Chapter 50: The Final BondElena’s pulse pounded in her ears as she entered the chamber. Velvet curtains hung on every wall and lit candles lined the floor in silent circles. The air smelled of rose and musk. In the center lay a large wooden frame draped with silk ropes and leather straps. Her heart slammed against her ribs.Alessio and Gabriel waited at opposite ends of the frame. Both men wore dark shirts and trousers, their eyes cold fire. Elena’s silk robe slipped from her shoulders. She felt her naked skin prickle under their gaze.Alessio stepped forward and offered his hand. His voice was soft but firm. You trust us. Elena nodded. She took his hand and let him guide her to the frame. Gabriel moved behind her and wrapped a soft blindfold over her eyes. Darkness fell like velvet.Elena’s breath hitched. She felt Gabriel’s warm breath at her neck. Alessio’s fingers trailed along her spine. Each touch was a spark. Her heart trembled.Alessio slid a wide leather cuff around her righ
Chapter 49: The Web TightensElena woke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. Her body felt alive in ways she had never known. Her skin still tingled where Gabriel’s hands had claimed her. Her heart pounded with memory and desire. She lay still, listening to the quiet house. Every creak in the floor, every distant breath was a reminder that she had no escape.She rose on trembling arms. The silk cloth lay in a heap on the floor. She wrapped it around her and walked to the bathroom. Steam rose from the bathtub. Candles flickered on the ledge. Her breathing hitched as she remembered how it had felt. The tension. The heat. The endless pull between want and fear.She stepped into the tub. The water was warm, soothing. She closed her eyes. She let the water wash over her. She tried to chase away the hunger that still burned in her veins. It did not work.A knock came at the door. Elena stiffened. She wrapped her arms around herself and called out in a soft voice. “Who i
Chapter 48: Fire and IceElena’s eyes fluttered open to darkness. The faint glow of the city’s lights spilled through the tall windows, cutting slashes of silver across the plush carpet. Her body felt heavy, as though she’d waded through storms in her sleep. Rising on shaky arms, she realized she wasn’t alone.Gabriel crouched just inches from her, his face half hidden in shadow, eyes glowing like embers. Alessio stood behind him, black suit stark against the candlelit room. Both men looked at her with a hunger that made her pulse thunder in her throat.Before she could protest, Gabriel’s hand cupped the side of her face, his thumb brushing her cheekbone. His touch was cool—an exquisite contrast to the heat racing through her veins. “Princess,” he whispered, voice rough and low. “Wake up.”Elena blinked, heart hammering. “I… I can’t—”He silenced her with a dark smile. “Yes, you can.” He leaned closer, lips nearly grazing hers, and the air between them crackled. Alessio moved to seal
Chapter 47:No Escape in the NightElena stumbled out of the club, the cold air slapping her flushed skin. Her heart thundered—not from dancing, but from fear. The street was empty, save for two black SUVs idling at the curb. Their engines whispered menace in the darkness.She backed away, clutching her leather nun dress tighter. “Mia,” she whispered into her phone, but no answer. Panic rose in her chest. She’d stayed too late. She’d danced with Mia’s brother, felt alive—too alive.A door on one SUV swung open. A guard stepped out, expression blank. “Miss Rossi, please join us.”Elena’s blood froze. She recognized those guards anywhere—Alessio’s wolves. “No,” she managed, voice shaking. “I’m fine.”He didn’t move. Then the second SUV door opened. Gabriel emerged, crisp suit in the streetlight, cigar glowing faintly. His eyes were dark embers, hungry and angry.“Elena,” he said softly, voice cold. “You danced beautifully tonight.”She swallowed. “I… I just went out with Mia.”Gabriel’s
Chapter 46:Dancing with TroubleThe party was wild.Hot bodies.Pulsing lights.Sweat.Music that made the floor shake.Elena let herself go.She danced like the night was hers.Like no one owned her.Like she wasn’t suffocating under the weight of Gabriel and Alessio’s invisible chains.Mia laughed beside her, twirling, blowing kisses at boys, sipping drinks.Elena smiled, letting the beat drown her thoughts.She needed this.She craved it.For once… she felt alive.But then…He appeared.Mia’s brother.The same one with the cocky smirk.The same one who almost ran her over with his power bike.He walked toward her, hands in his pockets, towering over the crowd.He didn’t say much.Just stood there.Watching her dance.Eyes dark.Intense.Annoying.“Wanna dance?” he finally asked, his voice lazy, bored.Elena blinked.“No,” she replied, lips curling into a smirk.He arched a brow. “Suit yourself.”He turned and walked off like he didn’t care.And maybe he didn’t.Which pissed her off
Chapter 45: The Devil’s Nun and the Ghost’s BrotherThe school hallways were buzzing.Posters.Invitations.Whispers.Everyone was talking about the biggest Halloween party of the year.Even the rich brats.Especially the rich brats.Elena rolled her eyes when Mia shoved a glittery flyer into her hand.“You’re coming,” Mia ordered.Elena scoffed. “I don’t do parties.”Mia grinned. “You do now.”Elena sighed.She needed a distraction.Anything to drown the suffocating games the mafia was playing with her head.Fine.Party it is.But if she was going… she was going all in.Elena dragged Mia to the city’s biggest mall.They tried on outfits that made Mia whistle and Elena blush.But something dark inside Elena craved it.Craved to feel something other than fear.Pain.Submission.She wanted to be reckless.Wild.Alive.She bought shoes she didn’t need.Makeup in every shade.Perfume that smelled like sin.Mia giggled at first, but after the fourth expensive bag, her laughter faded.“Uh…
Chapter 45: The Ghost in Their CircleThe mansion was colder than usual.Even with the heat of the day, the air inside smelled like suspicion.Gabriel sat in the war room, staring at the digital map of their network.Alessio stood in the shadows, arms folded, face locked in stone.The silence stretched.Gabriel finally broke it. “It’s not over.”Alessio’s eyes flickered to the screen. “No.”Gabriel’s voice was dark, dangerous. “Lulu folded too fast.”Alessio nodded once. “She’s weak. Spoiled. The videos destroyed her. But the leak… the leak wasn’t her.”Gabriel clenched his jaw. “No. Someone else fed the wrong people.”The room filled with thick smoke as Gabriel dragged on his cigar.“Find the rat,” he growled.Alessio turned to the IT specialist. “Expand the net. I want eyes on every student. Every teacher. Every janitor.”The specialist nodded. “Yes, sir.”Gabriel exhaled slowly, tapping the ashes into the tray. “And Elena…”Alessio’s jaw tightened.“She’s not clean either,” Gabriel
Chapter 43: The Puppeteers Behind the CurtainsInside the De Luca mansion, the walls were thick. The windows tinted. The air smelled of cigars and gunpowder.Gabriel sat in the dark study, feet on the polished desk, cigar dangling from his lips.Smoke curled around him like a lazy serpent.He watched the live footage from the school on the big screen, his eyes half-lidded, bored but focused.Alessio stood by the window, cleaning his favorite gun, piece by piece, the cold metal reflecting the city lights.The scene on the screen was messy.Loud.Predictable.Lulu.Her bratty tantrum.Calling the police over a damn backpack.Gabriel chuckled dryly. “What a show.”Alessio’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “Spoiled, loud, stupid.”Gabriel blew smoke at the screen. “But sometimes the stupid ones have powerful fathers.”Alessio hummed. “Or mothers.”Gabriel tilted his head. “Do you think it’s her family we’re looking at? Could be them behind the weapons leak in the East.”Alessio’s eyes nar
Chapter 42 :AccusedElena woke up the next morning, her skin still tingling from the spa.Her muscles soft.Her face glowing.She hated herself for admitting it… but she had slept like a queen.Her body felt light. Her reflection looked different.Her hair smooth.Her eyes brighter.Her skin shining like she’d been kissed by luxury.She pulled on her uniform, tied her hair into neat pigtails, and slung the new black backpack Gabriel had casually tossed on her bed—she didn’t even check the label. She thought it was just another of his mind games.Whatever.She was done fighting every little thing.For now.She stepped into school with a small smile tugging at her lips.Let them stare.Let them gossip.She didn’t care today.Mia gasped when she saw her. “Girl, whoa. Did you get a glow-up? You look… expensive.”Elena shrugged. “Slept well.”Mia grinned. “About damn time.”They walked down the hallway.Heads turned.Whispers followed.But it didn’t feel the same.This time, the whispers w