“Shit!” Dante’s voice cut through the chaos.He turned around fast, eyes locking on me like I was the only thing left in the world. He climbed over the console, kneeling beside me in the backseat. I winced as the pain lanced deeper. My fingers were slick with blood.“Stay with me, Sera,” he muttered, voice cracking. “Look at me. Just, look at me.”I tried. God, I tried.He didn’t waste a second. He yanked the shirt off the unconscious fake driver, tearing it down the middle, and pressed it against my shoulder with both hands.I bit back a scream, chest shaking. It felt like fire meeting fire.“I know, I know,” Dante whispered, his face just inches from mine, soaked in panic and rage. “I’m sorry. Just hold on, okay? This’ll stop the bleeding.” I could see it now, the side of him no one else ever would. Not the cold, immovable Moretti, but the man underneath. Raw. Wrecked. Terrified.When the makeshift bandage was tight enough, he pushed the driver into the passenger seat like he weigh
I froze, heart hammering against my ribs like a warning bell. His eyes were dark pools, unreadable, but something beneath the surface felt dangerous, controlled, but dangerous."Why?" I whispered against his hand, trying not to panic.He didn't answer right away. Instead, his grip softened just enough to let me breathe but kept me pinned."Listen carefully," Damien murmured, his voice a soft thread of danger meant only for me. "If you make a sound... if anyone hears you..." His eyes flicked to the door behind me. "It won't end well."His words slid down my spine like ice.Who are you really?I didn't dare ask. My throat had gone dry.Then he did something that made my skin crawl, he raised his hand, his index finger brushing against my lips, pressing gently."Shh," he whispered, the smirk never leaving his face.I froze.His eyes followed the trail of his own hand as it slipped down, slow, deliberate. From my lips, to my neck, brushing the curve of my collarbone.No. No. No—Before it
The zipper hissed as Dante dragged the old duffel bag open. I stood by the edge of the table, rolling gauze and shoving it into a pouch with trembling fingers. We hadn't spoken much since we decided to leave. There wasn't anything left to say, just the sound of a plan falling into place, piece by piece.Inside the bag were things I didn't recognize by brand, but did by instinct, guns, ammo clips, burner phones, vests that looked far too used.Dante grabbed one and walked over to me. He didn't ask. Just lifted it up and started to strap me in.His fingers brushed my shoulder as he adjusted the strap. Rough hands. Strong. But careful, almost like he didn't trust himself to press too hard. His face was unreadable, but close. Too close.I didn't move. Didn't speak.There was something... intimate about the way he handled the vest. Like he'd done it before. For someone else.Someone who trusted him without question.Someone who probably didn't end up in a situation like this.He stepped ba
The man holding the gun in front of me dropped.Collapsed like his strings had been cut.Blood sprayed onto the column.I gasped, stumbled backward—"Sera!"My head whipped around.Dante.And he looked like he'd been through hell.His lip was split, blood trailing down the side of his mouth. His tie was gone, jacket missing, white shirt stained red on one side.His eyes locked on me like I was the only thing left standing."You're okay," he breathed, relief flashing wild and fierce in his gaze, just before he lunged toward me.More shots cracked in the background that made me scream a bit as I covered my ears.Before I could ask, speak, breathe, Dante was there, pulling me hard against his chest. His arms wrapped around me like steel, one hand gripping the back of my head as he ducked us down."I think you were the target," he muttered harshly. "Goddamn it, Ser, he was aiming for you."I didn't understand.I just held on. My fingers clutched his shirt, soaked in blood that wasn't mine
I scanned the room, my heart tightening every time I thought about that waiter. Something about him wasn't right.He'd seemed too calm. Too rehearsed. Like he was hiding something bad.I turned slowly, pretending to watch the violinist, but my gaze drifted toward the far side of the ballroom, where a dim hallway opened just beyond the buffet tables. My breath caught when I spotted him.Damien.He stood at the end of the hallway, his dark eyes locked on me. Those eyes... they were cold, like a siren's warning.I squinted, trying to make sure it was really him. His slow nod told me he wanted to say something.What does he want?I forced myself to stay calm and turned back to Dante.I looked at his eyes. "Excuse me," I said, managing a small smile. "I need to use the restroom."Dante's eyes narrowed. "It's too dangerous, I know you saw that," he warned quietly with a worried look.I can't stay here. "I really need to," I said firmly.He hesitated, then nodded. "I'll send some guard to fo
I swallowed hard, heat blooming in my chest. I didn't know how to answer, so I just gave him a nervous smile, awkward, unsure, a little too wide. But Dante didn't seem to mind.He offered his arm, slowly, like he was giving me a choice.I hesitated only a second before slipping my hand through the crook of his elbow. His warmth was steady against me, grounding in a way I hadn't expected.We walked in silence toward the elevator, the soft click of my heels echoing in the hallway. I could feel his eyes on me again, a quiet weight on the side of my face."Red lips suit you," he said suddenly, voice low. "But it's the way you carry yourself... that's what people will remember."I didn't know how to respond to that either. My fingers tightened slightly around his arm.He leaned closer as the elevator doors slid open, the warm brush of his hand against the small of my back sending shivers straight down my spine."You're dangerous like this," he murmured, and I felt my breath catch. "If you
The door of the car slammed shut behind me with a soft finality, the sound echoing in the quiet night. The hum of the engine was a steady rhythm beneath me, but it couldn’t settle the whirlwind inside my chest. The city outside was a blur of lights, but I stayed still, trying to ground myself in the moment.I had done it. I’d struck a deal with Caruso. I’d held my ground. And yet, even now, my heart was still racing from the confrontation on the rooftop.I’d stood my ground. But why did it feel like my legs were made of glass now?I gripped the edge of the seat harder than I meant to, the leather cold beneath my fingers. My thoughts were tangled, and the silence between Dante and me only made everything feel sharper. His presence pressed against me, even in the stillness of the car.I didn’t look at him. Not yet. Because I knew if I did, I’d give away how much that encounter with Caruso had rattled me. I didn’t need him to see that.“You didn’t tell me you knew how to strike a deal.
The sunlight filtered in through sheer, ivory curtains, casting soft patterns over the polished marble floor. I blinked awake, the cold edge of the sheets brushing against my bare skin like ice. The bed beneath me was enormous, probably bigger than the entire bedroom back in my old apartment. The mattress was too soft, the silk sheets too smooth like sleeping on a lie.The room was fit for a queen, or a prisoner.Gilded molding lined the walls, and a crystal chandelier hung above like it belonged in a palace. To my left, a mirrored vanity stood with untouched perfumes and jewelry I hadn't dared to wear. A walk-in closet yawned open across the room, already filled with expensive clothes Dante's people had selected for me. None of them were mine. Not really.All this space... and still, I can't breathe.I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my bare feet touching the cold marble. The echo reminded me how alone I was. No creaky wood floors. No cheap heater rattling in the background.
The drive back from Mr. Caruso's office was a blur. It’s been rainy these week and as the raindrops streaked across the tinted windows, matching the chaos that stormed in my mind. Caruso's threats, the suffocating tension in that room, Dante's shadow hanging over every word. I couldn't escape it. I had done what Dante asked. I had sat there, smiled politely, played the loyal secretary while Caruso tried to intimidate me. And I had smiled through it. But now? Now, I wasn't sure if I was becoming brave or just numb.Is this who I'm becoming? Someone who smiles at wolves and pretends she's not bleeding?The sleek black car rolled to a stop in front of the Moretti estate. The gates opened slowly, like jaws parting to swallow me whole. Towering stone pillars framed the iron gates, carved with symbols I didn't understand but knew were meant to keep people like me in check. The kind of symbols that whispered like “You don't belong here unless you're owned.”The car doors clicked open. The si