BURNING WITH THE MAFIA PRINCE

Adeline's POV “Bluey, are you on your way yet?” Stardust’s voice popped through my earpiece, teasing as always.Black sneakers. Fitted pants. Knife at my hip. Mask ready. One last glance at the room—laptop glow, scattered clothes, a photo of Annabelle and me laughing on Christmas morning. Distant. Untouchable.I slipped into the hallway, pausing at her door. Annabelle slept in her usual chaos, curled around the teddy bear I’d given her. I tugged the duvet higher, whispered, “Good night, Bells,” and left her smiling in dreams.Outside, Breeze purred like a waiting beast. I swung on, let the engine’s growl steady me. No helmet tonight—the wind would keep me sharp. The city stretched ahead, neon and shadows tangled together. A perfect night for hunting.“I hear you, Star, and I’m almost there,” I replied, rolling my eyes, though a tiny smirk tugged at my lips.“I hear you, Star and I'm almost there” I replied, rolling my eyes, though a tiny smirk tugged at my lips.“Well, I like knowing

Kayden’s POVShe sits across from me, spine rigid, eyes scanning every corner of the room. Every instinct tells her to run, to fight, to find a crack in my control. I let her think it’s possible. Let her imagine escape. It makes the eventual surrender all the sweeter.I lean back in my chair, fingers steepled, observing. The city lights spill into the room, reflecting in her sharp, calculating eyes. She thinks she’s the hunter. She’s clever. Dangerous. But she’s outmatched. Always.“You’re quiet,” I say, my voice calm, deliberate. I let the words linger, let the tension build. “Usually people scream, fight, beg… not you.”Her jaw tightens. She’s aware I’m testing her. Trying to measure how far I can push. Fine. I like it when the prey struggles; it keeps the game interesting.“Don’t think I won’t find a way out,” she warns, voice steady. I can hear the strain beneath the calm. A flicker of fear she refuses to show. Good.I allow myself a small, smile. “You already know every escape is

Adeline’s POVThe penthouse felt like a gilded cage, all glass and steel and suffocating silence. I stood at the window, city lights blurring through the floor-to-ceiling glass, and tried not to think about how high up we were. How far I'd have to fall.The wedding dress hung in the closet behind me, black silk and lace that had transformed me into something I barely recognized. A Gravano wife. The thought still tasted like poison on my tongue.My neck throbbed where I'd been rubbing it—a nervous habit I'd developed since that night three weeks ago. The night everything changed. The night I should have been smart enough to walk away.But I'd never been smart about the dangerous ones.Footsteps echoed behind me, expensive leather against marble. I knew that walk—predatory, confident, completely at ease in his own territory. I didn't turn around. Couldn't. Not when my pulse was already racing from just the sound."Having second thoughts?" Kayden's voice cut through the quiet, smooth as

Adeline's POVI didn't rush.That's what he wanted — me scrambling through hallways, already defeated before I stepped through his door. So I took my time instead.The shower ran hot enough to sting. Steam clouded the mirror until I couldn't see my own face, and maybe that was better. Maybe I didn't want to see the fear trying to claw its way to the surface.But hiding wasn't an option.I twisted my hair into a sleek bun, pulled it tight enough to ache. The pain sharpened my focus. Makeup was next, just enough to look polished, not desperate. Black slacks that fit like armor. Silk blouse the color of dried blood because subtlety had never been my strong suit. Heels sharp enough to be weapons if this went sideways.When I finally looked in the mirror, I almost believed the woman staring back at me. Confident. Unshakeable.The tremor in my hands said otherwise.The mansion felt like a tomb at this hour. Cold marble stretched in every direction. Servants drifted past like ghosts, eyes lo

Adeline's POVI waited until midnight.The mansion settled into its nighttime rhythm around eleven. Servants retiring to their quarters, security rotating shifts, the soft hum of expensive electronics the only sound in marble hallways.I'd spent the day mapping patrol patterns, memorizing which floorboards creaked, cataloging camera blind spots.Old habits. Kayden had fallen asleep an hour ago, his breathing deep and even beside me. I'd waited, counting each breath, making sure he was truly asleep.The bed barely whispered as I slipped out. I'd worn leggings and a dark shirt to sleep, easier to move in, harder to see in shadows. Kayden didn't stir.I paused at the door, looking back at him. He looked younger in sleep. Less dangerous. The harsh lines of his face softened, that permanent tension in his jaw finally relaxed.He'd lied to me about the room.The question was why.The hallway stretched before me, dimly lit by sconces that cast more shadow than light. I moved through them l