came with it, but being in the heart of an attack and trapped in enemy territory, was something else entirely.Lucian moved first, he was already pulling a gun from his waistband as he turned to Enzo.“How many?”“An entire fucking army,” the soldier panted, clutching his rifle. “They breached the outer gates. We’re holding them off, but they’re closing in.”Lucian’s jaw tightened when Enzo exhaled a low curse, already reaching for his

Serena followed Lucian through the long, dimly lit hallway, her pulse quickening with each step. The entire mansion reeked of power and control, from the marble floors beneath her feet to the heavy doors that lined the corridor. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to turn and run, to find a way out of this suffocating trap before it was too late. But she couldn’t, not yet. Not now that Lucien had shown her some confusing evidence.Lucian’s broad shoulders moved effortlessly with each stride, his was presence commanding even in silence. He had barely spoken a word to her since dragging her out of the dining room. Serena hated him. She hated how he had taken her and how he had thrown her entire world into chaos. But most of all, she hated the way her body responded to him.Her skin tingled when he was close. The way heat pooled in her stomach at the thought of his hands on her. He had become her enemy.She clenched her fists, forcing herself to focus. Whatever game Lucian was pla

Serena sat on the bed, her muscles were tense and she was hungry and tired. Her mind was racing but she believed her father had noticed her disappearance by now. She had barely caught her breath from the failed escape when the door swung open again. Lucian stepped inside, but this time, he wasn’t alone.Two men followed him, One had a jagged scar down his cheek, the other sported tattoos creeping up his neck.Serena’s insides clenched.Lucian strolled forward, looking as composed as usual. “Serena,” he said smoothly. “Let’s talk.”She forced herself to remain still. “I have nothing to say to you.”Lucian sighed, as if disappointed. He gestured to the men beside him. “This is Carl and Vito. They’ll be keeping an eye on you from now on.” Vito, the tattooed one, smirked. “Can’t have you trying anything stupid again.”Serena’s fingers curled into fists. Lucian motioned toward the chair. “Sit” But She didn’t move.Carl stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. The sound sent a chill down h

Shadows flickered along the cold concrete walls, stretching and twisting with the dim overhead light. Serena’s wrists burned from the rough rope biting into her skin, but she refused to wince. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.Across from her, Lucian Moretti lounged lazily in his chair. He has poured himself another glass of whiskey. Which he held in one hand watching her like a predator toying with its prey. His dark eyes gleamed with something unreadable but she could see a smirk playing at his lips.He was waiting for her to break and she understood that and she was not planning to.“I hope you’re comfortable,” he finally said, his voice smooth filled with amusement.Serena lifted her chin, her emerald eyes burning with defiance. “I’d be more comfortable with a knife in my hand.”Lucian chuckled, swirling his drink. “Would you use it?”“Try me.” she arched a brow. His smirk deepened. “That’s what I like about you, dolcezza,” he murmured. “You’ve got fire.”Serena pulled at h

The gala was a spectacle of power and wealth, it was a grand display of deception where men in tailored suits and women draped in diamonds smiled over glasses of blood-red wine. Serena De Luca had spent her life attending such events, she was forced to play the role of the obedient daughter, she was the mafia princess and was meant to stand beside her father as proof of his legacy. But tonight, something felt different.She could sense it in the air, the way her father’s men stood on higher alert, their hands lingered near the holsters beneath their jackets too often. Her father, Marco De Luca, smiled too widely, and held her with a grip too firm on her arm. He had whispered to her before they stepped into the grand ballroom of the De Luca estate, “Smile, dolcezza. You are my greatest asset.”She knew what he meant. He wasn’t just talking about her presence; he was speaking of her worth. As a daughter in the mafia world, Serena was nothing more than a bargaining chip, she was a tool t