Chapter: CHAPTER 10: MIDNIGHT AT THE CHAPELThe message stayed between them long after the phone screen went dark.You missed the traitor.Nyra read it again, then handed the phone back without speaking.The breakfast room suddenly felt smaller.Every sound sharpened—the scrape of cutlery, footsteps in the corridor, the low crackle of the fireplace at the far end.Someone inside the lodge.Someone close enough to watch them move.Sebastian slipped the phone into his coat pocket, his face unreadable again.But Nyra knew that look now.He was not calm.He was calculating how many people he would have to suspect before trust became impossible.Noelle continued eating, though slower now, sensing the shift even if she did not understand all of it.“You both do that thing again,” she said quietly.Sebastian looked at her. “What thing?”“The silent angry thing.”Nyra leaned back slightly. “That’s mostly him.”“That’s both of you,” Noelle corrected.Sebastian exhaled through his nose and stood.“To your room.”Noelle frowned. “Again?”
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-04
Chapter: CHAPTER 9: THE HOUR BEFORE MIDNIGHTMorning came slowly, hidden behind thick clouds and relentless snow.The lodge looked peaceful from the outside again—white rooftops, silent trees, smoke rising from chimneys—but inside, no one believed in peace anymore.Security had doubled.Every entrance was watched.Every guest had been quietly moved to the lower wing under the excuse of storm safety, though fear had already spread enough that nobody questioned the sudden rules.Sebastian had not slept.Nyra knew because she had not slept either.At dawn, she found him in the main hall, standing near the tall windows, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a cup of coffee he had not touched.The Christmas tree lights reflected faintly across the glass beside him.He looked as if he belonged nowhere near warmth.“You should at least pretend to drink it,” Nyra said as she approached.Without turning, he replied, “You should stop walking silently.”“I wasn’t walking silently. You were thinking too loudly.”That made him glance at
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-04
Chapter: CHAPTER 8: WHAT FEAR REVEALSBy the time they returned to the lodge, the storm had grown heavier.Snow pressed hard against the windows, blurring the outside world into white and shadow. Inside, the building no longer felt festive. The Christmas lights still glowed, but now they looked misplaced—soft decorations in a place where too many people had already bled.Noelle had fallen asleep halfway down the corridor.Sebastian carried her without a word, her head resting against his shoulder, one mitten still missing, her small hand curled against his shirt as if even in sleep she refused to let go completely.Nyra walked beside him, silent.The adrenaline had faded enough for pain to settle into her arm again, dull and persistent under the bandage. But she barely noticed it.Her mind stayed on Leon’s smile before the explosion.Closer than you think.That was not the confidence of a man bluffing.Sebastian reached his suite and pushed the door open carefully.He laid Noelle on the bed, pulled the blanket over her, a
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-03
Chapter: CHAPTER 7: WHAT THE SNOW HIDFor one second, neither of them moved.The empty room seemed unreal, as if Noelle might suddenly appear from behind the curtains laughing at her own joke.But the overturned chair near the fireplace said otherwise.One of the curtains had been pulled halfway down, and beside the window, a small red mitten lay on the floor.Noelle’s mitten.Sebastian crossed the room in two strides and picked it up.His hand closed around it so tightly that his knuckles whitened.Nyra watched him carefully. His face had gone still in a way that was more alarming than anger.“Sebastian,” she said quietly.He didn’t answer.The silence around him felt sharp enough to cut.Then he lifted his phone again and reread the message.Midnight mass wasn’t the event. It was the invitation.He inhaled once, slowly.When he finally spoke, his voice was frighteningly calm.“They had people inside before the shooting began.”Nyra moved toward the window. Outside, snow fell harder now, thick white sheets swallowing the
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-03-30
Chapter: CHAPTER 6: UNDER THE SAME FIRE“You’re staring at each other again.”Noelle’s small voice cut through the thick silence.Sebastian stepped back immediately, releasing Nyra’s arm as if he’d been caught doing something forbidden.Nyra straightened, ignoring the sting in her grazed arm. “We’re not.”“You are,” Noelle insisted. “Like in the movies before they kiss.”Sebastian cleared his throat. “Enough.”Sirens wailed outside the lodge. Guests were being ushered away, security shouting instructions. The scent of gunpowder still hung in the air, mixing with pine and melted wax from fallen candles.Nyra pressed her fingers against her sleeve. Blood. Not deep. But it had been close.Too close.Sebastian noticed. His jaw tightened.“Come with me,” he said.“That sounded like an order.”“It is.”She almost argued.Almost.But the tremor she felt under her skin wasn’t from fear. It was from adrenaline—and something else she didn’t want to name.He took Noelle’s hand with one hand and guided Nyra with the other, firm but car
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-03-22
Chapter: CHAPTER 5: SNOWSTORMS, SHOWDOWNS, AND THREATSSebastian Volkov sat in the lodge office, eyes fixed on the glowing screen of his phone. The message from earlier wasn’t just a warning—it was a challenge. Whoever was behind it knew he was in Aspen, knew about the neutral ground rules, and was daring him to slip.“This Christmas, you won't get away.”He scowled. His instincts screamed danger. His rational brain screamed danger squared. And yet, a small, exasperated voice interrupted him:“Daddy!”He looked up. Noelle was standing in the doorway, clutching a stuffed reindeer that looked far too big for her arms. Snowflakes stuck to her eyelashes like tiny sparkles.“Yes, Noelle?” he asked, trying to sound calm while calculating which exit led to the least danger.“I… I think we need a plan,” she said seriously. “For Snowtopia.”Sebastian blinked. “…Snowtopia?”“No, you don’t get it,” she said, stepping forward. “The threat. The bad people. The snowstorm. It’s all connected! We need strategies!”Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-03-22
WHEN POWER LEARNS TO KNEEL
Nina Romano thought she was stepping into a world of power and intrigue, but she had no idea just how dangerous it could get. Drawn into the orbit of Dante Moretti, a ruthless and calculating mafia heir, she quickly discovers that desire can be as deadly as betrayal.
When someone from Dante’s inner circle betrays him, Nina and Dante are thrust into a war that tests their loyalty, their courage, and the depth of their passion. Each chapter escalates the stakes: ambushes, shocking betrayals, and high-stakes mafia conflicts collide with a simmering, dangerous desire between them. Nina must navigate a world where nothing and no one is as it seems, and Dante must confront his past, his enemies, and the unexpected intensity of his feelings for her.
From steamy, sensual encounters to heart-pounding action, Controlled Damage is a tale of trust, power, and temptation. When the shadows close in, Nina and Dante must decide whether their love is worth the ultimate risk — or whether the war will tear them apart first.
Baca
Chapter: CHAPTER 14: WHEN THE TRUTH ENTERS THE ROOMThe restaurant Dante chose was quiet in an intentional way. Not empty, not loud, just controlled. Soft lighting. Dark wood. The kind of place where conversations stayed where they were spoken. Nina noticed everything the moment they stepped inside.She noticed the way Dante’s hand rested at the small of her back, steady but not possessive. She noticed how his posture shifted slightly, alert in a way she had not seen before. And she noticed the man already seated in the far corner, his gaze lifting the instant they entered.“That’s him,” Dante murmured.Nina did not ask who. She already knew.They walked toward the table together. Nina could feel her heartbeat in her throat, but she kept her expression neutral. She had spent too much of her life being underestimated to waste this moment on fear.The man stood as they approached. Tall. Silver hair. Sharp eyes that assessed rather than admired.“Nina Romano,” he said smoothly. “I’ve heard a great deal about you.”She met his gaze. “Funny
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-03-04
Chapter: CHAPTER 13: WHAT REFUSES TO STAY BURIEDNina did not sleep much that night.She lay on her side, staring at the faint glow of the city through the window, listening to Dante breathe beside her. His arm was heavy around her waist, warm and familiar, yet her thoughts kept slipping away from the comfort of his body. Chapter twelve had ended with fire and closeness, with promises spoken softly and touches that still lingered on her skin. But now, in the quiet, reality pressed in.She shifted slightly. Dante stirred.“You are awake,” he murmured, voice low and rough.“Yes,” she said. “I did not mean to wake you.”He tightened his arm around her. “You did not. You were already loud in my head.”She turned to face him. Even in the dim light, his eyes were open, watching her. There was no teasing in his expression now, no easy confidence. Just something alert and guarded.“You are thinking again,” he said.“I never stopped,” Nina replied. “We cannot pretend last night fixed everything.”Dante exhaled slowly. “I did not think it wou
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-03-04
Chapter: CHAPTER 12: FIRE BETWEEN USThe city lights outside flickered against the glass, painting the apartment in shades of gold and shadow. Nina sat on the edge of the couch, knees drawn close, heart hammering in her chest. Dante leaned against the wall nearby, arms crossed, and eyes that seemed to see straight through her.“You’re thinking too much,” he said, voice low, husky, teasing.“I can’t stop,” she admitted, her fingers brushing at the edge of the blanket around her. “Everything that happened today, everything we found out… it’s too much.”He walked toward her slowly, each step deliberate. “Maybe,” he murmured, “you’re thinking about me too much.”Nina’s chest fluttered. “Me? You think I—” She stopped herself, realizing her own words sounded like a confession she wasn’t ready to give.Dante closed the distance between them, leaning down so their eyes met. “Don’t pretend,” he whispered. “You feel it, don’t you?”Heat pooled in her stomach. She wanted to deny it, to push back, but she couldn’t. “I… maybe,” she a
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-02-28
Chapter: CHAPTER 11: TRUTH HAS A PULSENina Romano did not sleep.She lay beside Dante Moretti in the quiet apartment, staring at the ceiling as the first gray light of morning filtered through the curtains. His arm was draped over her waist, heavy and warm, grounding in a way she both craved and feared. Every time she closed her eyes, the same thought returned, sharp and relentless.I was placed in his life.The idea crawled under her skin. It made every memory feel suspect. Every laugh. Every argument. Every moment she had believed was chance.Dante stirred beside her, his fingers tightening slightly against her side. He did not open his eyes, but his voice came out low and rough.“You’re awake.”“Yes,” Nina said softly.He exhaled and shifted, propping himself on one elbow so he could see her face. His expression was tired, but alert, like he had been fighting his own thoughts all night too.“You’re thinking again,” he said.She let out a breath that trembled. “I do not know how to stop.”He nodded slowly. “Me neither.”
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-02-28
Chapter: CHAPTER 10: BOUND BY SECRETSNina sat frozen on the edge of the couch, her hands gripping the cushion like she could hold herself together if she squeezed hard enough. Dante stood a few feet away, the shadows from the lamp casting lines across his sharp features. His eyes, usually so warm, were dark, unreadable, like he had just learned a truth that might shatter him completely.“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dante’s voice was low, barely above a whisper, but it carried a weight that made the air between them heavy.“I—I didn’t know how,” Nina said, her voice trembling. “I didn’t know if I would even survive if I told you. I thought keeping it a secret would protect me.”Dante ran his hand through his hair, pacing in silence for a few moments before he finally spoke again. “Protect you? Or protect them? Protect the people who ruined your father’s life?”“It’s not that simple,” Nina said, finally standing, her eyes fierce now, like fire had replaced the fear. “Everything I’ve done, every step I’ve taken, was to survive
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-02-28
Chapter: CHAPTER 9: THE TRUTH THAT BREAKS THE GROUND BENEATH THEMNina did not sleep.She lay on her side facing the wall, eyes open, breath shallow, listening to the quiet rhythm of the city beyond the glass. Morning had not fully arrived yet. The room was still dim, wrapped in that fragile hour between night and day. Dante was behind her. She could feel his presence without touching him. The weight of it pressed into her back like an unanswered question.Something had shifted.She had felt it the night before. Not in his hands or his mouth or the way his voice had dropped when he said her name. It was deeper than that. Something buried under restraint. Something unfinished.Dante moved slightly, the bed dipping under his weight. He had not slept either. She knew that now. His breathing had been too controlled. Too aware.“You are awake,” he said quietly.“So are you.”He did not deny it.She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. The air between them felt tight, stretched thin.“You have been watching me like you are waiting for something
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-02-28
Masuk
