FAZER LOGINMATTEO’S POVI watched her pull away from me.Arielle stepped back, eyes glistening with unshed tears, and the sight fucking gutted me. She didn’t say anything else. She just turned and walked toward our bedroom, shoulders tight, like she was carrying the weight of every lie I’d just fed her.Guilt clawed at my chest, it made me feel worse than I already did before the confrontation.I hated myself for it. Hated the way her shoulders slumped, hated the way she couldn’t even look at me when she asked if I was hiding something. I should have told her about Isabella. About the photo. About the buried history that might explain why her life got destroyed.But I couldn’t.Not yet. Not when I still didn’t know what it all meant. Not when telling her could put her in even more danger.“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath.I headed to the bathroom, stripping off my blood-stained shirt and stepping under the hot spray. The water pounded against my skin, but it did nothing to wash away the frustr
ARIELLE’S POVThe words hung in the air. I shifted restlessly.“You her daughter or something?”My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I thought it might crack. The room suddenly felt too small, the sound of the servers too loud. Yvonne’s cigarette froze halfway to her lips, her eyes snapping to me.I couldn’t speak.The guy whose name I still didn’t know leaned forward, squinting at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve. “Yeah… same eyes. Same mouth. Isabella Vargas, right? She came in here years ago, paid me a shit ton to wipe some records clean. Looked just like you. Scared, though. Real scared.”Yvonne recovered first. She took a slow drag from her cigarette, exhaling smoothly even though I could see the tension in her shoulders. “You sure about that name?”“Positive,” the guy said, still staring at me. “She was a regular for a while. High-end. Worked with some dangerous people. Russians, Italians… the kind of clients that make you sleep with one eye open.”I finally fou
ARIELLE’S POVI didn’t think. I just got into the car, locked the doors, and drove.My hands were shaking so badly on the steering wheel that I almost hit the barrier leaving the garage. I kept checking behind me, expecting another car to appear, expecting someone to ram into me.I couldn’t go back upstairs. Not yet. Not while I was this rattled.I called Yvonne with trembling fingers.“I’m coming to you,” I said the second she picked up. “Now.”She didn’t ask questions. “My penthouse. I’ll tell security to let you up.”Twenty minutes later, I was standing outside her door, still wearing Matteo’s shirt under my coat. The moment she opened it, I stepped inside and collapsed into her hug.“Jesus, Arielle,” she whispered, holding me tight. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”I pulled back, my voice cracking. “I think someone wants me dead.”We moved to her living room. I sank onto the couch while she poured me a glass of wine. Then I told her everything.I told her about Vincenzo’s visi
ARIELLE’S POVI came down the stairs still wearing Matteo’s shirt, my hair loosely tied up, when I heard voices in the living room. Nikolai was here. He sat on the couch, looking tense and exhausted, a glass of whiskey in his hand. Matteo stood near the mini bar, talking to him in low tones.The moment Matteo saw me, his expression softened just a fraction.“I need to speak with my men for a minute,” he said, glancing between us. “I’ll be back soon.”He kissed my temple as he passed, his hand brushing my waist possessively before he disappeared down the hall.I walked over to Nikolai and sat on the opposite couch, tucking my legs under me. The silence between us wasn’t awkward exactly, but it was heavy.“How’s Sophia?” I asked quietly.Nikolai stared into his glass for a long moment before answering. “She kissed me. Then told me she doesn’t want to be with me. That everything feels forced.” His voice was rough, almost painful. “I’ve never wanted anyone like this, Arielle. Not just to
MATTEO’S POVI stared at Nikolai standing in my living room, tension radiating off him like heat from a fire. After everything that went down at his place, the argument, the accusations, the way we left things I hadn’t expected him to show up here.“Come in,” I said finally, stepping aside.He walked past me without a word. We moved to the mini bar in the corner of the living room. I poured two glasses of whiskey, handed him one, and we both sat on the couches facing each other. The silence stretched for a moment, heavy and uncomfortable.Nikolai took a long sip, then spoke first. “She rejected me again.”I raised an eyebrow. “Sophia?”He nodded, staring into his glass. “She kissed me. Then pulled away and said she doesn’t think she wants to be with me. That everything feels forced. I didn’t push her. I just… walked out. But it fucking hurt, Matteo. I’ve never wanted anyone like this. Not just to possess her. I want her to choose me. But she’s terrified. Of me. Of this life. Of everyt
THIRD 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
Arielle’s POV The kiss didn’t end, Matteo kissed me like he was pouring every unspoken word into my mouth instead of saying them. I gasped as his hands slid from my face to my waist, then lower, bunching the crimson silk at my hips until the fabric rode up my thighs. I felt the heat of his palms
ARIELLE'S POV The next day came faster than expected. After everything that has been going on between the both of us, I wasn't really prepared for whatever we were going to face at his father's house. The man had not even showed up for the wedding. So I had no idea the kind of person he was.
ARIELLE'S POV The last echo of the final shot died in the soundproofed walls. The target was shredded in pieces. My arms burned, my ears rang faintly even with the protection, but the shaking was gone. Replaced by something colder. Steadier. Nikolai lowered his own practice pistol. “Enough for
ARIELLE'S POVLiora was waiting outside the training room when I stepped out, wiping sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. My muscles ached in a way that felt almost good—like proof I wasn’t completely helpless.“My lady,” she said, falling into step beside me. “The Don expects you at dinne







