LOGINTHIRD PERSON POVAt Nikolai's house the next morning, Sophia had just finished making breakfast when Frederico made his way to the sitting room, he looked at Nikolai with a tired but determined expression.“I want to leave,” he said. “I’ve been here long enough. I need to get back to my own place.”Sophia, immediately shook her head. “No. You’re not going anywhere. The bullet wound is still healing. You lost a lot of blood during that attack, and the risk of infection is high. You need at least a few more days of rest and monitoring.”Frederico grinned, his playful nature refusing to stay quiet even while injured. “Look at that. My future sister-in-law is already bossing me around. I like her, Nick. She’s got fire.”Sophia’s cheeks turned bright red. “I’m not your sister-in-law.”“She keeps denying it everytime, but I'm certain the both of you are going to…” he trailed off. Nikolai shot his brother with a warning glare, but there was no real heat in it. “Shut up, Fred.”Frederico chu
MATTEO’S POVI left the penthouse before sunrise, kissing Arielle’s forehead while she was still half-asleep and warm in my bed. The taste of last night still lingered on my tongue, her moans, her nails digging into my back, the way she whispered my name like a prayer and a curse at the same time.But business waited for no one.Xavier was already waiting in the underground garage with two of my best men. We drove in silence to one of our secure warehouses on the east side. The moment we stepped inside the dimly lit room, he handed me a thick folder.“You’re not going to like this,” he said flatly.I opened it.The first photo hit me like a punch to the gut.A woman. Late twenties in the picture. Dark hair, striking eyes, full lips. She looked so much like Arielle it was fucking disturbing. Same sharp cheekbones. Same fire in the gaze.“Who the hell is she?” I growled.Xavier crossed his arms. “We think she’s Arielle’s biological mother. Her name's Isabella Vargas. She wasn’t just som
ARIELLE’S POVMy stomach dropped the second Vincenzo stepped inside.The door clicked shut behind him and his two guards like a prison cell locking. The penthouse, which had felt like a safe haven moments ago, suddenly felt too small. Too exposed. I was standing there in nothing but Matteo’s black button-down shirt, my hair messy from sleep and last night’s activities, faint marks still visible on my neck.Vincenzo’s cold eyes swept over me slowly, taking in every detail. Disgust curled his lip.“Comfortable, I see,” he said, voice smooth but dripping with disdain. “Wearing my son’s shirt like you actually belong here.”I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. “Vincenzo… Matteo isn’t here right now. If you want to talk, maybe we should wait until…”“I didn’t come here for my son,” he cut me off sharply, stepping closer. His presence filled the room. “I came for you.”He stopped a few feet away, looking me up and down like I was something dirty on the bottom of his shoe.“You really
ARIELLE’S POVIt's been a few days since the attack when we tried to get hold of Giselle. It was morning already, I sat staring at the ceiling, my body was deliciously sore in all the right places. Heat rushed to my cheeks as memories from last night flooded back. God.What was I even thinking? One minute I hate my husband, the next I'm letting him touch me in ways that make me crave for more. To be close to him like that. Matteo had been insatiable.He’d taken me against the kitchen counter first, then carried me to the bedroom like I weighed nothing. His hands had been everywhere rough, possessive, claiming. I could still feel the ghost of his fingers digging into my hips, the way he’d growled my name against my neck as he drove deep inside me. “Mine,” he’d rasped between thrusts. “Only fucking mine.”I pressed my thighs together, a fresh wave of warmth spreading through me. God, the man was dangerous. Even when he wasn’t here, he still had power over my body. I buried my face i
THIRD PERSON POV“I'd be damned if I let these bastards kill me.” She cursed under her breath and pulled out a gun. She could see the driver's look of horror. He looked terrified…very terrified. “You need to get me out of this place alive.” She announced and he stepped on the gas. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves then floored it, tires screeched as the car lurched forward. More bullets slammed into the trunk. One of the pursuing SUVs tried to cut them off, but her guard leaned out the window and emptied his clip into its windshield. The vehicle swerved violently and crashed into a tree.“Faster!” Giselle snapped, pressing her hand against the bleeding graze from the first attack. Pain flared hot up her arm, but she clenched her teeth. “They’re not Morettis. Who the hell are these bastards?”The driver didn’t answer. He just drove like death was on their tail — which it was.They lost the last SUV after a chaotic ten-minute chase through back roads. Giselle’s heart hammered
THIRD PERSON POVGiselle made her way into the conference room, clad in a sleek black dress and sharp heels that clicked against the marble floor. She had received the text early that morning, a summon to the Russian tower. When she stepped inside, the air was thick with cigar smoke.It was obvious that they had been waiting for quiet sometime. “I received your message, Ivan,” she said, voice sharp as she got to the long table in the middle of the room. “To what do I owe this unexpected invite?”Arriele was not new to this game, she knew what men like Ivan wanted, and why they would go to any extent to get what they want.Ivan Volkov stood slowly from his chair at the head of the long table, his bandaged hand resting on the surface. The other men all clad in dark suits with cold, watchful expressions remained seated, silent observers to the unfolding scene.Ivan’s ice-blue eyes dragged over her slowly, a mix of amusement and calculation in his gaze. “You’ve been busy, Giselle, doin
Arielle’s POVThe next morning arrived too quickly. I moaned softly as my eyes fluttered open, the sheets tangled around my legs. The room was quiet, too quiet. It dawned on me that Matteo was gone. I sat up, frowning at the empty side of the bed. That man is something else. One minute he’s kill
Matteo’s POVThe sitting room smelled of cigar smoke and whiskey.I sat in the high-backed leather chair at the head of the low table, legs crossed, fingers drumming once on the armrest before stilling. Xavier lounged across from me, one ankle propped on his knee, swirling his drink like the world
Arielle’s POVI groaned as my eyes fluttered open. Morning already. My head pounded like someone had taken a hammer to it.The room was silent. Matteo was nowhere in sight.I dragged myself out of bed, slipped on his oversized slippers, and sighed heavily.“You will grace my bed.”“You will bear me
MATTEO'S POVAfter the meeting between all of us, Arielle had to excuse us to carry on with our work.I was impressed by how she carried herself, but that didn't mean I was going to just let her into the business. It was risky.We continued talking about business for a while.The noise from downsta







