Chapter 29: Blood on SilkIt started with silence.Not the quiet kind that came with sleep or peace.This silence was wrong.Too still.Too thick.Elena lay in bed, curled under heavy covers, staring at the ceiling. She hadn’t slept. Not since the note. Not since the photo.A soft breeze slid across her cheek.Her brow furrowed.Her window was closed.Wasn’t it?She sat up slowly, heart starting to thud against her ribs. The curtain on the far wall billowed gently. Not from the AC. From wind.She stepped out of bed.Barefoot.Slow.Every part of her screamed to call out. To run. To wake someone.But something pulled her forward.She reached for the curtain, pulled it aside—And choked on a scream.There was blood.Not a lot. Just… enough.Smeared on the inside of the window. One word written in it.MINE.She stumbled backward, her back hitting the vanity. Her heart pounded so hard she thought she might pass out.“Elena!”The door burst open.Gabriel.Gun in hand. Shirtless. Eyes wild.
Chapter 30: A Gun of Her OwnThe bunker was cold.Elena stood with her arms crossed, staring down at the scattered files on the steel table. Photos of her brother. The blood-streaked window. The word MINE.Alessio and Gabriel paced behind her, deep in plans, weapons loading, coordinates snapping from their mouths.And she was tired of being silent.“Take me with you.”Gabriel stopped mid-step.Alessio didn’t even look at her. “No.”“I’m serious,” she said, lifting her chin. “I want in.”Gabriel exhaled. “Elena—”“I’m not asking.”Now Alessio turned. His stare could shatter glass. “And what exactly do you think you’ll do? Smile your way through an ambush? Pole dance your way past snipers?”“I can be bait,” she said. “You’ve already used me for it once.”Gabriel blinked. “She’s got a point.”Alessio shot him a glare.Elena stepped closer to the table. “You brought me into your war. You trained me to seduce. To listen. To kill. You made me wear your collars, your bruises, your name.”Her
Chapter 31: CollapseThe morning was sharp, colder than usual, and quiet enough to hear Elena’s breath as she stood barefoot on the marble floor of the indoor training wing. Her body still hummed with exhaustion, but she wasn’t stopping—not today.Not after everything.She stood in front of the mirror in a tight black sports bra and compression shorts. Bruises painted her skin like warnings. Her hair was tied high, slicked back, and her lips were dry from too much biting. A pistol rested on the floor. A weighted whip lay coiled nearby. A sweat-soaked mat spread before her, evidence of the hours she’d already spent breaking herself down.She jabbed at the air. Right, left, spin, low duck. Again.She kicked higher than before. Again.She aimed and fired her unloaded gun at the target on the wall. Again.And behind the two-way glass, watching in silence, stood Alessio and Gabriel.Neither said a word for a long while.“She hasn’t eaten,” Gabriel said first.Alessio didn’t blink. “She’s t
Chapter 32Aurora lay curled up on her bed, eyes swollen from tears that refused to stop. The numbness had finally taken over, dulling the sharp edges of her heartbreak. She stared blankly at the ceiling, each breath painful, each heartbeat heavier than the last.She had no idea how much time passed minutes, hours it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.A soft knock pulled her from her daze. She sat up sharply, heart thundering as fear surged through her again.“Go away,” she called weakly, her voice barely audible.The door opened slowly anyway, and her mother stepped inside, her expression unusually gentle. Aurora tensed, distrustful of this sudden kindness.“Honey,” her mother began softly, taking slow, careful steps toward her. “Are you okay?”Aurora almost laughed bitterly. “Am I okay? Really, Mom?”Her mother sighed deeply, sitting gently at the edge of the bed. Aurora stiffened instinctively, not used to any comfort coming from the woman who had married Edward purely for mo
The silence in the room was unbearable. Elena’s body felt frozen, but her heart pounded so loud she could barely hear her thoughts. Alessio’s stare was locked on Valentina, sharp and unreadable, while Gabriel’s gaze drifted between them and landed on Elena with something like disbelief painted across his usually relaxed face.Elena opened her mouth to speak, to explain, but no sound came out. Her lips were parted, trembling, still tasting the softness of Valentina’s kiss.Valentina straightened her spine, her jaw set like stone. She didn’t apologize. She didn’t flinch. Her eyes remained calm, but Elena could see the flicker of panic beneath.Alessio took a single step into the room, and though his voice was low, it carried enough weight to command the walls themselves.How longThe question hit the air like thunder.Valentina didn’t answer. She couldn’t. Her silence filled in the blanks in the worst possible way.Elena shook her head, still breathless, still unsure if what had just ha
Chapter 1: The Wrong WitnessElena Rossi knew she shouldn’t have come here.The music pounded through the walls of the exclusive club, the kind of place only the rich and dangerous could afford to enter. She wasn’t supposed to be here, not dressed in a cheap black dress and heels that made her feet ache. But desperation had pushed her through those doors.She needed a job, a way to pay rent before her landlord threw her out. A friend had told her about a waitress position here—high tips, fast cash. That was all she wanted. But now, standing near the back hallway, she knew something was terribly wrong.A gunshot cracked through the air.Elena’s body locked in place. The sound wasn’t part of the music. It was real. Sharp. Deadly.Her heart slammed against her ribs as she turned the corner. The hallway was dimly lit, stretching into the private sections of the club. She shouldn’t go further. She should turn around. Run.But her body disobeyed.She took a step forward, her breath held tig
Chapter 2: Caged Like an AnimalElena’s wrists ached.Thick leather cuffs bound them above her head, secured to the cold metal bar behind her. She had spent hours—maybe more—pulling at them, her skin raw from the effort.Her body trembled, exhaustion creeping in, but fear kept her awake. The room was dim, nothing but a single overhead light casting shadows across the concrete walls. The air smelled of leather, smoke, and something else—something dark, something dangerous.Her pulse pounded as footsteps echoed from the hallway.She stiffened.The door creaked open, and they entered.Alessio walked in first, his tall frame dominating the space. He was still dressed in his dark suit, his tie loosened slightly, as if he hadn’t been in a hurry to return. Cold, calculated, unreadable.Gabriel followed, dressed more casually, his shirt unbuttoned at the top, his sleeves rolled up. A devil with mischief in his eyes.Elena’s stomach twisted.Neither of them looked like men who had forgotten ab
Chapter 3: Punishment and TemptationElena’s wrists were still sore from the cuffs.She sat stiffly in the backseat of the sleek black car as it rolled through the city streets, her heart pounding in her chest. She wasn’t blindfolded. They wanted her to see where they were taking her. That meant one thing—they were sure she wouldn’t escape.The thought made her stomach twist.Alessio sat beside her, silent, his presence heavy, suffocating. Gabriel was in the front seat, his feet propped up on the dashboard like he didn’t have a single worry in the world.“Enjoying the ride, princess?” Gabriel’s voice was laced with amusement as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror.She ignored him, her nails digging into her palms.Gabriel chuckled. “Already giving me the silent treatment? That’s cute.”Elena clenched her jaw. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of a reaction.The car slowed as they turned onto a private road, tall iron gates sliding open. The estate was massive, more of
The silence in the room was unbearable. Elena’s body felt frozen, but her heart pounded so loud she could barely hear her thoughts. Alessio’s stare was locked on Valentina, sharp and unreadable, while Gabriel’s gaze drifted between them and landed on Elena with something like disbelief painted across his usually relaxed face.Elena opened her mouth to speak, to explain, but no sound came out. Her lips were parted, trembling, still tasting the softness of Valentina’s kiss.Valentina straightened her spine, her jaw set like stone. She didn’t apologize. She didn’t flinch. Her eyes remained calm, but Elena could see the flicker of panic beneath.Alessio took a single step into the room, and though his voice was low, it carried enough weight to command the walls themselves.How longThe question hit the air like thunder.Valentina didn’t answer. She couldn’t. Her silence filled in the blanks in the worst possible way.Elena shook her head, still breathless, still unsure if what had just ha
Chapter 32Aurora lay curled up on her bed, eyes swollen from tears that refused to stop. The numbness had finally taken over, dulling the sharp edges of her heartbreak. She stared blankly at the ceiling, each breath painful, each heartbeat heavier than the last.She had no idea how much time passed minutes, hours it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.A soft knock pulled her from her daze. She sat up sharply, heart thundering as fear surged through her again.“Go away,” she called weakly, her voice barely audible.The door opened slowly anyway, and her mother stepped inside, her expression unusually gentle. Aurora tensed, distrustful of this sudden kindness.“Honey,” her mother began softly, taking slow, careful steps toward her. “Are you okay?”Aurora almost laughed bitterly. “Am I okay? Really, Mom?”Her mother sighed deeply, sitting gently at the edge of the bed. Aurora stiffened instinctively, not used to any comfort coming from the woman who had married Edward purely for mo
Chapter 31: CollapseThe morning was sharp, colder than usual, and quiet enough to hear Elena’s breath as she stood barefoot on the marble floor of the indoor training wing. Her body still hummed with exhaustion, but she wasn’t stopping—not today.Not after everything.She stood in front of the mirror in a tight black sports bra and compression shorts. Bruises painted her skin like warnings. Her hair was tied high, slicked back, and her lips were dry from too much biting. A pistol rested on the floor. A weighted whip lay coiled nearby. A sweat-soaked mat spread before her, evidence of the hours she’d already spent breaking herself down.She jabbed at the air. Right, left, spin, low duck. Again.She kicked higher than before. Again.She aimed and fired her unloaded gun at the target on the wall. Again.And behind the two-way glass, watching in silence, stood Alessio and Gabriel.Neither said a word for a long while.“She hasn’t eaten,” Gabriel said first.Alessio didn’t blink. “She’s t
Chapter 30: A Gun of Her OwnThe bunker was cold.Elena stood with her arms crossed, staring down at the scattered files on the steel table. Photos of her brother. The blood-streaked window. The word MINE.Alessio and Gabriel paced behind her, deep in plans, weapons loading, coordinates snapping from their mouths.And she was tired of being silent.“Take me with you.”Gabriel stopped mid-step.Alessio didn’t even look at her. “No.”“I’m serious,” she said, lifting her chin. “I want in.”Gabriel exhaled. “Elena—”“I’m not asking.”Now Alessio turned. His stare could shatter glass. “And what exactly do you think you’ll do? Smile your way through an ambush? Pole dance your way past snipers?”“I can be bait,” she said. “You’ve already used me for it once.”Gabriel blinked. “She’s got a point.”Alessio shot him a glare.Elena stepped closer to the table. “You brought me into your war. You trained me to seduce. To listen. To kill. You made me wear your collars, your bruises, your name.”Her
Chapter 29: Blood on SilkIt started with silence.Not the quiet kind that came with sleep or peace.This silence was wrong.Too still.Too thick.Elena lay in bed, curled under heavy covers, staring at the ceiling. She hadn’t slept. Not since the note. Not since the photo.A soft breeze slid across her cheek.Her brow furrowed.Her window was closed.Wasn’t it?She sat up slowly, heart starting to thud against her ribs. The curtain on the far wall billowed gently. Not from the AC. From wind.She stepped out of bed.Barefoot.Slow.Every part of her screamed to call out. To run. To wake someone.But something pulled her forward.She reached for the curtain, pulled it aside—And choked on a scream.There was blood.Not a lot. Just… enough.Smeared on the inside of the window. One word written in it.MINE.She stumbled backward, her back hitting the vanity. Her heart pounded so hard she thought she might pass out.“Elena!”The door burst open.Gabriel.Gun in hand. Shirtless. Eyes wild.
Chapter 28: The Man She BuriedThe car was silent.Too silent.Gabriel stared at the surveillance image on Alessio’s phone like it might change if he blinked hard enough.The man in the photo sat near the back of the club — black suit, no tie, top button open. His face wasn’t entirely clear, but his stare was unmistakable.He hadn’t looked at the strippers.He hadn’t looked at the drinks or the stage.He had looked at her.And only her.“Elena,” Alessio said, voice dangerously low. “Who is he?”She couldn’t speak.Her hands shook in her lap. Her throat closed.Alessio’s eyes narrowed. “Do you know him?”Gabriel turned toward her. “Say something.”Her lips parted. But no words came out.“Elena.” Alessio’s voice cut like a whip now. “If you lie—”“I’m not lying,” she choked. “I just… I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.”“Who is he?”She looked down, swallowed, then forced the words out. “His name is Damien. Damien Black. He’s—”“Your ex?” Gabriel asked.Worse.“My fiancé,” she said s
Chapter 27: The Bait in RedThe car door clicked open, and the night air swallowed her whole.Elena stepped out slowly, her legs unsteady in the towering stilettos. The red trench coat wrapped tight around her body barely concealed the lingerie underneath. Her hair was curled, teased into wild, sultry waves that brushed her shoulders. Her lips were a deep scarlet, matching the lace barely clinging to her skin beneath the coat.The club in front of her pulsed with danger.Dark neon signs lit the stone walls. Shadows shifted behind tinted glass. Guards flanked the door, stone-faced, armed. Their eyes scanned everything.Gabriel stepped out behind her, dressed in black-on-black. His blazer hugged his frame. His eyes were unreadable.“This place is crawling with enemies,” he said, voice low as he adjusted her coat collar. “You know the rules?”Elena nodded. “Don’t engage. Don’t improvise. Find the mark. Plant the bug.”“And if something goes wrong?”“Signal twice. Spin once, hair flick.”
Chapter 26: The Point of No ReturnElena’s breath hitched as Gabriel’s fingers slid under the straps of her red lace panties, pulling them aside with deliberate slowness.“You sure?” he murmured, his lips barely brushing hers. “Once this happens… there’s no undoing it.”Her voice shook. “I’m not sure about anything.”He kissed her gently, almost too gently, compared to the fire smoldering in his eyes. “You don’t have to be. Just feel it.”And she did.Because when his hand slid lower and his touch finally met where she needed it most, her mind shut down. Every thought disappeared. Every doubt burned to ash.She gasped, her forehead pressing against his as his fingers moved in slow, devastating circles. Her hips rolled instinctively, trying to chase the rhythm.“Look at me,” Gabriel growled.Her eyes fluttered open.“I want to see your face when you come.”His fingers moved faster.She tried to hold it in — the sound, the heat — but it was too much.“Gabriel…” she whimpered.“Let go.”
Chapter 25: The Seduction LessonElena wasn’t even fully dressed when Gabriel knocked — just a silk robe draped lazily over her red lingerie, her hair still wild from the madness Alessio had left her in.She barely had time to open the door before he strolled in like he owned the jet.“Wow,” Gabriel said, looking her up and down with a slow smirk. “Alessio left you looking like dessert.”Elena flushed. “Did you come here to mock me?”“No,” he said, plopping down on the edge of the bed. “I came to see if the stripper learned anything.”She narrowed her eyes. “You heard?”“Baby girl, your music could be heard in the cockpit.”Elena groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “Kill me.”“Tempting,” he teased. “But I have a better idea.”He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny black object — smaller than a coin, sleek and matte.“A bug?” she asked.He nodded. “The real kind. Not the movie prop stuff.”“What’s that got to do with me?”“You want to help, right? Be our little undercover