Dante’s POVMy consigliere was right to suspect her. The betrayal in my ranks wasn’t just bad luck or coincidence. Someone had been feeding information to the cops, and my empire was bleeding because of it.But Lucia?No.I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t.She was reckless, stubborn, but a traitor? The thought made my jaw clench. If she were guilty, I’d have seen the signs. Yet doubt curled in the back of my mind like a serpent, whispering that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t as innocent as I wanted to believe. I had planned to deal with her head-on… but I couldn’t bring myself to. Not without solid proof.My phone buzzed on the desk.“The car is ready,” the voice on the other end informed me.I exhaled, running a hand through my hair before pushing away from the desk. I had bigger problems than my own suspicions. If I wanted answers, I needed to go straight to the source.Antonio Castellano wouldn’t lie to me.I made a quick stop at his house before heading to the meeting.Antoni
Lucia’s POV I spent the day combing through scattered notes, some hastily scribbled, others underlined to the point of tearing. The more I pieced together, the clearer it became that Vincenzo was the common denominator in everything that had gone wrong. But it wasn’t enough.I needed more than a gut feeling and circumstantial evidence. Dante would never move without solid proof, and neither would the men in his ranks. Without hard facts, Vincenzo would keep getting away untouched.I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through my hair. Frustration burned in my chest.The journalist, though...I flipped through my notes again, rereading the little I had on him. His articles were brutal, painting Dante as a criminal and trying to expose him for what he truly was. It made it seem like Dante was desperately trying to clean up his image, but it wasn’t working. That wasn’t surprising, since Dante had no shortage of enemies. But the man himself? His background didn’t add up.I traced a finger
Lucia’s POVI didn’t move. I couldn’t. My pulse pounded so hard it felt like my ribs would crack under the pressure.The maid sobbed, her body trembling as the blade pressed against her delicate throat. The three men standing before me weren’t faceless intruders, I knew them.They were Dante’s men.And leading them? His consigliere.My breath caught. I’d seen Enzo many times before, standing by Dante’s side and quietly giving him advice. Always calm and composed. But now, his face was cold and merciless, eyes filled with nothing but fury.“What do you want?” I demanded, forcing steel into my voice despite the terror clawing at my throat. My gaze flickered to the maid, her eyes begging for help. “Let her go. She has nothing to do with whatever is going on here.”Enzo tilted his head, as if amused by my boldness. “Do you know what you are, Lucia?” His voice was smooth, almost conversational. “Misfortune.”I gasped.“You’ve done nothing but bring ruin since the moment you set foot into
Lucia’s POVI sucked in a sharp breath, my lungs finally remembering how to function.Dante’s face was hard like stone, his eyes were deadly. The room was silent, and in that silence, I heard only one thing.Death.Enzo remained eerily still, his hands loose at his sides. But I knew better than to think he wasn’t calculating or plotting, trying to find a way out of this.Dante tilted his head slightly, gaze never leaving Enzo. His voice when he finally spoke, was soft., yet dangerous. “Killing her wasn’t your call to make.”The words slid through the air like a final verdict.The moment dragged on, heavy with tension that felt suffocating. Then, footsteps echoed from the hallway. A group of Dante’s men spilled into the room, surrounding us with more guns.My pulse roared in my ears as I was still tied to the damn chair.Enzo let out a slow exhale, shaking his head as if Dante was the one being unreasonable. “I’m trying to do what you refuse to, Dante. I’m trying to protect what’s left
Dante’s POVThe blood on my hands was already drying, but I could still feel its warmth. Enzo’s words echoed in my mind, each syllable crawling under my skin like a slow poison.I should have seen it coming. Enzo had been challenging my decisions for weeks now, questioning every move I made, watching me with those knowing eyes. He had been testing me, pushing me toward this inevitable moment.And I failed his test.Because in the end, I didn’t kill him for betraying me. I didn’t kill him because he overstepped his boundaries.I killed him because he put her in danger.I dragged a hand down my face, exhaling slowly. The idea that Lucia could be the mole still lingered in the back of my mind like a shadow I couldn’t shake. It didn’t matter that I had just put a bullet in my most trusted adviser to protect her—what if Enzo had been right?Had she really twisted my mind so completely that I couldn’t see the truth anymore?Before I could entertain that thought any further, a soft knock cam
Lucia’s POVI had never been so aware of silence until the ride back.Dante didn’t speak. Not once.He kept his eyes fixed on the road, his expression like it was carved from stone. The only sound was the occasional turn of the signal and the low hum of the engine, but each passing second made my skin itch, the weight of what I’d done pressing down like fog between us.Fiancée.Had I gone too far?The moment I’d said it, I saw something flicker in his eyes. Shock, yes—but underneath it, something possessive and dangerous. But now… all I could feel was distance. And it scared me more than his anger ever could.When we pulled up to the mansion, he didn’t wait for me. No parting glance. No words. He just stepped out of the car and disappeared into the house like I was nothing.I stood there for a long second before dragging myself inside.My feet took me to my room on autopilot, but sleep didn’t come. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, my chest tightening with every passing minute. Had
Dante’s POVTrust was a currency more dangerous than blood in this business. And right now, I was running short on both.I stared at the burner phone in my hand, the screen still lit from the last call. The guy on the other end had sounded too sure of himself. He promised the new route was safe, hidden behind fake businesses and paid-off border guards.“Nothing will go wrong this time, Signor Romano,” he’d said.I believed him.But I wasn’t fucking stupid.Last time, I trusted the wrong man and lost an entire shipment. That cost me more than money. It cost me power. It made me look weak. I wouldn’t survive another mistake like that.So I set up a test run. An empty truck. An unmarked driver. I kept everything secret, no records, no paperwork.Three hours later, I got a call that the cops had intercepted it.They didn’t find anything, but that didn’t matter. They were waiting for me. Again. And it wasn’t Lucia, obviously.I slammed the glass in my hand onto the desk, sending shards eve
Lucia’s POVHospitals always smelled the same: bleach, sadness, and something too clean to feel normal. I hated it.The white walls felt like they were closing in as I rushed past the nurses’ station, Rico just a few steps behind me.A nurse with tired eyes stopped me at the door to my father’s room. “You’re his daughter?”I nodded quickly, my heart stuck somewhere between my throat and stomach.“He was found unconscious on his porch,” she said. “We believe he fell down a short flight of stairs. The damage is minor—bruised ribs, slight concussion. He’s lucky. A little more force and—” she stopped herself. “He’s awake now. Confused, but awake.”My fingers tightened around the edge of my coat. “Thank you.”She smiled and stepped aside.I walked into the room.My father looked smaller. Thinner. His bones pressed against the sheets, and his face looked pale under the harsh lights. Tubes ran from his arms, and a dark bruise covered his temple like a shadow.“Dad,” I breathed.He stirred, e
Dante’s POV“What’s wrong?”Her face had gone pale, her hand frozen around her phone. Lucia didn’t speak for a heartbeat. Then another. I moved toward her slowly, my pulse already shifting into that dangerous rhythm I’d come to know too well—the one that meant someone had dared to threaten what was mine.She looked up at me. “I got a text.”I took the phone from her hand gently and read the message.I didn’t speak right away.I stared at the screen, memorizing the words, tasting the venom behind them. My hands curled into fists. Someone had reached past the walls I’d built, past the guards I’d posted, and touched her. Not physically—but it was close enough.Lucia was watching me closely. Brave, despite the fear in her eyes. “I didn’t reply,” she said quietly.“Good,” I said. My voice was low but I felt the violence rising inside me. “I’ll find out who sent this. And when I do…” I paused, leaned in, and kissed her forehead. “…they’ll wish they’d never learned your name.”She didn’t fli
Lucia’s POVHis voice snaked through the phone like a knife. Familiar, but wrong in every way. I froze. Not from fear, but disgust.“I didn’t just think it,” I said, my voice low. “I did leave you, Daniel.”Silence. Then a cold laugh, bitter and sharp.“You were never meant to belong to him. You belong to me. You always have.”“Daniel,” I hissed, heart racing, “you’re insane.”“You gave yourself to him, didn’t you?” His voice dipped darker, uglier. “Did you think I wouldn’t know? You let him touch you. Take you. Like you’re his. But you’re not. You’re mine, Lucia.”My hand trembled so hard I nearly dropped the phone. The urge to tell Dante, to scream for him, gripped me like a vice. But I didn’t. Not yet.“Don’t call me again,” I said through gritted teeth.“Or what?” His voice dipped with menace. “You’ll send him after me? That killer you sleep beside now? You think he can protect you from what’s coming?”I ended the call not wanting to hear more.I stood frozen, breath hitching. Wha
Lucia’s POVHis hand tightened in my hair—not harshly, just enough to guide me. Then he started moving my head for me slowly, setting the pace. I relaxed, letting him lead, and finally I felt it. The tension in his body. The soft sound that escaped his throat. I was doing it right.And this time, I didn’t stop.I glanced up through my lashes. His jaw was tight, hand clenched at his side, and his eyes had gone darker, more focused. Still calm, still in control but barely.I sucked in my cheeks, taking him deeper, my hands pressing against his thighs for balance. His fingers tightened, hips giving a slow, involuntary thrust into my mouth. A quiet groan rumbled from his chest, like it had slipped out against his will.“Just like that,” he muttered, voice tight. “Don’t stop.”I didn’t.His breathing turned heavier, shoulders rigid now. I felt the way his body coiled, straining like he was holding back something primal.“You want to take it?” he asked, voice rough, breathless. “Or do I pul
Lucia’s POVThe second I heard the door click open, I straightened from where I’d been curled up by the window. Dante stepped in, his eyes scanning the room before settling on me. Something shifted in his face when he saw me waiting.Like I was his reward.Without a word, he locked the door and began to unbutton his shirt, his eyes never leaving mine. I swallowed thickly, my breath caught somewhere between anticipation and awe.“You’re quiet,” he said, voice low.“I was waiting.”“For what?”“For you.”A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Say that again.”“I was waiting for you, Dante.”He crossed the room in two strides, yanking me into his arms before I could take another breath. His mouth crashed onto mine, demanding, unrelenting, like the night before hadn’t been enough.It hadn’t been. Not for either of us.This time, he was rougher. His hands greedy, his grip tighter. He pulled me to the bed, turned me around, and bent me over the edge, my gasp swallowed by the mattress as his palm pres
Lucia’s POVSomething warm and delicious filled the air, nudging me awake. I blinked slowly, sunlight pooling through the sheer curtains like warm silk across my bare skin.I shifted slightly and winced, a soft soreness pulsing between my thighs. My muscles were stiff, hips sore from how he’d held me, pinned me, claimed me. Even the skin at my neck throbbed faintly where his mouth had been.I reached for the edge of the sheet and wrapped it tightly around my chest before sitting up, my body slow to obey. The cotton scraped over sensitized skin, and I flinched—then stilled as I turned, expecting to find cold sheets and an empty bed, but instead—There he was.Dante.In nothing but black slacks, barefoot, holding a silver tray in his hands like he wasn’t one of the most dangerous man in Chicago.“You brought me breakfast?” I asked, my voice still thick with sleep and disbelief.“I wasn’t sure what you liked,” he said, setting the tray on the nightstand with surprising care. “I’ve never
Dante’s POVI stood there, frozen, my hand still cupping her delicate face. Her words replayed in my head like a song I never wanted to end.“I want this. With you, Dante.”Her voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the determination in it. She wasn’t asking. She wasn’t second-guessing herself. She was choosing me. And it scared the hell out of me because I knew once I touched her, once I took her… there would be no going back.I searched her eyes for hesitation, for a crack, for even the faintest tremor of uncertainty. I found none. Just that steady, aching need—mirroring my own.“Lucia…” I breathed out, almost brokenly.She didn’t wait for me to finish. Her fingers, trembling but insistent, returned to my belt. I caught her hands briefly, giving her one last chance to change her mind. She shook her head once, a small but powerful gesture, before she worked my belt open and tugged at my trousers, letting them fall to the floor with a soft thud.She stepped back toward the bed, he
Dante’s POV She swallowed hard, her jaw trembling as she closed her eyes. I moved closer and sat on the edge her bed. “He… he betrayed me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “He was using me. I was just… I wonder if he even loves me. He’s been lying to me.” Her hands clenched around the fabric of her dress, and I could see her fighting back tears. I hated seeing her like this. It was like watching someone lose themselves. But she wasn’t ready to let go completely yet. “I ended it with him,” she added, her words heavy with finality, but there was pain behind them. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t let him do this to me anymore.” I watched her, processing what she said. Then my gaze dropped to her left hand, and I saw the absence of the ring. She really wasn’t wearing it anymore. I moved closer, keeping my tone soft. “You ended it with him,” I repeated, almost to myself. She nodded, her eyes finally meeting mine, but she didn’t offer more. I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my emotio
Dante’s POV The moment the car rolled back into the estate and Lucia wasn’t in it with me, I felt that gnawing undercurrent of something not right. It wasn’t just her pale face or the way her voice had lost its edge. It was the way she looked at me like she was drowning and didn’t want to be saved. Something happened tonight. And I was going to find out what. The second I stepped into the mansion, I found Lucas waiting in the hall and I didn’t waste time. I slammed him against the wall. “What the fuck has she been doing the past few days?” He didn’t even flinch, which pissed me off more. “Sir—she hasn’t gone anywhere without clearance. She only visited her father once. That’s all. I swear it.” My hand tightened on his collar. “You’re sure?” Lucas nodded, voice flat. “She’s under constant surveillance, Dante. We’d know if something was wrong.” I stared into his eyes for another long second before shoving him back. He straightened his jacket like I hadn’t just manhandled him,
Lucia’s POV The venue glimmered like something out of a dream or a very well-funded lie. Crystal chandeliers hung from ceilings so high they could scrape heaven. Women in fancy dresses moved through the room like ghosts dipped in gold, while men in dark suits stood around the edges with whiskey in one hand, secrets in the other. Soft buzzes from security earpieces filled the air.I stood near the bar, pretending to sip champagne. I hadn’t taken more than two mouthfuls. My stomach was still knotted from what I’d learned days ago.Betrayal tasted like blood at the back of my throat and no matter how much champagne I drank, I couldn’t get rid of it. It ruined everything, turning something sweet into something so bitter and rotten.Dante was busy speaking to a cluster of high-ranking Mafia associates near the grand piano, his jaw tight and gestures sharp. His dark eyes scanned the room constantly, every movement like a predator calculating its next strike. I watched him and couldn’t help